Sexy Rhetorical Analysis

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Selling Sexy: Rhetoric’s Effect on the Fashion Market When making buying decisions, people tend to put an extensive amount of thought on the matter. Car companies offer statistics and back history on their supply of automobiles. Services such as Yelp offer prospective diners a chance to guide them to their tasty destination. It is in our conscience to make rational decisions when regarding our spending habits due to the limited expenses we obtain. As ridiculous as it seems, the same theory applies to our most basic needs. A myriad of industries exist in the most trivial markets such as toothpaste and toilet paper. This calls to question: Do the products we buy reflect on our conscious behaviors and if so, how do the companies who sell these…show more content…
Whether it be commercials for the latest movies or billboards promoting fast food establishments, businesses must showcase their products to the public in order to make a profit. This goes double for the fashion industry. People need to see what the clothing or accessory looks like on another individual to judge how they may look in it. Where companies contrast however is the method in which they get the consumer to buy their merchandise. Two companies may sell the same type of product, but how they portray it through their ads will paint a very distinct picture of the ware. This is the art of rhetoric: the persuasion of an audience. In this case, the audience is the consumer. Take for example two famous underwear outlets, Victoria’s Secret and Fruit of the Loom. These companies deliver their undergarments using divergent manipulation of rhetoric, resulting in two distinct representations of the same product. This not only generates two diversified groups of consumers for the product, but also creates different images for the companies…show more content…
The outfit consists of a low cut bra, a dark black garter belt with pink straps, sheer stockings, and barely visible underwear that leaves one's imagination on a wander. The woman herself has piercing eyes, scarlet lips, and a voluptuous bust. In pink, the words "HELLO, BOMBSHELL!" sit next to her. Beneath that, a description of the woman’s bra that adds two sizes to her reveals the purpose of the ad: to showcase the mystical properties of her underwear. Victoria’s Secret is a world renowned company known for their lingerie lines. Simply having the logo on their ads already lends credibility to the product and its magical powers of making a woman look sexy. This is the element of ethos associated to the advertisement. Young girls would it simply because it is Victoria’s Secret, similar to how they want Louis Vuitton purses for the fact it is LV. Also, the model they used for the ad helps to sell the product. To put it in plain terms, guys wouldn’t mind being in bed with her. This desire is noticed by the female consumer and inadvertently leads to her desire for the product. This effect would not have taken place had it been a less attractive model. This is the elements of pathos and logos working together for the sell. If men desire women who wear Victoria’s Secret, then women who want to desired will buy their

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