George Orwell 1984 Rhetorical Devices

During the 1984 Super Bowl, Apple Computer Inc. presented an intriguing television commercial 1984 to introduce the Macintosh computer to the world. Since the commercial was launched during a major American sports event, it predominantly targets young adults to middle-aged Americans with mid to high income. Through the use of allusion, symbolism, contrast, and appeal to pathos in this commercial, Apple Computer effectively advertises its products while establishing brand credibility. The scenes of the commercial primarily alludes to George Orwell’s renowned dystopian novel 1984, a story that takes place in a totalitarian state where people are under constant control by the powerful dictator named “Big Brother”. The tyrant that is making a

The woman that runs with a hammer wears a bright and glamorous dress, forming a forceful contrast with the troop of guards behind her that are in black masks and dark uniforms. The connotations conveyed through these vivid images, along with the clear contrast, helps the audience to immediately identify the protagonist of the scene even without prior knowledge of Orwell’s novel. The woman’s constant movement and high color saturation in the scene also creates a contrast with the dull and lifeless citizens that are sitting in front of the giant screen. This vivid image of the liberated and courageous woman running past the homogenous-looking citizens helps emphasize Apple Computer’s theme of uniqueness and originality. For those audience who take pride in being unique, this contrast would make them feel that buying the Apple Macintosh can make them look unique and stand out from others. Those who do not embrace being unique, however, will be compared to the oblivious citizens under “Big Brother” ‘s rule; this appeals to the people’s fear of tyranny, triggering them to accept Apple’s main theme. As a result, a wider range of audience are persuaded to purchase the Apple