Advertisements: In the Advertisement \"Palmolive

¶ … Advertisements:

In the advertisement "Palmolive soap proved mildest" [URL: http://library.duke.edu/digitalcollections/adaccess.BH1140/pg.1/] the authors of the advertisement deploy the typical fallacy used in many beauty product advertisements, namely an appeal to expert authority. According to the advertisement, 9, 500 skin tests have proved that Palmolive is the mildest soap available. The nature and the methodology of these 9, 500 skin tests go unremarked upon. However, the fine print of the ad restates the fact that mild soap is 'proved' to improve the complexion.

The readers of the advertisement are presumed to be female, given that the illustration shows a woman with a beautiful smile being courted by a man, who is nuzzling her ear. The woman wears makeup and evidently is concerned about her appearance. She is wearing a rain slicker, perhaps to reinforce the fact that the soap is used when washing the face. The advertisement suggests that if a girl wishes to have a clean and youthful appearance, she should wash her face frequently with Palmolive, and the soap provides real, discernable extra protection, in comparison to competitor products.

Palmolive is also said to 'guard' a schoolgirl complexion, suggesting that the ad is aimed at older women. Presumably younger adolescents likely do not feel the same obsession with looking girlish. The man in the advertisement looks like a teenager, with a small bow tie and a shirt typical of young men of the period. The effectiveness of the advertisement on a logical level is dubious, given so little is said about the scientific studies backing the product. However, on an emotional level, a woman who wanted a mild soap and was concerned about the aging effects of her current product might feel motivated to choose Palmolive.

TOPIC 2: Famous bios & thesis statements

A politician: Barak Obama changed what most pundits thought was possible for an African-American to accomplish in the modern political era: he was elected president. The combined crisis of the worldwide financial meltdown and the loss of confidence in American military power due to the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan had an undeniable impact in the success of Obama's campaign. But his personal charisma combined with his savvy use of the Internet for fundraising and populist appeals also had a strong influence in propelling him to victory.