Make It Party Rhetorical Analysis

Advertising and Rhetorical Analysis
A Comparative Analysis of Urban Outfitters “Make It Party” and Ralph Lauren’s “Polo”

Ad Citations and Descriptions
1. “Make It Party” by Urban Outfitters. Advertisement. www.behance.net 17 September 2015. Online.
Immediately after looking at the first ad you know it resembles a party like scene. The words don’t draw you in as much as the background: four people (girls?) all of whom are wearing striped shirts and nearly transparent leggings with wine or liquor in their glasses. In the foreground is the heading, “Make It Party” which goes along with the background. This makes it seem as though every circumstance can be a party with Urban Outfitters. The people in the background have their faces cut off,

thus, adding to the inclusivity of Urban Outfitters because the girl to the right could be you or the boy in front of her. In small letters near the bottom of the picture it reads, “Toast. Play. Dance. Love. Flirt. Kiss.”. The phrase captures all the highlights of any good party. Then right above this phrase and off to the lower right is “Urban Outfitters” in a refreshingly modern text. Since we read from left to right, the company designed the ad so it would be read as “Toast. PLay. Dance. Love. Flirt. Kiss. Urban Outfitters” This would help us attribute the “party” words to Urban Outfitters. The lighting also has a significant role in the ad. It is darker on the sides and brighter near the center alluding to the old time age of Polaroids and the late 1900’s. The theme of a good time is present in all aspects of this ad.

2. “Polo” by Ralph Lauren. Advertisement. www.malemodelscence.net 17 September 2015. Online.
On the second ad, however it gives an air of exclusivity and prestige far more than the first ad. The ad features three people, two of whom are male, and one of whom is female. The picture reveals not only their gender but hints at their ages as well I would guess they would be in their late 20’s or early 30’s. They are all wearing jeans or khakis with blue, red, and white themed sweaters. They are carrying sports wear specifically gear for skiing. In the background are mountains and a humble but elaborate cabin. The lake separates the forest and the cabin while providing a nice break in scenery. The theme of their sweaters gives an all American look. The woman has a US flag pattern in the back of her sweater. This gives us the notion American shop at Ralph Lauren. While the mountains appear very stately and pristine on their own they don’t appear to be from the US and highlight the cosmopolitan side of Ralph Lauren. In the foreground to the upper left are the words “Polo” and beneath that “Ralph Lauren” this simple yet bold way shows off the popularity of Ralph Lauren who need only say a mere word to get you to listen or buy something. This upper echelon attitude is definitely the goal of this ad and present throughout it.

Ethos Compare/Contrast
The background for the “Make it Party” ad by Urban Outfitters is it’s biggest source of ethos or ethical appeal.

The ad wants to establish credibility for its chill and party ready clothes by making an ad inspired by a party. The trash on top of the table with the half empty bottle of wine and the teens or young adults all huddled together makes for an iconic party. The words on the party “Toast. Play. Dance. Love. Flirt. Kiss.” adds to the ethos by giving clues to what Urban Outfitters can do for you. The word “toast” seems to allude to an adult party however “flirt and kiss” bring to mind the connotations associated with teens. The polaroid like image makes it seem as if it was taken at an actual party by sloppy teenagers too drunk to get the faces of the people in the shot. This brings to the ad an air of authenticity and passion not found in most other

ads.
Ralph Lauren establishes ethos in a more subtle way.

The ad uses the people in the foreground as models for their clothes. The two men and one woman are perfectly groomed and stately. This causes the reader to believe that by wearing their clothes they can become like them. The background establishes a cosmopolitan feel. The mountains feel as if they are the Italian Alps which contrasts with the all American clothing the models are wearing. This contrast makes the ad appeal to everyone who wants an upper echelon or 1% feel in their lives. Who wouldn’t want to vacation in the Alps? The colors of their clothes are red, white, and blue symbolizing the American dream. Reinforcing this is the American flag on the back of the woman’s sweater. The words “Polo” followed by “Ralph Lauren” establish credibility through the fact the ad does not need to explain itself. You are expected to know Ralph Lauren as you are expected to know how to eat or sleep. The ad itself does a fine job highlighting the lifestyle associated with Ralph

Lauren.
The two ads advocate for different lifestyles. The Urban Outfitters ad advocates for the party and chill lifestyle while the Ralph Lauren ad advertises for the wealthy and successful lifestyle. The two ads differ in level of exclusivity. On one hand Ralph Lauren is very exclusive, the ad itself, displays an image of people in synchronization and I personally would feel intimidated by them if I wasn’t one of them. The Urban Outfitters ad on the other hand makes up for this by having the faces of the people at the party cropped out. This anonymity makes it so I be someone at the party and it seems more inviting and inclusive.

Pathos Compare/Contrast
Urban Outfitters uses both words and images to help convey emotions. The words in the foreground establish emotions through their connotations. “Party” seems like a fun get together with good food and even better friends. Had they change to word party to say shindig or reception it would have lost its some of its emotional appeal. The words written on the bottom, “Toast. Play. Dance. Love. Flirt. Kiss.” each have their own meaning with each of us. As children we are fond of playing and associate good memories with the word “Play”. “Love” brings out the fond memories of a loved one or a special someone but also heartaches associated with the word. The words “Flirt” and “Kiss” bring out the inner teen in adults and young adults. The words bring bring meaning than their literal terms we remember the good old days when you could still get away with sleeping till noon or partying into the night. The image of a party in the background establishes a similar look and feel to parties. We are reminded of a party we may have attended when we were in high school or in college, which are viewed as the best years of our lives.
Ralph Lauren establishes pathos by conveying it primarily through images. The three people in the foreground are presumably friends. From our perspective it seems as though they are going skiing an activity which along with sledding brings nostalgia to the reader. However most children go sledding and skiing is seen as the grown up version. The cabin in the background while rustic is quite elegant which alludes more to the wealth involved in owning one. The clothes have a theme of red, white, and blue-the colors of the US flag-and give the ad a patriotic tone. The mountains in the background do not fit the US theme amongst the models. The mountains seem to be of European origin and could be the Alps

Conclusion: While both ads establish their own flavor of ethos and pathos it all depends on each person. Ads are meant to appeal to people and let them be the judges of their own lives. Thy can choose to buy the product or take their money elsewhere. That is what drives economies and makes advertisements increasingly more creative and elegant. In the end it comes down to personality. Do you really want something by Ralph Lauren or Urban Outfitters? That’s for each person to decide but the ads make a compelling argument you do.