VISUAL RHETORIC

               I was on my way to Walmart to buy some groceries and on the way there I see rhetoric mages such as many ads, posters, flyers, signs and banners. They are meant to grab your attention on the spot! Mostly they are just a big distraction in my opinion, but they always make me think about what they are trying to get across.

As soon as I get in my car and start to drive I see a big advertisement banner for a gym membership that said “Only twenty-five dollars a month” in bright red print, assuming people in this economy can afford a gym membership. The gym building has huge windows in front by the sign to show the crowd of members. I think they don’t have tinted windows to show people how clean and nice the place is. Organization and cleanliness also grabs people’s attention.

 The next banner was a little league registration for kids to get up and active. It was in front of schools, libraries, and parks. These are all very popular places for where children like to go. When they go there they are likely to ask their parents about it. And if their parents say no, the children can say that it’s so they can be healthy and active like the advertisement said. How can you say no to your child wanting to be active?

As I move farther down the street there are more and more stores on the road with advertisements. There are even little ones on car bumpers that are noticeable such as brand names of clothing, sports gear, or equipment. As soon as I walk in Walmart there are a dozen more visual rhetoric images in my face. Toys for Tots are donations of toys around the holidays for children in need. By putting the big Toys for Tots box in the entrance of the store it makes people feel guilty for not donating to the kids that are less fortunate. Another one I saw was a man being the bell ringer.  His bucket of money was empty, and had a sign for the Salvation Army on it. How can you not donate to a person who has been standing outside for hours just to help others get food on their plates?

Visual rhetoric images grab your attention whether it’s in a positive or negative way. They are always going to be around us whether we like it or not. It’s how some people make a living for themselves.