Rhetorical Analysis Of The Aspca's Animal Cruelty Commercial

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A Rhetorical Analysis of the ASPCA’s Animal Cruelty Commercials
Upon first receiving this assignment I was honestly not sure what I would do it on. Then I remember a very well done commercial from 2006. If you’re not sure what commercial I am referencing it is the ASPCA commercial with all the injured animals and "arms of an angel" playing in the background; furthermore, Sarah McLachlan voices over and stars in the commercial. The commercial does a good job of appealing to animal lovers sense of emotion (Pathos) through the photos and videos of helpless and beaten animals. Sarah McLachlan also appeals to animal lovers through the fact that she has been a longtime supporter of the ASPCA (Ethos). Also, the video includes statistics that can easily be proven these statistics help to support the commercials cause (logos). Finally, the commercial itself appeared on television which is a great medium to get a message across; in addition, this commercial is valid in any year and will always appeal to a …show more content…

An example of this is at twenty seconds into the view when the text appears on screen stating, “3,000 animals were rescued last year (ASPCA)”. This claim by the ASPCA that they as an organization rescued 3,000 animals in the previous year is a large claim. Furthermore, this is not a claim that any organization would make unless confident that if someone asked for further proof that the proof would be there. Another example that is provided in the commercial by the ASPCA is a line Sarah McLachlan speaks, …for just eighteen dollars a month, only sixty cents a day. You will help rescue animals from their abusers. And provide medical care, food, shelter, and love…. Both examples help to further prove that the ASPCA is credible and trustworthy. Moreover, these are not the only two times in the entire commercial that show ethos; however, they are two of the more prominent

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