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Rhetorical Analysis Of Mr. Seaver's Coca-Cola Advertising Campaign

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The corresponding letters between an executive of the Coca-Cola Company, Ira C. Herbert and a representative of Grove Press, Richard Seaver express different viewpoints on the use of Coca-Cola’s slogan “It’s the Real Thing”, in an advertisement promoting Diary of a Harlem Schoolteacher. Both Herbert and Seaver try to outsmart each other through their use of strategies of rhetorical techniques. Herbert initiates the first letter, which demands that Seaver, a representative of Grove Press, immediately end the use of the catchphrase “It’s the Real Thing”. He begins and ends the letter with a seemingly polite tone and uses the greeting like, “Dear Mr. Seaver”, and concluding with “Sincerely, Ira C. Herbert”. However Herbert’s “sincerity” becomes …show more content…

Seaver and Mr. Herbert both proposed convincing arguments about the subject. Their approaches are found to be quite different. Both address the problem with people using other people's or something like other people's ideas to sell their product. Although not always intentional, it does at times occur. Mr. Herbert's approach was kind, courteous and considerate throughout. He informed Mr. Seaver's of Coca-Cola's claim on the slogan and asked that they dismiss it from their ad campaign. Mr. Herbert went into the history of the slogan. Mr. Herbert seemed “genuinely” concerned that the two products carrying the same slogan might get confused. Mr. Seaver saw this in a very different view. His reply was playful, clever, and slightly rude. In the first paragraph, he pokes fun at Mr. Herbert's concern for the confusion the two products would cause by carrying the same slogan. In the second paragraph, he says that he believes that it will help Coke sales and that his company has no problem with that. Next, he goes into how the same situation has happened to them in the past and that they fully understand. Lastly, Mr. Seaver's describes his loyalty to the Coke company and the backing of their slogan. In turn, he asks for their loyalty as well. Mr. Seaver's explained where the slogan originated from and that it was not to spite them at all but from a review of the

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He maintains a conscious naivety by using derisive underlying sarcasm masked by tactful verbal articulation in response to the authoritative and condescending tone of Herbert's letter, which allows for a persuasive and entertaining argument. Though Seaver uses humor to establish his purpose, he maintains the mutual respect between the two parties, despite him believing the conflict to be childlike and absurd. Since Herbert’s argument can be interpreted in multiple ways, Seaver attacks a fallacious interpretation of Herbert’s argument: the reason he is against the two companies using the same slogan is because consumers will be unable to tell the physical difference between a book and a beverage. Seaver says that “in order to avoid confusion between the respective products due to the slogan, each sales personnel is to make sure that what the customer wants is the book, rather than a Coke,” and adds that he fears “those who read (his) ad may well tend to go out and buy a Coke rather than (his) book.” Seaver also recognizes that Herbert cannot use the threat of the law and therefore ironically mentions his “strong sentiments concerning the First Amendment” and willingness to “defend to the death” Herbert’s right to use the slogan, even though his response was intended to regard his own rights.

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Herbert starts his letter with his claim to the slogan it 's the real thing and states that Seaver has no right to the slogan. Herbert then backs up his argument by saying that Coca-Cola has a history with the slogan and that therefore the slogan belongs to Coca-Cola. Seaver then replies to Herbert 's absurd claim with a very sarcastic tone. Seaver mentions in his letter how they have instructed all of their salesmen to notify bookstores that whenever a customer asks for a copy of Diary of a Harlem Schoolteacher that the salesman asks the customer to clarify and make sure that what they are asking for really is a book and not a six pack of Coca-Cola.

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