Rhetorical Analysis
Taylor Bowlds
Aware Helpline
• This photo was taken along with three others by the Aware Helpline in
Singapore to remind women that domestic violence includes verbal abuse.
Under the advertisement it would say, “Verbal abuse can be just as horrific.
But you don’t have to suffer in silence. Call the Aware Helpline for advice and
support, Monday to Friday, from 3 pm to 9:30 pm, 1-800 -774 -5935.” The
Verbal Abuse campaign was developed at Saatchi & Saatchi Singapore by
executive creative director Andy Greenaway, creative director Richard Copping,
art directors Ronojoy Ghosh and Ng Pei Pei, copywriters Simon Jenkins and
Andrew Petch. Photography was provided by Teo Studio, retouched by
Kendrick Wong. Art buyer was Adrel Law.
Questions to consider?
• What is your
initial reaction?
• What is the
purpose?
• What is the
tone/mood?
• Who/what is left
out?
• Ethos, Logos, and
Pathos?
• Who is the
audience?
My
Reaction
• My reaction to this advertisement was shock, outrage,
and sympathy. The woman isn’t actually getting hit by the
man but it hurts just the same to be degraded by words. I
feel for her and this powerful image brings verbal abuse
into perspective and makes it more important.
The
Purpose
• The purpose of this advertisement is to inform the general
public that verbal abuse is not alright or harmless and that
you don’t have to live in an abusive environment. The
Aware Hotline made these so that women could call for
help and advice.
The
Tone/
Mood
• The Tone of the advertisement is disapproving and intolerance.
The Aware Hotline wants to eliminate verbal abuse.
• The Mood of the advertisement is upsetting and outraged. This
powerful image invokes sympathy for the verbally abused
woman.
Who/
What
is left
out?
• The setting is left out so we could recognize that verbal abuse
could be anywhere.
• The bodies of the man and woman are left out so that we are
not distracted from the abusive attack.
• The reason the man is verbally abusing the woman is left out
as well as the words he is actually saying. This broadens the
range of words that could be considered abusive.
Ethos,
Logos,
and
Pathos
?
• Ethos is appealed to in the advertisement because abuse is
amoral.
• Logos is shown in this advertisement because they give a hot
line for the victim to call if they are being abused.
• Pathos is appealed to in this photo by making the image violent
and by using the stereotype that women are more abused than
men. The reality is that men can be verbally abused too.
A
u
d
i
e
n
c
e
• This advertisement is made for those who see, know of, or
are abused. It is also made for the general public to bring
awareness to verbal abuse.
Other photos in the campaign
Cites
• Macleod, Duncan.(2008, May 8) The
Inspiration Room. “Aware Helpline for
Verbal Abuse.”[blog]retrieved
from<http://theinspirationroom.com/daily
/2008/aware-helpline-for-verbal-abuse/>