To make the use of logos and ethos effective in the ad, components of photography, such as, color and lighting are used. Primarily, different hues and shades of blues and grays are used to determine the mood of the viewer, and they portray a futuristic environment. The lighter hues of blue have a calming, stabilizing effect on the viewer’s mind. The different shades of blue also have a confident air. The subdued sophistication and style of the hues of blue helps divert the reader’s initial sense of loathing and disgust at the image of a disembodied, extraterrestrial hand. Instead of making the future appear formidable and threatening, any apprehension caused by the topic of the future is checked and reduced by the light blues. The blue reassures and lulls the reader, making it seem unnecessary to fret because of the presence of the obvious solution. Similarly, the blues and metallic grays also establish the time that the caption refers to. An advanced, artificial, and unearthly environment is created. The alien hand, reaching out for the canister, has a red hue that creates an image of something strange and unexplored. The food in the canister is an artificial blue, and the canister itself is very advanced because of the metallic reflecting finish. Additionally, the lighting is used efficiently to create a smooth, unpretentious image. The source of the lights is in line with the camera. The lights bring the hand and the canister into the foreground, attracting the immediate attention and imagination of the reader. The lighting also enables the colors to assuage the abrasiveness and harshness of the picture. Therefore, the colors and lighting work together to make a gentle yet direct statement.
The expressions and actions in the ad help promote the product because of the ideas it communicates to the audience. Along with photography and layout, the bare background creates a stark, sterile environment that invites scrutiny. The environment passes the test and also focuses the reader’s attention on the product that is isolated on, an otherwise, empty shelf. This isolation establishes the superiority of the product. The image of a hand reaching out to the canister, which holds food at an exalted height, gives two messages. First, it portrays the canister as a solution to the question about the future. Also, it also shows the product fulfilling a living organism’s most basic need, hunger. The providing characteristic of the canister and the absence of any appeal to intense emotion emphasize the logical and rational need for the product. First, the ad does not use any human characters. It does not portray intense emotions of anger or passion. The ad also does not appeal to a classical human aesthetic sense by displaying warm colors, elaborate and rustic designs or layout, or an appealing clutter. Therefore, the product is depicted as a necessity, not a luxury. The product is in use, showing that that the product does its job. The symmetry, compact shape of food and canister, and the space create a sense of efficiency, exactness and practicality. As a result the expressions and actions efficiently promote the product.
The use of logos does not prevent the clandestine entrance of fallacious appeals in the Brabantia ad. The objectiveness of the ad’s message leads to the use of misdirected fallacies in the caption. Formerly, the caption is divided into three segments. The dimension and bold font of the name of the company draws the immediate attention of the reader. The name, ‘brabantia solid company’, is a significant part of the caption as it makes a statement about the character of the company and its products. The word ‘solid’ is an expedient word to use as the denotative meaning of the word includes strength, security, nourishment and reliability. A post hoc and a non sequitur fallacy are represented in the use of the word ‘solid’, because the word creates an illusion of dependability of the product. Specifically, the product is not dependable just because of the existence of the word ‘solid’ in the caption and the conclusion that the product is reliable based on the word ‘solid’ is non sequitur. Second, the imitation of a stamp of approval which says ‘Future Proof Guaranteed’ also makes a lasting impression on the reader’s opinion because of the capital, bold letters, the highlight and the authoritative air of the words. The word ‘future’ is a relative term, and its versatility is used to form an illogical argument. The future that is illustrated in the ad and the intended time period of the future in the caption are not necessarily corresponding. Therefore, false analogy and non sequitur are in use. Questionable authority comes into play because the imitation of an official approval suggests an authority’s inspection; when, in reality, the authority is the company itself. ‘Begging the question’ fallacy is used because the reader has to assume that the company came to the conclusion that the product was future proof guaranteed after an actual test of its durability. Also, the reader has to assume the reliability of the authority. Lastly, the third segment of the caption, which might hold the reader’s least interest, contains a ‘complex question’ fallacy. The caption leads the reader, like a lawyer leads a witness, to wonder about the future and the durability of the product. This enables the company to enumerate a non sequitur fallacy when it bases its argument that the product should be used because it will be used in the future. However, the products future use is still in question, as the future can only be speculated on. As a result, the three segments of the caption make the use of misdirected fallacies when it tries to provide a logical reason for the reader to consider the use of the product.
In conclusion, the Brabantia ad campaign relies on argumentative skills of logos and ethos to advertise their product. These skills are made effective by the photography and action and expressions of the ad. The colors used in the ad are used to manipulate the reader’s mood, and to portray a futuristic environment. The lighting does a balancing act to subdue the possible harshness of the image. The actions and expressions of the ad help focus the reader onto the product, and they portray the product as a practical solution. The picture is an illustration of the caption; the caption’s three segments contain most of the fallacies used in the ad. Fallacies such as false analogy, non-sequitur, and questionable authority are used to try and assure the reader of the product’s durability. The company name creates an illusion of reliability, and the middle segment contains a complex question, as it leads the reader into thinking about one aspect. The world today is in a state of transition in every field. This transitional phase is sped along because of the innate curiosity of man, and his eagerness to explore anything conceivable. The Brabantia ad appeals to two prevalent curiosities of man, the future and extra terrestrial life forms. This ad depicts man’s most popular speculation, about aliens, as a fact, and the simplicity of the layout and the illustration leaves nothing to be explored. The ad provides an answer and leaves no mysteries or surprises. This ad also satisfies man’s fascination with the bizarre. The bizarreness of using a product that an alien might use is appealing and amusing to man, and there is a great chance that it would be the reason someone purchases the product. This insight into the appeal of the bizarre reveals an incredible facet of human nature that has recently become more dominant. Man is ready to defy all norms of conservativeness and old fashioned conformity and accept the bizarre as normal.