Rhetorical Vocabulary
This term refers to any set of circumstances that involves at least one person using some sort of communication to modify the perspective of at least one other person or convey a message, either directly or indirectly
Rhetorical Situation
Dystopia
When marketing products with multiple options, ads will limit what is shown because psychological studies have shown that people will simply not decide when too many options are present
Avoiding decision paralysis
"Our socks are more comfortable and long-lasting than even then other name brands!"
Product Comparison
"If I don't have a coffee RIGHT NOW, I will not be able to focus and then I will fall asleep while driving and then DIE."
Slippery Slope
The problem, topic, or situation that someone is trying to address or respond to in their communication
Exigence
A political candidate shares an AI video of their opponent doing something illegal with the purpose of slandering them. This is an example of what?
DOUBLE JEOPARDY!
The idea that the consumer should buy this product because everyone else is buying it
Bandwagon Appeal
Gucci, Versace, Saint Laurent, and Balenciaga are all brands that have this type of appeal
Snob Appeal
"The LA County Fair needs to go back to being in September since it was like that for decades before moving to May."
Appeal to tradition
The intended AND unintended recipients of a communication
Audience
The dictionary definition of a word
Denotation
A technique that tells the consumer that they would be X (better off, wealthier, prettier, more fit, etc.) if they owned the product
DOUBLE JEOPARDY!
Cognitive Dissonance
When the advertiser uses images or words with explicitly POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE CONNOTATION to make the consumer associate the product with a specific emotion. This is extremely common in car commercials
Transfer
"I am going to buy this new face cream because Sabrina Carpenter was in the commercial for it"
Appeal to authority
Limits on the way a discourse is presented or communicated
Constraints
Charli XCX, Chappell Roam, and Lady Gaga all utilize these on stage and change them from album to album
Persona
MOVIE TRAILERS use this to “tease” the audience into watching the movie by leaving questions or detailed unanswered
Zeigarnik Effect
These are ads that specifically use the word “YOU” as a way to directly involve the audience with the product to make it more logically useful and “obtainable” to the consume
DOUBLE JEOPARDY!
Audience control
"The food at this restaurant is bad because it tastes bad."
Circular Argument
A general framework that helps you analyze the different elements of a piece of communication and how they work together
Double Jeopardy!
Rhetorical triangle
The connotation of words can be divided into these three categories (you must name all three to get the points!)
Positive, Negative, Neutral
When a company creates a brand persona for itself over time by using slogans, mascots, specific emotions, or colors/symbols.
Classical Conditioning
Color Coding, Transfer, and Use of Humor are all part of this larger category of persuasion
Pathos
"My opponent's words cannot be trusted. He watches anime!"
DOUBLE JEOPARDY!
Ad hominem