Rhetorical Analysis Of Magnasoles

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Lucas Rosen 10/1/16 Mrs. Miller Rhetorical Essay The Onion’s mock press release markets a product called MagnaSoles. By formulating a mock advertisement a situation is created where The Onion can criticize modern day advertising. Furthermore, they can go as far as to highlight the lucrative statements that are made by advertisements that seduce consumers to believe in the “science” behind their product and make a purchase. The Onion uses a satirical and humorous tone compiled with made up scientific diction to highlight the manner in which consumers believe anything that is told to them and how powerful companies have become through their words whether true or false. The mock press release advertisement that The Onion produces …show more content…

For instance, they claim that MagnaSoles are “popular among consumers” (52-53). This use of luring pathos is creating a situation where the reader recognizes themselves as a consumer and that they should be conforming to also like the product. This is exactly what the speaker wants the reader to feel. This need to conform is a clear highlight to The Onion’s purpose of exposing how easy it is for advertisers to make a consumer buy in to the product. Additionally, the speaker puts the reader in a vulnerable position when a user of the product says to “try to prove that Magnasoles didn’t heal me!” (61-62). This is used to make the reader feel like this user of the product. The user thinks the product is great and he even goes as far to challenge the reader to find problems with his claims. If he is challenging the reader than more often than not the reader will just accept what is said and believe it. Once again The Onion mocks how consumers often feel when addressing a product’s claims. The seductive pathos allows for proof that consumers believe anything when they are tested to conform and believe

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