TOW #18- Pepsi Advertisement

For this TOW, I have decided to do a Pepsi advertisement that I have seen many times before, but have never looked deeply into.  This advertisement has the obvious purpose of expressing how Pepsi is better than its competitor, Coke. Although it cant obviously be seen, the red bottle represents Coke with its famous red can and white wave on it. This was made so that the audience, who are soda drinkers, are more inclined to choose Pepsi over Coke. The author, Pepsi, expressed this message in a number of way that worked great.

One of the most obvious features of this advertisement is the background. It is blue like the Pepsi can. I don’t really know what the name of this deceive is, but I believe it is effective. By having the background blue, it adds emphasis on the other can, the Coke one. It perhaps makes it stand out and seem like and outsider as though to make it seem unappealing.

The other most prominent device is the personification of the straw in the drinks. The advertisement clearly juxtaposes both can to one another. Everything is the same about them. The angle, the water drips, the top. The only difference is the straws that go into them. The Coke straw seems to be putting up a struggle, as though it doesn’t want to go into the can. The Pepsi straw on the other hand is in without a fight. This personification of the two straws is meant to show that it doesn’t want to go into the Pepsi, which makes it seem unappealing to the audience looking at it.

This advertisement is simple and doesn’t have a lot going on. But I believe that it is super effective. Pepsi’s advertisement team clearly knows what they are doing and I am sure that this advertisement has made them some money.

TOW #17- Is Humanity Getting Better? by Leif Wenar

      In a time where racism seems like the worlds biggest problem, hate being everywhere, and rich ruling over the poor, it is sometimes important to take a step back and appreciate what we do have. “Is Humanity Getting Better?” by Leif Wenar, a writer for the New York Times, shows us what we should really appreciate. Ever since the turn of the century humanity has gotten better. Wars have lessen, death by disease has lessened, starvation has lessoned. All of these are great feats that humanity has achieved over time and they are under appreciated. That’s exactly what Leif Wenar’s purpose is: to express to people who complain about the way people have turned out that there is a lot of good in society and also that we need to grow and learn as a people more quickly or everything is going to catch up with us.

            One of the greatest ways the author helps to express this opinion is by little narratives throughout the article. When describing the death from the plague in London, Wenar writes, “Now spared from their predators, the rats spread the affliction even more fiercely. The medical advice from London’s College of Physicians — to press a hen hard on the swellings until the hen died — did not slow the disease. In the end, the Plague of 1665 is thought to have killed almost 20 percent of London’s population” (Wenar 1). These narratives not only include facts and statistics in order to appeal to logos, they also use imagery and depiction in order to appeal to pathos as well. This excellent use of narrative throughout the article enhances the readers experience and helps them to understand and connect to the point being made.

            This article brings up a lot of good points about the future and the direction we are heading. It was a very good piece.