2) Find an advertisement that uses apple polishing. Is it a good argument?
Apple polishing is an appeal to vanity. This type of appeal is one that motivates a person to do something to enhance one’s self-esteem. Many advertisements use this approach in order to sell the maximum amount of a certain product. By making the advertisement seem enviable, people would more than likely buy the product to become like the advertisement.
In this example, Maybelline is advertising their mascara, Falsies, worn by a beautiful woman. Falsies’ description states, “corner-to-corner volume for 300% more visible lashes” (Maybelline.com). In the advertisement, the model has dramatic, full, long lashes that enhance the beauty of her eyes. If one buys this product, Maybelline is implicitly implying that the longer and fuller lashes will help make one seem beautiful such as the woman. Maybelline’s unstated premise may sound something like the following: If you buy Maybelline’s Falsies mascara, you will have full volume lashes that will make you look beautiful and sexy.
Hey esconequeen!
ReplyDeleteI liked your post about the chapter because you talked a lot about advertising and you tied it back to the appeal to vanity that we learned about in the reading. I also found it true that Maybelline is using an appeal to vanity by portraying this woman to be an ideal picture of beauty because of her "lashblast" extravagant eyelashes thus making it seem like all those women who don't have them are seemingly plain. I find it interesting though that an appeal to vanity is a tactic that varies from culture to culture. For example, something that is considered beautiful in one region of the world can seem unappealing to another. Thanks for the post!