The Red Hearts Rhetorical Analysis

Have you ever watched "the Red Hearts" commercial? This is a commercial produced by Ben Lifson on November 24th 2013 that tries to convince people to purchase some form of health insurance. In the commercial, we watch people living as normal circumstances, and accidents might happen and do happen unexpectedly. Then, by using rhetorical situation, the commercial explains why people need to be insured to protect themselves and the people around them by using emotional functions effectively. According to his essay, Grant-Davie explains that the rhetoric situation is a discourse of a single subject by "several rhetors and audiences" (Grant-Davie 350). Rhetorical situations are also divided into three elements: rhetors, audiences, and constraints.

On the whole, in the commercial, there is certain music which is kept playing. It is not a loud or annoying music. It is a quiet and calm that soothes people's mind to make them feel that being insured is relaxing and secure. Besides, the tone of narration talks with full of comforts and trusts in her voice. This tone builds a faith between audiences and rhetors by making them feel a familiarity and comfort instead of irritating when they watch this commercial. Moreover, this quiet melody of song and calm tone of narration play role of making audience watch the whole commercial without annoying themselves. Additionally, the song in this commercial does not include many different instruments or lyrics. This choice works as keeping audience to be more focused on the narration, not on the music. Although there are not many of instruments or lyrics in the music, the audience will not be bored. This is because music changes slightly as the situation changes, too. For example, from 0-20 seconds, generally the commercial and the music are in dark moods. Then, from 20-35 seconds, melody slightly changes into brighter. From 35-45 seconds, moods are much brighter and also the melody. From 45 seconds to the last, not only people feel relaxed and calm, but also the melody is peaceful and quiet. This variation makes easier for audience to watch the commercial

It shows their desire for taking care of their family, protecting them from accidents that might happen all of sudden and maintains all of their contented lives. People in the commercial look happier when they are together than being apart from each other. This implies the worth of keeping not only their own health but also their loved families and it can be kept by the health insurance. By showing this feature, the commercial appeals the importance and need of being insured for looking after their loved ones. What is more, people, situation, and voice or music have a big responsibilities to accomplish the rhetoric object. By using normal people, situations which can happen anywhere, and peaceful tone or music, audiences can be sympathized simply and not be bothered for concentrating on the commercial by background elements. From this characteristic of the commercial, we can realize that pathos functions suitably. This advertisement touches the hearts and enlarges the sympathy of