Cordaid People In Need Rhetorical Analysis

In an ad launched by Cordaid, called “People In Need” the organization addresses an issue that almost everyone living in first world countries can relate to: gluttony. The ad itself, which shows a fashion model holding a luxury bag, was designed to bring awareness to the wastefulness in society. Next to the luxury bag is the cost of the purse, contrasted with the supposed cost to feed someone for a week. In this essay I will analyze and address the rhetorical components Cordaid uses to illuminate the vast wealth inequality throughout our world.
Cordaid is one of the largest development organizations in the Netherlands; working in twenty-eight countries to combat global challenges. Its vision is to “strive for a fair and sustainable society in which every individual counts.”(Cordaid). Its position as an aid organization, paired with their seemingly selfless goals, gives them an advantage with the publication of this ad. The organization is non-profit, so they do

By contrasting a beautiful, glamorous model to impoverished life in Africa, the organization effectively appeals to the viewer's sense of guilt. Positioning something as insignificant as a purse next to something as necessary as food also gives viewers a reality check. These two aspects of the advertisement leave the citizen feeling shameful for spending their money on unnecessary items while another human, just like them, is struggling to eat enough to survive.
The logos of this ad includes the location of the photograph . The intentional setting, Africa, gives the viewer a sense of realism. This continent, which is notoriously poor, allows viewers to recognize hunger as a real, ongoing problem. The use of this model and setting also portrays to the desire to help others. The ad is very clearly targeted at first world citizens, and is incredibly effective at suggesting it is our individual responsibility to help those in