I am going to be analyzing

this Dr. Pepper

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By: Jessica Sharma

This ad was shared on Facebook by Dr. Pepper in September of 2012 and started an uproar of controversy.

• One offended reader commented, “I ain’t no freaking chimp. No more Dr. Pepper for my household.”

• Other readers thought that it was funny without taking offense.

In the ad we see an ape on four legs (Pre-pepper), then we see a bent over person discovering the Dr. Pepper on a rock (Pepper Discovery), and then finally we see a healthy looking man drinking a Dr. Pepper (Post Pepper).

HISTORY• This ad is a spin-off from the 1965 “March of

Progress” by Rudolph Zallinger on evolution.• It shows that humans come from Neanderthals or

apes. This infamous picture sparked a lot of debate and complaints.

Many other ads have based off same picture such as this one which displays happy hour

at a bar called Dros.In this ad, the rhetor uses humor to show that if you go to this happy hour you will slowly start acting like an animal.

EXIGENCE According to Grant-Davie, the exigence is the answer to 3 questions:

what is the discourse about, why it is needed, and what it should accomplish.

This ad is about drinking Dr. Pepper to help you evolve into a human being.

This ad gives off the idea that you need Dr. Pepper to grow and evolve into a human.

It should make people want to buy and drink Dr. Pepper

PURPOSE According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, purpose

is something set up as an object or end to be attained. Its purpose is to get you to buy and drink Dr. Pepper.

AUDIENCES Posted on Facebook on

September 2012 Primary- people who have

a Facebook and understand the theory of evolution

Secondary- anyone else who may see it

The audience is defined by Grant-Davie as those people, real or imagined, with whom rhetors negotiate through discourse to achieve the rhetorical objectives.

CONSTRAINTS

Positive People who like to

learn about evolution

Negative Christians don’t

believe in evolution

Others take offense to beginning as an ape

According to Grant-Davie, constraints are factors in the situation’s context that may affect the achievement of the rhetorical objectives.

RHETORS Grant-Davie defines rhetors as those

people, real or imagined, responsible for the discourse and its authorial voice.

In this ad the rhetors are the human being, perceived as a healthy growing man, the person who made the ad, and “Dr. Pepper”(the person).

ARGUMENT Pathos- feels like it is a necessity to drink

Dr. Pepper; makes you look good and grow

Ethos-healthy man; person who made ad has credibility

Logos- uses evolution-parody

EVOLUTION OF FLAVOR• Bold and in caps so it stands out and is the first thing

the audience reads• Flavor of the Dr. Pepper causes the evolution“A one of a kind schematic brought to you by Dr. Pepper.” • Doctor Pepper- ethos appeals The fact that he’s a

“doctor” gives off the impression that he knows what he’s talking about and has credibility as a rhetor.

COLOR The ad is primarily red which instantly catches the eye. For example, in these 2 pictures you notice the red

immediately. The first picture shows red lawn chairs which give the décor some flavor and pop. The second picture is a pair of Louboutin heels which are know for having red bottoms. They do this because it catches the eye.

SOURCES http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/dr-peppers-evolution-jok

e-facebook-riles-creationists-143776

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/the-h-word/2012/oct/03/history-science

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2012/09/18/161342548/dr-peppers-evolution-ad-strikes-a-nerve-with-some-christians

Wardle, Elizabeth, and Downs Doug. Writing About Writing: A College Reader. Boston: Bedford's/St. Martin's, 2011. Print.