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Shelby BunchENGL 250, Section RN4/30/13Professor DominiVisual AnalysisIn the 2006, The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) commercial, “In the Arms of an Angel” was heard by many viewers as images of abused and neglected animals filled the screen. The ASPCA is a non-profit organization that focuses on saving the lives of animals. The ASPCA uses the donations they receive to help pay for medical procedures and to provide for the various needs of all animals. Each year the ASPCA rescues thousands of animals that are taken care of using the donations from the public. The commercial helped the ASPCA raise over $30 million dollars in donations (“In the Arms”). The commercial uses pathos to appeal to the emotions of the audience. When conducting an interview discussing the reactions of the commercial, Amanda Hamill said, “It brought tears to my eyes. All I could think about was how many animals needed help and a loving home. I had to avoid watching the commercial to avoid the feelings of despair and sadness” (Hamill). The ASPCA used sonic elements, celebrity appeal, real footage and facts to reach the emotions of their viewers. Sonic ElementsFor the first 58 seconds of the 2 minute commercial, the song, “Angel” by Sarah McLachlan is the only sonic element. The lyrics and tone play an important role in drawing the viewers in and setting the tone for the rest of the ad. The song’s lyrics emphasize the need to be an angel for an animal that has been neglected. It has relevance, meaning, and a message that “you” as a viewer can bring comfort and support to an animal with a donation. Later in the ad, Sarah McLachlan, a singer/songwriter and avid supporter of the ASPCA asked, “Will you be an angel for a helpless animal?”(ASPCA announcement). She discusses the importance of a donation and what the donation will be used for. McLachlan uses the word “you” to make the ad personal and to grab the viewer’s attention. Another motivating statement is near the end, where McLachlan says that if the viewer calls within 30 minutes, they will receive a free t-shirt, wristband, and a photo of an animal in the shelter that has been given a second chance due to the donation of the viewer (ASPCA announcement). This is an advertising technique used to have the viewer take action right away. The sonic elements in the ad are not the only technique that the ASPCA used in their commercial to persuade viewers to take action and donate. The sonic and visual elements work together to get the viewer’s attention. Visual ElementsThe commercial intends to move people by showing real life footage of animals that have been in an ASPCA shelter. The footage consists of dogs that are behind a cage with their ears back and head tilted to the side that are showing no signs of excitement or a wagging tail. As the video continues, it shows footage of animals with one eye missing and the presence of tears just below the remaining eye. There is footage of animals bandaged up from medical treatment and animals that are currently being treated. All of the images are used to show what medical staff and some volunteers see on a daily basis. In between the real footage, there is a solid black screen with white letters that fade in and out. The facts emphasize the number of animals that suffer from neglect and how many were rescued last year. The last thing the viewer’s read is, “But for thousands of others help came too late” (ASPCA announcement). This was strategically placed as last to allow viewers to contemplate the effect that the ASPCA could have if viewers would donate. The last part of the video shows McLachlan with a yellow lab on her lap that is comfortable enjoying McLachlan’s affection. The very last image is of a dog lying down in a kennel at the ASPCA looking directly at the viewer which is used to leave a lasting impression. Shortly after the commercial aired, there was a controversy over whether the commercial was ethical and honest. A question of whether the commercial accurately portrayed the condition of most animals in the shelter was brought to the attention of the media. I believe that the ASPC A accurately represented the state of some of the animals within the shelter. The ASPCA could have shown images of dogs wagging their tails and running around, but that would not have raised as much money as this commercial did. I am certain that the ASPCA has seen much worse cases than they decided to put on TV. Nothing about the images was offensive or too graphic for television. The way that the commercial appealed to pathos is important. The commercial with the help of sonic and visual elements helped raise over $30 million dollars for the ASPCA and helped influence over 200,000 people to donate (“In the Arms”). That amount of success could not have been achieved without the help of the sonic and visual elements used in the commercial. Works Cited“ASPCA Announcement w/ Sarah McLachlan.” Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 12 Jan. 2008. Web. 28 Jan. 2013. Hamill, Amanda. Personal Interview. 30 April 2013.Seltzer, Sharon. “In the arms of the angels- raise record dollars for ASPCA.” Examiner. Clarity Digital Group, 2013. Web. 27 Feb. 2013. ................
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