Responses to “Not Just Words” for Chapter 2, 3, and 4

Question- Pg. 43

The image is depicting an American flag that has 30 white images of American companies instead of 50 white stars in the blue rectangle in the upper left hand corner.  I first see the image of the flag itself.  This excites me, I am a person with a background in military service and I am extremely loyal to my nation and it values.  The American Flag is just on symbol that represents that loyalty.  When I then see the images of the company logos, rather then the stars, I became very bitter.  I do not believe that the companies should be taking the right to have their images replace something that represents such great patriotism into their own hands.  To me this image is very repulsing and makes me angry.

I know that this image is not meant to make people feel that way.  I only respond to it like so because of personal experience that does not fit the norm of society.  This image, for the general citizen of the United States, would create more patriotism in a customer that buys products from the showcased companies and motivate them to buy more because they feel as if they are supporting their nation by supporting these companies.

This Image is able to create those emotions and feelings in a consumer because of the emotions connected to supporting ones nation: loyalty, commitment, and honor.  They are also able to play to the logic of the consumer because it is more practical to buy products from a company that is from their homeland and will support the institution that governs them.  The combination of logic and emotion is almost a grantee that what ever the image is promoting will be successful.  A title I would use would be- “Strong, Always Strong.”

(Word count = 299)

Question- Pg. 71

     The image is of a poster depicting a lone runner on an empty two lane road surrounded by a dry, plane like landscape.  The caption under the photo reads, “The race for quality has no finish line- so technically it is more like a death march.”  This image is meant to be a wake up call to those who say they are going to work until they reach a certain goal, and then be finished.  This idea is unrealistic, because beyond every accomplishment is more, “Room to improve,” and that there is no ultimate goal that cannot be topped.  It is a logical play on an emotional factor.  The image on the poster makes the viewer apathetic to the person depicted and motivated by the runner’s diligence.  But the words contradict the image, and having the two placed directly next to each other, on the same poster, makes the realization of the words even that much stronger.  The message is more concrete because it is supported by both text and image.

     The intended audience of this poster is meant to be members of society who would normally be influencing others, and not have anyone to influence them, such as a boss, or a CEO, or a professor, or the president.  These people are the ones who set the goals for the people under them, and if those goals are met they are happy.  if such a person were to realize the message of this image, they would then continually reset their standards to improve their endeavors.  This poster does have a large logical appeal to the viewer.  It is all a thought process of how they are to better themselves.

     (Word count = 280)