Visual Rhetoric Map

When I walk to school everyday, I have many encounters with visual rhetoric. Advertisements for different restaurants and stores have the greatest effect on me, because I tend to get lured in, wanting to buy something. When I walk out of the Dwight and take a left on Clark St. I see a large Target billboard saying “Get Fresh” promoting their grocery section. It shows a delicious breakfast with eggs, bacon, and tons of fresh fruit. It always makes me hungry for a good breakfast. I still feel this way even after I’ve been to Target’s grocery section and did not exactly find all that was in the ad in stock and available.

I then turn right onto Harrison and my next encounter would be with Starbuck’s. There seems to be an aura emanating from the coffee shop. The colors, the chalkboard menus, and the advertisements all work together to make passing people think that it is more than just a coffee shop. Currently, their advertisements use imagery and pathos to evoke the sense of winter along with something like a hot caramel mocha, as if saying if you are cold then walk right in because you can’t resist this drink.

I then turn left on State and pass by CVS Pharmacy. Their signs evoke a great sense of ethos and pathos. The one image that I remember is of a friendly pharmacist helping out a customer. They want me to know that if I have a question or need something, they are experienced and are able to assist me.

Finally, before I enter the 33 Congress building, I pass my Panera Bread. They want their customers to feel welcome and enjoy tasty, comforting food. Their ads detail this by giving a close up view of their newest dish and explaining in a few words why it’s so good.