How are rhetorical devices used in advertising to influence consumers?

[emma56]

So, I was flipping through some magazines the other day and couldn’t help but notice how often ads use emotional triggers to sell stuff. One had this powerful image of a lonely dog with the phrase “He waits every day… until you come home.” It totally got to me—and then I realized it was just an ad for some home security system! It made me wonder: are there actual techniques or strategies behind this kind of messaging? I’ve heard about rhetorical stuff being used in speeches, but do advertisers seriously plan this out too? Has anyone here looked into how this works?

[swehrose]

<!--td {border: 1px solid #cccccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}-->Oh yeah, that’s definitely not a coincidence. Advertisers use tons of strategic language tricks to grab attention or stir emotion. It’s not just random – they actually rely on specific rhetorical devices to do that. Like pathos, which is exactly what you saw with that dog ad — pulling on heartstrings. I looked into this a while back when I was working on a presentation and found this useful breakdown of different techniques: rhetorical devices. It really helped me spot these tricks more easily. I remember once being totally moved by an ad that used repetition — the same comforting phrase said over and over — and only later realized I’d bought the product the next day. Funny how that works on us without us even noticing.

[HarryPotterr]

<!--td {border: 1px solid #cccccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}-->Interesting topic, for sure. I’ve always thought ads were kind of manipulative, but it makes sense there’s actual strategy behind it. I guess once you start noticing patterns, you can’t unsee them. Sometimes I catch myself repeating slogans I’ve heard in ads without realizing it — definitely something to think about.