Rhetorical Analysis Of How Big Pharma Is Trying To Improve Its Image

In the online article, How Big Pharma is Trying to Improve its Image, Jim Hightower establishes his argument that the PhRMA is merely after money by using advertising and lobbying. He supports his claim by using sarcasm to make his audience feel slightly ignorant and intense diction that also possesses a sarcastic underlying tone to persuade his audience of the PhRMA’s inability to be honest and fair. Afterwards, Hightower provides his audience with quotes from a CEO that further add to his credibility. Also, the text is structured in a specific order to slowly build up the readers anger. Throughout the article Hightower utilizes specific diction that is casual yet makes his audience feel ashamed for being ignorant about prescription medicine issues that he presents. Therefore, when Hightower states, “‘We’ve identified 7,000 Americans who matter,’ this dismissing the other 330 million of us as nobodies,” many readers would become infuriated with the PhRMA because most people like to be relevant and considered. Also, when he says, “Moreover, they know they couldn’t possibly persuade us to let them keep jacking up our prices,” it makes his readers feel dumb if PhRMA was successful in persuading them or makes them feel prideful if they refuted PhRMA’s ridiculously high prices. Thus, Hightower is exceptional at persuading his audience to obtain a

Especially when he says, “Hoping to counter this demand for action, drug companies have launched their massive advertising campaign, not only running radio and print ads, but also placing ads on Facebook, Twitter and other social media websites.” This quote is successful because it is easy to find an ad for medicine everywhere. Therefore, this fact adds to Hightower’s credibility because most people see at least one ad for medicine regularly whether or not they