Visual Analysis

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Prepared by  : Yousef Fahad Al Rashidi

        Student no: -----------------

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In a world flooded with images, visual analysis becomes a very powerful tool that helps us to recognize and understand the visual aspect of the things around us. Images are an important part of our visual world. They are created for specific purposes which explains the visual choices the creators of these images may take while producing them. Thus, in this context, the image is viewed as a message that needs to be understood and analyzed.

In my paper, I will perform a visual analysis of one of Starbucks’ advertisement shown above to identify the components of the argument along with the rhetorical strategies embedded in the image.

The rhetorical strategies refer to the method used to support a claim. The support necessitates the existence of sufficient relevant evidence to support the claim. The creator of this advertisement used a wide range of rhetorical strategies to make his point and persuade his potential customers and hook the current ones to consume the product. The author used the illustration /exemplification strategy to portray the eye as an example of a “tortured eye”because of the struggle to stay awake. The illustration of the eye looks very painful and the fact of using a tape on the eyelashes to keep it open proves how the experience of fighting sleep can be a hard experience to live.

The author used also the description strategy to support his claim. He used concrete sensory words that can be perceived by our senses such as the words "awake" and "painful" that directly move the audience to live the painful experience of resisting the sleep. Even the use of capital letters in the statement describes how their coffee is a powerful drink. The use of capital letters usually embeds power and strength. The cause and effect strategy is also present in this advertisement as they link their product with the state of being awake without pain. In other terms, they make it sounds as if you drink our Starbucks coffee (cause) we will guarantee you that staying awake is pain free (effect).

Compare and contrast is also used as a rhetorical strategy as the author indirectly compares the Starbucks coffee with other companies stating that it not just coffee it is Starbucks. By this he classified (classification strategy) Starbucks as a special kind of coffee that is distinct from other coffees.

The last strategy used in the ad is the argumentation. It is a powerful strategy that presents the argument in a way that is more convincing than the arguments on the opposing sides of the issue, not by saying that the other side is all wrong, bad but instead presenting why your argument is stronger than the opposition. In our case, the author admits the existence of other coffees and they are not the only one available on the market by saying  (it is not just a coffee) but he stresses on the uniqueness of their coffee by naming the brand name with the logo which is sufficient for the customer to know about the quality of their product (it is STARBUCKS).In this context, we can sense the importance of the “ ethos” as a rhetorical appeal, that deals primary with the credibility of the author. Starbucks earned a very good reputation in the business of coffee industry and in spite of their high prices compared to other coffee companies; people are still consuming their coffee.

The ad plays also on the emotional part of the audience with the painful portrayal of the eye and that is defined by Aristotle as Pathos. On the other hand, the logos which is the third rhetorical appeal, plays also an important role in the persuasion process. In our advertisement, Starbucks logo involves a siren from the Greek mythology. The siren is well known for its powerful effect that lures the sailors who are hypnotized and cannot resist its call. By including a siren in the logo, Starbucks says that its coffee is luring and hard to resist. The careful choice of the green color in the logo has also a persuasive effect on the audience. The green color symbolizes the renewal, nature and energy and by including the green color in the logo, Starbucks wants the customers to view their coffee as the natural source of energy which revives the senses that allow them a new fresh start. Today the Starbucks logo is recognized all over the globe for its excellence. Imprinted on the coffee mug, the Starbucks logo itself represents quality and standard.