Discussion w 7 of Visual Rhetorical

In this discussion topic, we continue the theme of visualization. In this topic, we will discuss visual rhetorical figures.

The following lecture, “

Visual Rhetorical Figures in Advertising

,” was given by Dr. Fabienne Bunzli, who at the time of the lecture was completing her Ph.D. at the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland. 

Visual Rhetorical Figures in Advertising (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZNGNDpqN5I)

Please listen to the first 10 minutes of the lecture.  Then answer the following questions:

1. What are visual rhetorical figures?
2. At the 6:10 mark of the video, Dr. Bunzli compares two advertisements for Tide laundry detergent. How are the two ads different? Why, according to Dr. Bunzli, is the ad from the 1950s different from the ad from the 2000s?  In other words, why have advertisers changed their strategies from the 1950s to the present?
3. Why are visual rhetorical figures effective in persuading an audience, according to Bunzli?
4. For this question, please provide an answer from your own experience and background knowledge.

In technical and business writing, are documents becoming more visual, with fewer words?  If you think so, can you provide an example from the technical or business writing genres that show a trend toward the use of more visual figures and less text?  

If you disagree, can you provide an example to show that text is still prominent?

The entire lecture is 23:30 long. You do not have to watch the entire lecture to complete this discussion topic, although you might find it very interesting to complete. Other parts of the lecture show other examples of visual rhetorical figures in professional communication.