The ideology of military advertising
One of the best ways to sell a product or recruit people is through effective advertising. This concept is no different for the Army. How does the Army attract students who might otherwise be heading for higher education? Based on one of their ads, they do this by making the experience seem like a more adventurous experience with all of the benefits of college.
I will be presenting a rhetorical criticism of this ad posted by the army, using the ideological criticism method. In this ad, the army tailors certain situations to fulfill nearly everything someone would receive from going to school including diplomas, team membership, academic breakthroughs, and more. Additionally, the army uses hidden power moves to attempt to create a new ideology towards joining the army. In doing so, they deceive the viewer by leaving out irreconcilable elements of being in the military. Such elements include the presence of enemies, any serious danger, any serious struggle, and more. This ad creates an incomplete view of an alternative to college. This is what I will explore in my critique.
COMM 441, Rhetorical Criticism
Doyle Srader
Banquet Room
1:00 – 3:00 PM