McDonald’s 2011 Straws Commercial
While seeking to pursue someone to change their ideas or perspective, one has to equip themselves with persuasive skills. In respect to this, there exist a plethora of both literary and verbal communication skills that can enable a compelling message to have the indented effect. When a message seems relevant, takes care of the rational and emotional appeals, and has strong credibility, it would be safe to assume that the persuader has powerful, persuasive skills. Intuitively, the listeners or the audience of the intended message are bound to see the logical reason and brought to care about the message for the simple reasons that the message is relevant to them as it comes from and credible sources. Such powerful, persuasive skills are often employed in the advertisement realm, where a strong, compelling message is critical to winning the heart of many customers.
McDonald’s 2011 Straws Commercial
The competition in the fast-food market is high. McDonald’s company is not letting their market share get smaller by the day. Therefore, the corporation produces an advert that sets out to maintain and win the heart of many other customers. The adverts seem to target young men and women in the flower of their youth.
In the background, the advert plays a soothing, love-themed song that goes along with the moment. A Girl, from the advert, finishes her McCafe, and a boy sitting in the opposite seizes the opportunity to invite her so that they can share his drink instead. while using the bendable straws to entice her, the advert says, “a brand new way to indulge…the simple joy of love at first sight.”
Rhetoric devices
Ethos
In other words, the author’s credibility, Ethos, is questioned. From the McDonald advert, the credibility of the content firstly exhumes from their perceived honest. The advert gives audiences honest reasons for the new straws that are meant to provide a unique way of indulgence for young men and women. This approach, in turn, creates trust from the audience side for the good intentions the advert displays. With such proficiency in the art of delivery, it is difficult for customers not to trust the source of the advert. Also, McDonald’s is a well-known brand in the United States; their credibility comes from their ubiquitous presence; this gives them the authority that imbues the adverts content.
Logos
Put differently; logos means the appeal to reason. When an advert does not seem reasonable, it is most likely to come out fake unless the intended reason is to produce humor. For McDonald’s advert, the content appeals to everyone’s logic reasoning. In the advert, the boy commits to invite the girl because she finished her drink. The boy’s consistency is seen through further action of bending the straws to impress her. To this end, it is only logical for the girl to reciprocate the boy’s effort with a beautiful gesture, perhaps a thank you note.
Pathos
The McDonald advert is full of emotion that relates to “the simple joy of love at first sight.” The background song plays a significant role in initiating and setting the pace of emotions in the video. Both the boy and girl are involved in kind gestures and in reciprocity behaviors that make them like each other at first sight. Further, the adverts emotionally appeal to young men and women through common social instances that have an aspect of social proof. It seems to communicate that ‘other young men and women like the straw in such circumstances; you too can like it as well. Lastly, the advert ends with the phrase ‘I’m loving it’ to strengthen further the fact that the straws and the McCafe are socially accepted.