an electrifying orange background which automatically pulls the consumer eye away from

Transcription

1 Lambert 1 Rachel Lambert Visual Rhetoric across the Globe Dr. Alyssa J. O Brien Rhetorical Analysis October 5, 2009 Cereal isn t just for breakfast anymore: How Wheaties boxes shape ideas of success We ve always been told breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Indeed it is - but as I munch flavorless, crunchy flakes, more commonly known as Wheaties, I Image removed for Copyright Purposes can t help but wonder why I feel compelled to eat this cereal above all others. What is it about Wheaties? Did I buy this cereal because I really thought the bland crispy wheat wafers would make me more like Michael Jordan who is plastered on the box? Maybe I m just drawn to vibrantly orange boxes. Whatever the appeal, I query: why is it when the hackneyed question have you had your Wheaties today is posed, I feel a pang of guilt if my breakfast consisted of anything besides a big bowl of America s favorite cereal? More importantly, how does this Wheaties box reflect American doxa regarding ideals of success? Perhaps this cereal box says more about my Figure 1: Michael Jordan on Wheaties cereal box, featured 1990 (date accessed: 10/02/09) Source: / _sm.jpg country than I initially realized. So why is Wheaties a success, and how can it sell an idea of success to its buyers? As you can see in Figure 1, the box is both vibrant and simplistic. The white Wheaties logo is offset by an electrifying orange background which automatically pulls the consumer eye away from

2 Lambert 2 cereals on other shelves. The choice colors, namely yellow and orange, have undertones of energy - exactly what Wheaties alleges to sell to you (and conveniently packaged too). The text reflects the improvement it claims to give your morning by increasing in size from left to right; the upward slope hints at progress and enhancement - a consequence exclusively due to the quality of the product itself. Wheaties doesn t rely on extravagance to sell the cereal. The simplicity of the font and layout allows the consumer to quickly scan the shelf, find exactly what he or she needs, and leave as soon as possible. We all know how crowded those grocery store aisles get. Wheaties knows this too; it has taken fast-paced American life into account to better sell the product. Wheaties not only sells an image of success but also an image of health. The two go hand in hand. According to American doxa, athleticism and fitness are admirable and obesity is frowned upon. By appealing to logos, Wheaties convinces us that buying this cereal will keep us far away from dreaded obesity. The recurrence of the word whole grain three times loudly asserts Wheaties is a healthy and therefore logical breakfast choice. In case you had any doubts, the appearance of the word Wheaties in four different places further reiterates the importance of Wheaties in developing success while maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The tagline Breakfast of Champions doesn t allow for much doubt: Wheaties will make you into a more athletically successful you. Maybe not an adult, but certainly a child wants nothing more than to emulate his or her athlete hero. Wheaties clearly presents an opportunity to do exactly this. By eating your athlete s favorite cereal, you can become more like him or her. This appeals to pathos and creates a false need which in turn leads to the purchase of the product. Persuasion that this need exists is bolstered heavily by ethos. Michael Jordan is, after all, an idolized American icon. The ethos of

3 Lambert 3 Jordan was clearly an excellent choice for product advertisement; thus far he has appeared on Wheaties boxes a total of eighteen times. Jordan s ethos of excellence is transferred right to the package which is why he is able to sell Wheaties to such a large and diverse audience. He transcends generational and racial disparity due to his fame, his athletic talent, and good sportmanship. I m not so sure about good sportsmanship, but America certainly values fame and athletic talent as ideals of success. Kairos also plays an important role in selling this particular box of Wheaties. This cover was released in 1990, the year after Jordan scored the highest average number of points per game in the NBA. A decade and a half later, there are more popular basketball players and Jordan is retired. This box would not sell as well on the shelves today as it did in At the time of its release, however, the ad was incredibly effective. The organization of the box immediately draws the line of vision to Jordan s smile. There is no distracting background or elaborate text - the spotlight is all on Jordan. His flashy white smile appeals to children because it is not intimidating and also builds rapport with parents because he doesn t give the impression of a haughty athlete. His wardrobe choice also helps sell the cereal. The Chicago Bulls jersey he wears reminds the buyer of his fame and success. The jersey as well as his signature above his right shoulder imbue the ad with authenticity, a reassurance for the consumer that this product is well worth buying. Even the angle from which Jordan is photographed is important in enticing consumers. The close-up shot of Jordan is near enough to make the buyer feel personal with Jordan, yet is far away enough to see his well-toned muscles - a hallmark of his success. By viewing Jordan at eye level, even though in reality he is much taller than most, Wheaties makes the consumers feel like they really can be more like Jordan. Arguably, Jordan s ethos sells the box of Wheaties, not the quality of the product itself. Do any of us really enjoy our bowl of wholesome goodness in the morning? I would have much

4 Lambert 4 rather had Cookie Crisp, but that was not acceptable under my mother s roof; instead, I crunched my Wheaties down without fuss because I thought it would transform me into a superhero. I was convinced I could be an athletic superstar because if Michael Jordan was eating Wheaties and he was so successful, the same should apply to me also. Right? Well, not really. One reason why Wheaties sells so well to children is because they can t see through the cum hoc fallacy. The ad implies eating Wheaties resulted in Jordan s success, leading young children to confuse correlation of eating healthy breakfast with the causation of athletic glory. Such oversimplification effectively convinces young consumers they can be equally successful if they choose the product as fuel to begin the day. Of course, Jordan isn t the only success story America has ever seen. But we have been reminded of his success - eighteen times to be exact. What about those who view success as academic achievement? I ve never seen the National Spelling Bee winner on the cover of Wheaties (or any other cereal for that matter). What if my idea of success is publishing poetry? Unfortunately, I don t think writing amazing haiku could sell nearly as many boxes as Jordan s face. It is because of deeply embedded American doxa of what success is that we continue to see success in the form of athletic achievement. This Wheaties box does more than just sell a cereal; we eat an ideology, not just crispy flakes of wholesomeness when we purchase this product. We digest an idea of success as much as a cereal. The carefully construed advertisement implicitly suggests success is defined by athletic achievement and reinforces the power of ethos in consumerism.

5 Lambert 5 Works Cited 1990 Wheaties Michael Jordan. October 2, < Alfano, Christine L. and O Brien, Alyssa J. Envision: Researching and Writing Arguments. Pearson Education, Inc