Question

1. What needs or values does the ad appeal to? How?

Answer 1

1- Appeals can be devided into, at least, three categories according to Aristotle's rhetorical appeals (ethos = ethics, pathos = emotions, logos = logics). Using this parameter, this add clearly uses pathos as it appeals to different feelings and needs that many people have for acceptance and popularity, and satisfaction. Here you see a consensus of admirable people (baseball players like Bucky Harris, Bob Elliott, Ted Williams, etc.) who use this product, which may lead you to believe that, by using their product, you can look like them. It's also stated in the add that Chesterfield is World's Best tobaccos, which can appeal to people's need for status (if you're smoking the best cigarrette, people will look at you with admiration over the next person who smokes a regular cigarrette, right?)

2- While persuasion by consensus is a type of pathos (emotional appeal) still used today, people nowadays are much more aware of the health risks related to smoking. In our current society, the logic behind people's awareness about this risks out-weights the effect that such a direct influence has on the audience. Therefore, people are much more likely to start smoking because they grew up around people who smoke (slow and constant = naturalization) versus a quick encounter with this type of advertisement.