Chapters 2, 3 and 4 (45 - 101)

http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer
This website is a link to the commercial that Sarah McLachlan is in for the ASPCA. I chose this example because it is a clear representation of an organization using pathos, or emotional appeals to compel the audience to either donate to or support the ASPCA. When using pathos, just like any other way to make an argument, one must appeal to a target audience. The target audience for this commercial is probably females or males who have either owned, cared for, or even seen an animal. This commercial would apply to those who would feel the slightest bit of guilt by viewing animals in cages while hearing an emotionally taxing song in the background. Sarah McLachlan draws in viewers by stating that she too has an emotional connection to these animals and has even adopted one herself. This assures viewers that she identifies with public emotions that arise during this clip, making the argument even stronger. I do, however believe that this commercial lays it on a bit too thick. Every time that commercial comes on to my television I change the channel because I can't look at the faces of those dogs and listen to the song "In the Arms of an Angel" without feeling immense guilt for not contributing this cause. If I do see part of the commercial it sticks with me throughout my day and is constantly in the back of my mind, bringing down my day. Is the commercial effective? For me, yes. For others, probably not because they associate the ASPCA with a negative feeling that they experience after viewing the commercial. The commercial also uses logos, or arguments based on facts, when it presents the statistic of how many animals are abandoned a day or how many are still homeless running the streets. The logos is not nearly as effective as the pathos approach, but the majority of the time most reasons for arguments use multiple approaches.