Historical Rhetorical Comparison Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Historical Rhetorical Comparison - Essay Example After a long walk down the aisles in the local grocery store, one brand stuck out dramatically: Kraft’s brand of mayonnaise / salad dressing, Miracle Whip. It was surprising really, and it wasn’t at all like it used to be. The recent change made me wonder at Kraft’s reasoning for such an assertive alteration to their traditional brand logo, font, and visual themes. With that said, a close look will be taken into the historical ad coverage for Kraft’s Miracle Whip and current ad coverage to define rhetorical differences that have shifted through time. Methods For my analysis, I reviewed available historical Kraft Miracle Whip ads online and compared them to the current, greatly changed, product found in stores today. I reviewed overall image, font choice, and thematic use of visual themes to define rhetorical differences that have shifted over time. After taking a close look at the product shape, logo, and utilization of color scheme, it highlighted the maj or shift in Kraft’s market perspective and offered a rationale for why they chose to take make a drastic alteration of their product which will be discussed fully below. Artifact Description Kraft’s Miracle Whip, before and after: The image above shows the differences between the old Miracle Whip and the new packaging of today’s product. On the left, you’ll see the previous container. Oval in shape, large over-sized lid, and medium-sized logo positioned on the center of the bottle. The logo is unobtrusive, but easy on the eyes. The font is easy to read, the catchphrase, â€Å"the tasty original,† is nicely placed, and the cloud-like shape mimics the fluffiness of the product itself. As mayonnaise goes, Miracle Whip is literally the fluffy alternative. On the right-hand side, one can see that the old Miracle Whip has taken on a drastic new appearance. The bottle is no longer oval; it is now curvy, meant to fit in the palm of a hand for easy disburse ment. The logo has been given a complete overhaul. The â€Å"MW† of Miracle Whip appears to have been drawn by the product itself, as if squeezed directly from the bottle. And the colors and shapes are larger, now encompassing the entire bottle. Analysis Clever and resourceful advertising is critical in ensuring a product’s success in the vast array of competition that is a traditional grocery store. A consumer generally doesn’t care what brand they grab off the shelf, unless they have specific reason or knowledge that one brand tastes better or is healthier than another. So in many ways, the product advertising is responsible for attaining the buyer’s attention. A â€Å"product cannot just be mouth watering or thirst quenching, the package must announce that they are indispensable for the body, mind, and soul† (Heller 219-220). Kraft appears to have taken this under consideration, certainly. If not by the overhaul of their product logo and design, the inherent design change of the shape itself does the job for them. Previously, the oval shape worked for the brand because they were sticking with the structure of other mayonnaise bottles. In many ways, â€Å"rhetorical tropes [or visual metaphors] are essential for the conceptualization of food, food production, and consumption† (Jacobsen 59). Advertising has to convey, in seconds, that not only should their product be picked