ANALYZING PERSUASIVE APPEALS IN ADVERTISEMENTS: 2006
see also 
Mary Macrae Carreker
Malarone Ad
As I was flipping through a National
Geographic I found this ad for Malarone tablets. What caught my eye was the bold
yellow and black diamond shaped yield sign that we are all very familiar with easing me
into the ad. Being set on an fuzzy sky blue background creates a contrast and helps
the sign stand out by how clear it is in comparrison. Now that my attention is on the ad,
my eyes move to the two bare feet and legs dangling from a hammock. So naturally one would
think it is a beach advertisement, but Malarone uses an element of surprise by this not
being what is advertised at all. Instead, when looking closer at the text the viewer
is drawn into a harsh reality. Contrary to the picture the text is not pleasant as
the yield sign warns us to "take a closer look." Here the advertiser has
caught my attention with the bold colors and then before I even read the text I have
looked at the rest of the ad thinking it will be something pleasant, so then Malarone
re-catches my interest by challenging me to "take a closer look." My
attention is being held into the ad for longer than a quick glance as I begin to look
closer at the ad to see what is being implied. Sure enough I see more text that I am
now interested in reading to find out what I am looking for. This text warns me that the
mosquito on the woman’s foot could have malaria. Malarone is smart to use a
woman’s feet and legs as a man’s hairy legs and unkempt feet are generally not
as aesthetically pleasing. So now, with only two lines of text and a pretty generic
picture, I have already spent a good while looking at the ad. Now that I have
invested some time and feel I have "figured out the ad," which creates an
accomplished feeling, I am still curious as to why this mosquito, that is hardly
noticeable, is the focus of the ad. I read the name "Malarone" and that
means nothing to me, so once again the ad has challenged me to look closer at what is
being advertised. I find the tiny word "tablets" so I put two and two together
and realize if I take these "malrone" things I won’t get malaria. The ad
had done its job by using logos. The logical statements of text lead me to agree that I
don’t want to be relaxing and then get maralia, so when I do decide to take a
vacation I will remember that there is a tablet to remedy this. There are two simple words
added near the product's name: "Travel Smart." How logical!
Who wouldn’t want to? So now I feel to be the smartest traveler I will
buy this product. Again I feel a sense of accomplishment in first "figuring
out" the ad, then being a little "smarter" by looking at it.
_
English 5730 is taught by Dr. Richard Nordquist.
Armstrong Atlantic State University
Savannah, Georgia 31419
912/921 5991
15 February 2006