Rhetorical Analysis of a MAC Cosmetics Advertisement
Initial Response to the Advertisement
My initial reaction when seeing this ad was that I was being made to feel that I should use the product to be more appealing. I had this reaction, because there’s a “perfect” looking woman on the ad using the product. The usage of the product and the product itself are what stood out to me the most, because they are the only things that are in color in this ad. I have prior experience with this product, because I have used and love it. I know that this company is in New York City, which makes it more appealing to me.
My initial reaction when seeing this ad was that I was being made to feel that I should use the product to be more appealing. I had this reaction, because there’s a “perfect” looking woman on the ad using the product. The usage of the product and the product itself are what stood out to me the most, because they are the only things that are in color in this ad. I have prior experience with this product, because I have used and love it. I know that this company is in New York City, which makes it more appealing to me.
Detailed Summary/Description of the Advertisement
The product being advertised is a printed ad of MAC Cosmetics lipstick. The first thing that catches the viewer’s eye is the pink lipstick on a model’s lips. At the top of the advertisement are large whitish/grayish letters that say MAC. The word cosmetics, is printed in black in a smaller size that is inside of the C in MAC. There is a young female to the right of the ad printed in black and white with her hair in a low ponytail, with a poof of hair on the top of her head. She is wearing black square shaped glasses with a black skinny strap shirt, which make her look comfortable. She has her index finger (nail painted white) placed on her bottom lip, with her mouth open, showing her pearl white teeth. On her middle and ring fingers are rings. Her lips are printed in the color pink indicating that she is using the lipstick. At the bottom left corner of the ad is the product itself, tube in black and silver with the letters MAC on the silver part of the tube printed in black. The lipstick coming out of it is also printed in the color pink. Below and to the left of the female’s hand are the words, “We’ll be the cherry that gets you on top”. But again, the word cherry is in pink and the rest of the words in the statement are printed in white. The background of the ad is a blend of dark gray, gray, and light gray starting out with dark gray at the top and fading into light gray at the bottom, with a very faint black design covering the whole background. And finally, at the very bottom of the ad to the right of the lipstick tube is very small typing. This typing is beneath the light gray background onto a dark strip at the bottom of the ad. It states, “We have been dying to share our bold color and eccentric style with the world. Our industry standard product is now available to those looking for that one of a kind change. MAC Cosmetics will be the highlights to your beauty. www.maccosmetics.com”. This advertisement originally appeared in a PEOPLE magazine, and the primary audience is for teen girls up to women around the age of 40. This advertisement was typically directed towards females all around the world. |
Argument/Claim of the Advertisement
The advertiser of this product most likely believes that the consumer who sees their product uses lipstick to make oneself feel and be more appealing. The benefits that are implied for someone who shall purchase this product is that the lipstick will “be the cherry that gets you on top”. The consumer will be made to feel better about herself after purchasing the product and when she sees an ad for the product again, after owning it, she will already feel appealing.
The advertiser of this product most likely believes that the consumer who sees their product uses lipstick to make oneself feel and be more appealing. The benefits that are implied for someone who shall purchase this product is that the lipstick will “be the cherry that gets you on top”. The consumer will be made to feel better about herself after purchasing the product and when she sees an ad for the product again, after owning it, she will already feel appealing.
The primary (dominant) and secondary (supporting) appeals of the advertisement.
The primary appeal to this advertisement is pathos. The appeal is pathos in the sense that the ad is showing off the product as a way to boost the consumer’s confidence. The consumer may have some sort of insecurity, but after buying this product, it will make them feel more secure and confident about themselves just by using this MAC lipstick.
The primary appeal to this advertisement is pathos. The appeal is pathos in the sense that the ad is showing off the product as a way to boost the consumer’s confidence. The consumer may have some sort of insecurity, but after buying this product, it will make them feel more secure and confident about themselves just by using this MAC lipstick.
The secondary appeal to the MAC lipstick ad is logos. MAC Cosmetics is known to most females worldwide. Those who use, or admire MAC Cosmetics will know as soon as they see the advertisement with the three capital letters; MAC, that the ad is some sort of make-up.
Advertising Techniques evident in the advertisement.
Sex appeal is when the product will enhance the consumer’s sexual attractiveness. In the above advertisement, the advertiser states that if one uses the product, it will “get them on top”. The advertiser makes the viewer/consumer feel that if they buy the lipstick, it will make them more attractive.
Sex appeal is when the product will enhance the consumer’s sexual attractiveness. In the above advertisement, the advertiser states that if one uses the product, it will “get them on top”. The advertiser makes the viewer/consumer feel that if they buy the lipstick, it will make them more attractive.
Eye candy are the bright colors, and interesting lettering in print ads. If we are drawn to an unusual ad, we remember it. The product in this ad, which is the cherry lipstick is in a bright pink color which catches the viewer’s attention right away. The lipstick on the female’s lips in the ad, the word “cherry”(the name of the lipstick), and the lipstick itself are all in this bright pink color while everything else on the ad are in black, white, and gray. Some of the text, “We’ll be the cherry that gets you on top”, is in a unique font, which also captures the viewer’s attention. But most importantly, the letters MAC are at the top of the ad in the largest size font out of all the words on the ad. This is so that each consumer will realize that the product is one of MAC Cosmetics’.
Band wagon is when the advertiser uses peer pressure to influence the consumer. The advertiser in this ad makes the consumer feel as if this lipstick/color will get them on top. This will make viewers feel that they should be like other females and use this product to make themselves more attractive, and to "get them on top."
How the techniques are used to construct the primary and secondary appeals.
The technique Sex Appeal, contributes to the primary appeal, pathos, the most out of the three techniques stated above.
The technique Sex Appeal, contributes to the primary appeal, pathos, the most out of the three techniques stated above.
Both the techniques of Sex Appeal, and Band Wagon work in the pathos category. In the Sex Appeal technique, the advertiser makes the consumer feel as if they will look more attractive when using the product. Like Sex Appeal, the Band Wagon technique persuades the consumer to wear the lipstick to look as appealing/attractive as those who already use the MAC product.
The technique Eye Candy, contributes to the secondary appeal, logos, because the fact that the bold letters MAC stand out in the ad, so those letters will be one of the first things that catches the consumer’s eyes/attention.