Capstone Project Proposal
Kirk Ring. Virginia Military Institute. May 5, 2020
Advisor: Colonel McDonald
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Background:
In this project I would like to expand upon the learning I did as a part of the courses Modern Rhetorical Traditions and Digital Rhetoric. Both classes placed a heavy emphasis on the importance of rhetorical practice in the modern era along with studying different approaches to analyzing rhetoric. While taking these courses it was common to study commercials and advertising as lessons to better understand modern rhetoric in action. Breaking down the individual elements of a commercial or advertisement taps into the creative side of the English discipline which I love so much. This project will incorporate the elements of analysis and rhetoric to create a behind the scenes look into the perspective of commercial advertising. Through research in the fields of advertising and rhetoric, I will be able to better answer the question of whether or not Coca Cola’s “Arctic Home” campaign employed manipulative rhetoric in order to succeed.
Proposal Abstract:
The question of manipulative advertising has been widely discussed, with scholars such as David Glen Mick and Edward McQuarrie exploring the manipulation of rhetorical resonance within modern advertising. However, these perspectives have not adequately addressed the issue of companies taking advantage of global problems in advertising for their own benefit. My paper addresses the issue of this rhetorical exploitation with special attention to endangered wildlife. In my project, I will examine Coca Cola’s “Arctic Home” campaign and related case studies, in order to show how Coca cola corporately profited from the plight of the polar bear. By closely examining the “Artic Home” ad campaign, this project sheds new light on the rarely acknowledged issue of social responsibility vs profits.
Annotated Bibliography:
1. “The Difference Between Persuastion & Manipulation.” Hoffeld Group, 4 Feb. 2019, www.hoffeldgroup.com/the-difference-between-persuasion-manipulation/.
This paper discusses the vast difference between persuasion and manipulation through different elements. This paper will ultimately be helpful to reference when thinking about the difference in manipulative rhetoric.
2. “’Arctic Home’ Generates over $2 Million in Donations for Polar Bear Conservation.” WWF, World Wildlife Fund, 18 Apr. 2012, www.worldwildlife.org/press-releases/arctic-home-generates-over-2-million-in-donations-for-polar-bear-conservation.
This article was found on the World Wildlife Fund website. This page gives an explanation of the partnership between Coke and WWF. This page also accounts for how much money Coke donated to the WWF as a part of this ad campaign. I will examine this article when comparing Coke earnings from the Artic Home campaign with how much they donated to WWF.
3. “‘Arctic Home’: Polar Bear Conservation – Coca-Cola UNITED.” Coca, 24 May 2018, www.cocacolaunited.com/blog/2012/06/05/arctic-home-polar-bear-conservation/.
This article was published by Coca Cola bottling company in Alabama. This article discusses the same thing that the prior source talked about; however, this is from a Coke affiliate. While writing my paper I will compare the two sources to compare language and facts from the two organizations.
4. Frazier, Mya. “Should the Polar Bear Still Sell Coca-Cola?” The New Yorker, 2014, www.newyorker.com/business/currency/polar-bear-still-sell-coca-cola.
This article discusses the manipulative rhetoric and advertising that Coke may have used in their pursuit of a successful ad campaign. This will be extremely helpful to reference when writing my capstone paper. Aside from a strong opinion, this news article also gives ample amount of support and facts that I’ll be able to explore as well.
5. Oldford, Scott. “Manipulation in Marketing: How It’s Used, and How to Use It Ethically.” Entrepreneur, 29 Oct. 2018, www.entrepreneur.com/article/321611.
This article discusses the different ways and strategies that big companies use when targeting people to buy their product. This article goes in depth to explain the behind the scenes of manipulative advertising. I will reference this article while determining forms of manipulative rhetoric is Coke’s commercials.
6. Talbot, Paul. “Inside Coca-Cola’s Marketing Strategy.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 26 Apr. 2019.www.forbes.com/sites/paultalbot/2019/04/26/inside-coca-colas-marketing-strategy/#dd3531412801.
This article gives a very professional overlook into the marketing strategy that Coke uses in its advertising. I will trust this source when referencing the operations and mindset that Coke has with its marketing. This article, unlike some of the previous, is not so swayed toward manipulation. Instead, this article looks at Coca Cola from a professional business approach, which is practical to discuss in my paper.