Visual Rhetoric (9/18/2012)

The advertisement displayed by the Romney campaign to the citizens of Ohio was both very well done, concise, and rhetorically influential. Visual elements that grab the viewer's attention first are Romney's powerful speaking in front of a large audience, as well as his black and white images of Obama. Then he goes to show the labor of Ohio. Along with this, other details that reinforce this impression were things like Obama's facial expressions differing in each of his black and white snapshots. They showed him frustrated at one point, and happy in another while a fact is being presented. The fact is deprecating of Obama's presidency, yet the facial expression (smiling) portrays that Obama may not care, despite the irrelevance of the picture to the text. More importantly is Romney's colour video shots of people working and his explanation of what he is going to do for the country as a president. This video directs the viewer's eyes to Romney initially, then to facts over solemn pictures of Obama with multiple expressions. This reinforces the importance of how Obama is failing to create jobs (according to Romney,) and how Romney will be able to do better. The text included are facts about Romney's plans for the jobs issue versus Obama's current plan and how it's failing. The images are grey and bleak while sporting white large text made to draw the eye to the text, and second to Obama's figure. The video argues why to support Romney in the presidential election of 2012 by using facts and appealing to the working class of Ohio.