This chapter is solely based on using pathos, or emotion, as the focus of a visual argument. Using emotional appeal can be one of the most successful ways of swaying a target audience to feel a certain way and thus, the product or message sticks with them because of the powerful affect. Advertisers can play off our strengths or our vulnerabilities and make us yearn for something in return. The chapter talks about how these things stick with us because of the ability to send a "chill down your spine" just by one simple image. Emotional tactics are very persuasive, especially in the area of politics. Pathos-driven advertisements by candidates can make others in the run look scary or inept and use that to push audiences a certain way. By using pathos, advertisers can also paint a picture in a consumer's mind and make them more passionate about it. Many emotions, such as sadness or anger, can have a very large impact on the audience, but this chapter also makes a note that sometimes overwhelming pathos can make consumers or audiences uncomfortable. Due in part to this, advertisers are careful in selecting what emotion they are primarily trying to convey or trigger. In addition to these emotions, humor is also mentioned as an effective pathos which can ease the situation, or make it seem more amicable and relateable.
In this chapter, I found the section on Barack Obama most interesting. The book talks about how Obama uses one emotion-hope-as the push for his entire campaign. The pathos used was extremely effective in giving him a certain image that stuck with viewers all throughout the campaign. The way they portrayed him, using hope as the main focus, made him seem like a beacon of light to the otherwise dull future. He was even depicted on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine, standing strong with glimmering light around him, signifying hope and in turn, giving off this strong emotion made him a powerful figure in the running.
I completely agree with everything you put in your blog. I could not agree more when you said using emotional appeal could be one of the most successful ways of swaying a target audience to feel a certain way. In my opinion, it most definitely is the most successful. I remember seeing that picture you posted of the fireman and the baby a while ago and I remember feeling completely devastated. It’s such an awful sight to see! Nobody wants to see this image, especially because it involves an infant. There are no words, or messages so you can have your own interpretation of the message. Emotional tactics are so interesting to me I don’t know why. When you mention sadness and anger emotions as having very large impacts on the audience, I also agree. I feel like if something is sad, I will remember it more than if it were portraying a good advertisement. Maybe that’s because I am very emotional and I remember stuff like that. I’m not a sad and depressed person by any means, I just feel like it puts more of an affect on me. I also found the Barack Obama section very interesting. It amazed me how one word, hope, can impact so many peoples decision on who to vote for. Around the time of his campaign, so many people were itching for hope. It was very smart of him to use this at the main focus. Who knows, maybe that one word won him the election.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that pathos is the most effective form of argument. I believe messages that make you feel something makes you more inclined to think about them more often, rather than a statistic or something since I find that most people can vaguely remember them. People like to think that they are completely logical in their reasoning but that is hardly ever the case. I, too, recalled the image of the fireman holding the infant, which is why I decided to choose your blog to comment upon. It's very interesting how we do not have a clear knowledge about what is going on, yet we are affected so deeply by the image.
ReplyDeleteIt is indeed very interesting how the one word "hope" swayed many people to vote for Barack Obama. Hope is a very powerful word and everyone has it in some sense, so it is very relatable. I wonder what makes it so powerful. If you think about it for an extended period of time, Obama's campaign makes less and less sense. We would have hope for a better tomorrow no matter who was elected president, unless, of course, this person was tyrannical or something. It is not a clear reason why he is the better candidate, but I suppose that might just be me thinking too much.
Overall, I really liked your blog entry. I wish you had posted the story of the fireman picture you included or at least said something about it, but this entry still is very good.