Rhetorical Analysis #1

In order to really get what I'm all about here, you need to first view the oh so choice video at this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qX0C70HgY9E. (If for some reason you cannot view it, say for instance you are on BYU campus and the firewall/protection settings won't allow access to youtube, find another connection!)

After viewing, this analysis should make a whole lot more sense...

First off, this commercial is trying to convince people that an upcoming professional football season and an intense rivalry between the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints are the only important things on television in the near future. Also central to the commercial's purpose is the effort to establish a personal relationship between both teams' stars - Peyton Manning and Reggie Bush - reminiscent of the connection reality television stars strike up with the viewership. Hopefully, those who see this commercial will be more inclined to view NFL games, and thereby contribute to the money-making powerhouse that is professional sports.

Many women might be turned off by the commercial simply because they don't know who these people are, or why we should worry about ordering one another weird things via room service - which one is Peyton Manning? The black guy? Obviously, men interested in sports - or women interested in sports, too - are the target audience. In my experience, though, it is men who worry day after day about the progress of their favorite NFL teams, and how Reggie ran this past week, and whether the Bears will get rid of Grossman and get a real quarterback. This commercial is aimed specifically at those who may have forgotten that a new season is just around the bend, and as a peripheral target, those who just need a reminder that their favorite players haven't forgotten them over the off-season.

Humor is the key here. Nothing is more endearing than humor. I've seen loads of commercials that make football look all serious (I mean, come on! There's nothing more serious than a 250 lb man charging at full speed with the sole intent of crushing your skull!), but those don't leave a very personable impression on the one viewing them. They think "oh, that guy's really tough, wow, maybe I'll watch him sometime. What was his name again?" and then go about watching Paula Deen make apple pie (I love that show by the way). Humor though, like the stuff put to action here in this commercial, made me almost feel like I knew Peyton Manning - the white guy - and could even imagine myself hanging out pulling pranks with Reggie Bush. After watching this commercial, the sport enthusiast would feel personally invested in Reggie and Peyton, and if one is really serious about sports and could get over the humor factor, one might even contemplate the real rivalry - who WOULD win? Debates might start if there are multiple sporting types in the room, and pretty soon you've got a full-fledged pre-season fever starting in the living room! And all from a little commercial!

In addition to humor, there is sentimental value in the selection of stars in the commercial. Firstly, Peyton Manning is the quarterback and leader of last year's Super Bowl Championship team, the Colts. Even if you don't love the Colts, everybody knew that they worked hard all season and deserved to crush the Bears at the end for the title. People want to see what he and his team are bringing to the table this season, even the haters. Reggie Bush is a young and talented superstar - liked by almost every football fan - and is the key player on the nation's most sentimental team, the New Orleans Saints. Ever since Hurricane Katrina hit the gulf coast and destroyed much of The Big Easy, many have hoped that the Saints would become the next Cinderella story, the underdogs who fight to the top against all odds. Fans are still harboring some of that feeling, and want to see what the season holds for Reggie and his boys.

This is an effective commercial. Although it wouldn't strike any chords with those unconcerned with football, it would definitely spark flames in the eyes of fans of the sport, and get the old favoritisms and heated rivalries kick-started to a new and exciting season. Could I please get 85 pounds of bacon delivered to my room? Yeah, that's room 1818.