Alraban 1
Mahmood Alraban
Rachael Williams
English 101
11/09/2018
Exploring the Impacts of Social Media
Social media refers to communication tools based on the web that allow people to
interact, share, and consume information. These tools are characterized by user accounts, news
feeds, profile pages, notifications and friends or followers. Thus, some of the apps that have
these features include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and many others. Though these
tools are brilliant creations, questions have emerged on whether they are doing more harm than
good and whether they are being used responsibly. The question is, have we ushered in a new
and better technological age or have we created destructive powers that will leave us less
equipped to make decisions wisely? Thus, though social media has enhanced interaction between
people across the globe, it has also succeeded in creating little monsters especially for people
who spend most of their time in the various social media platforms.
The invention of social media has affected face to face conversations. Today, people
prefer to speak via Facebook, Instagram and other messaging apps. The thing with social media
is that users do not have to make direct eye contact. Majority of people can access social media
through their smartphones making it easier for them to interact with people online instead of the
conventional face to face communication. Although social media may be seen as a positive
change, it has made people antisocial. Research indicates that people have become less interested
in interacting with people within and outside their age groups; instead, they are content sitting
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behind their computer screens communicating with people millions away. The complacency has
seen an increase in online relationships and most youths create most of their relationships in
social media platforms. Since millions of people who use social media are either employees or
students, they tend to spend their free time catching up with other social media users. Thus, in a
day, it is possible to count the number of conversations that one has had while making direct eye
contact because they are very few.
When exploring the effects of social media today, it is impossible to evade the question
on how young is too young to own a social media account. When walking at the malls, streets
and other public places, one cannot help but notice the number of young kids and teens busy
scrolling down their smart phones. That means that, apart from the decreased face to face
conversations, the quality of these conversations has been on the downfall. People are no longer
having intimate conversations and interactions at a personal level anymore, As such, social
media users often turn to the internet to get rid of the nervousness that they may have while
trying to build a relationship with a new person. Social media sites require people to be use them
as many times as possible in a day because there are always new notifications, trending events
and new friend requests or followers. Interestingly, financial gain is the primary aim of the social
media developers and they, therefore, utilize all means necessary to generate maximum traffic.
However, users tend to forget the financial gain of these companies when utilizing their services.
Therefore, people have created a routine of using their respective social media accounts for
posting their opinions, learning the latest news and catching up on the activities of users. The
absence of quality face to face conversations have also ruined business interaction because it is
not practical to discuss business deals via an online platform. Though online sites have been
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known to develop strong relationships, it is undisputable that personal relationships usually lead
to more open and trusting relations.
Any discussion on social media cannot evade the issue of addiction. Today’s generation
has become fixated with social media use leading to the creation of a generation gap between
people who have grown up using social media and those who were raised when the concept was
unknown. When children become addicted to social media, they are unable to control the time
they spend on the apps which directly affects their functioning in real life social groups. Such
children have a virtual life that bars them from making friends while at school and in social
events. Just like any other addictions, when teenagers are barred from accessing their social
media accounts, they display feelings that resemble withdrawal from alcohol and drugs such as
anxiety and cravings. Additionally, social media platforms tend to waste the time of the users
because of the constant updates be it in form of photographs or posts. The addiction can result to
increased anxiety and eventual depression because most users usually compare their lives with
those of their online friends to which they are updated frequently (Drussell 2012). Therefore, the
abuse of these online social mediums causes stress which ultimately leads to depression and
anxiety.
The other major concern associated with social media in regard to face-to-face
interactions is the emergence of cyberbullying. The prevalent challenge of cyberbullying which
is now worrying has risen due to the use of social media. There are a significant number of
people, including children that have been exposed to various repeated emotional social distress
that goes beyond online use. As such, it affects their schoolwork, since social media changes
their priority after they become victims of social media. Grownups also are unable to work after
suffering the emotional torture associated with cyberbullying. Instead of people focusing on what
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is happening, they try to start the repair process through an online process which exposes them to
even more pain. The changes associated with social media and the cyberbullying has an adverse
effect on the minds of users particularly to adolescents’ mind making them not to want to interact
with one another. The school children will become antisocial to others because they believe that
they will be judged with the same parameters used online. Although they need to stay offline to
avoid bullying, the internal need to be active on social media makes it hard for them. It becomes
an addiction and a challenge when students especially, the young people rely on social media as
their only source of joy or fulfillment (Brown, 2013). The addicts may fall into a cycle of only
getting joy or feeling fulfilled from this source, and if they perceive that their colleagues are
accomplishing things, they get jealous. The individuals that rely on social media find it difficult
to perform in a working environment that requires team work because they have developed bad
habits and skills which are not conducive in a working environment. Therefore, they do not
involve themselves 100% with others and do not possess the right communication skills
necessary to perform in an organization or place that require teamwork.
One interesting thing is that social media tends to interfere with the language skills of its
users. Most social media sites require their users to use specific phrases and shorthand for them
to pass a message in the shortest time possible. Though the use of shortened version of words
does not necessarily affect how people communicate because it is much easier to decipher the
written language. The problem comes when these people try to include these communication
forms into the language they use every day. Such an integration affects their social skills because
it becomes difficult for them to convey a message without using colloquial words or phrases that
are absent in a reputable dictionary. The use of slang and colloquial speech has created a society
whose social institutions cannot function healthily. Though social media has made it possible for
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people to communicate quickly, it has also resulted in the loss of significant portions of efficient
speech especially in personal conversations. For instance, students using social media have been
affected to the extent that they have very minimal or none face-to-face communications.
However, the trend has not only affected college students but asp people who are apart from each
other emotionally and geographically. Moreover, the use of phrase used in social media in the
work environment tends to affect professionalism and may cause serious problems with coworkers. Additionally, people have begun displaying less etiquette when communicating over
mediums such as texting leading to lack of politeness especially when addressing individuals of a
different age group. Moreover, relationships with friends and relatives seem cold and distant.
Whether or not individuals want to accept, it is essential to know that social media have
positive and adverse effects on them, and the solution to the problem depends on how one
handles it. Research indicates that social media such as Instagram, Twitter, Facebook can lead to
jealousness, paranoia, and breakup as well as distress to an individual. However, it is also
evident that social media platforms can help a person to improve their confidence, socialize and
form a chain of helpful friends, create new relationships, and so on. Although, they help people
to get the news, gossips, business ideas, and keep in touch with their friends, there is need to
utilize them with limit to avoid becoming the focal point of their lives which may lead to
addiction. Social media users need to culturally decide how to manage the information they get
from these platforms to avoid the social distress that could arise from them. For example, social
media is leading to people losing their ability to community which is the indication of the effect
it is having on people which calls for something to be done in the society to avoid creating a
generation that cannot hold a normal conversation. Thus, social media has both positive and
negative impact on people and the society at large. To experience the benefits, social media
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should be used in proper proportions. Therefore, social media is not the problem, but may result
in problems that could be avoided.
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References
Brown, C. (n.d.). Are We Becoming More Socially Awkward? An Analysis of the
Relationship Between Technological Communication Use and Social Skills in College Students.
Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.conncoll.edu/psychhp/40/
Drussell, J. (2012). Social Networking and Interpersonal Communication and Conflict Resolution
Skills among College Freshmen. Retrieved from https://sophia.stkate.edu/msw_papers/21/
1
Mahmood Alraban
Rachael Williams
English 101
10/26/2018
Insights on Lionel Messi
Soccer is one of the most popular sports in the world with players and fans coming from
almost every continent. The Sport continues to grow due to the devotion and optimism of its
players and fans. Additionally, since the game requires only a ball, eleven players and open
space, it is readily available to anyone; the rich and the poor, male and female, athletic and nonathletic. Thus, it has continued to win the hearts of many over the years. Owing to its popularity,
many people have chosen to play the sport professionally. As such, the game boasts of countless
professional players who have won many awards for both their teams and countries. For these
players to be successful, they had to surpass numerous challenges. Thus, it is not easy to succeed
as a professional soccer player without overcoming specific difficulties.
One of the top footballers in the world is Lionel Messi, an Argentinian who plays for FC
Barcelona ("Lionel Messi Biography," 2018). He has been playing for this team since the
beginning of his professional football career. Despite the health challenges he faced when
growing up, Messi has come to achieve lots of things for both the national and club teams. He
also has personal awards such as winning five Ballon d’Or awards and scoring La Liga’s highest
number of the most official goals. While playing for Barcelona, Messi has won thirty-three
trophies, nine La Liga titles, six Copas del Rey and four UEFA Champions League titles
2
("Lionel Messi Biography," 2018). He has also played for his Argentinian national team in many
instances.
I wanted to acquire more insights about Messi, and I interviewed my Brother Malik on
October 20, 2018. Malik has been an ardent soccer fan from a young age and specially Lionel
Messi since he joined professional football. The interview was conducted in the evening at my
condo after I had attended my last lesson of the day. Just like always, Malik had his FC
Barcelona t-shirt that he always wore every time the team was playing. He seemed quite busy
watching highlights of previous Barcelona games; it got me wondering how it was possible to
adore someone just because of his skills on the football pitch. With his relaxed tone, we had a
lengthy discussion on his reasons for loving football and especially Messi. The following is a
transcript of the interview.
Interviewer: Why is Messi your favorite player?
Malik: Messi can dribble the ball past the opponents, hold the ball when necessary and score
when most needed. Also, his beginnings are quite inspirational; he started playing at the age of
six for Newell’s where he scored over four hundred goals. He has also mastered a lot of ball
tricks which he uses when least expected. According to me, Messi is the greatest player of all
time.
Interviewer: Wow! Sounds like he is a talented and fun loving person in addition to being a great
footballer. Tell me about any situation that has threatened his football career?
Malik: At the age of ten, Messi was diagnosed with a deficiency of a growth hormone.
Unfortunately, his parents’ insurance cover could not cater to his medication adequately.
Newell’s and Buenos Aires Club could also not afford his treatment. However, Barcelona came
to his rescue when the club signed him and offered to cater for his medical bills.
3
Interviewer: Which is the best game that Messi has played?
Malik: The most unbelievable thing about Lionel Messi is that you always think that you have
seen the best match, but he keeps pulling surprises with his new scoring strategies, genius skills,
and incredible assists. Therefore, since he has had countless great performances, it is difficult to
pick the best match.
Interviewer: What would you tell people who think that Messi is not the best player of all time?
Malik: Well, I believe that everyone has their reasons for considering specific players as the best
in the world. However, I still insist that Messi is the best player in the world currently. He is not
only good in what he does but also magical; he can assess the strengths and the weaknesses of
other teams quickly. As such, he identifies how he can attack easily. His passes are precise, and
his skills are just out of this world. Anyone who has watched Messi on the pitch understands
what am talking about. The man is a pure gem.
From the interview, it is evident that hard work, discipline and passion are essential
elements for any person seeking to pursue football professionally. Messi has had to deal with
health issues, criticism and injuries throughout his career but he has always come back stronger
than before. In the interview, Malik had noted that Messi had been diagnosed with deficiency of
a growth hormone and recently, had broken his arm (Malik). The awards that he has won at a
personal level and for his team reveal the fact that Messi chooses to focus on the positives.
Moreover, since Messi started playing at a young age, it is clear that passion drove him to
participate in the world sport. Thus, the combination of hard work and passion has won the
hearts of millions of soccer fans and his teammates.
Apart from hard work and passion, understanding the opponents’ capabilities is essential
in determining the strategies for attacking. Messi tends to utilize this ability each time he is on
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the pitch because it helps him and his teammates in establishing ways of attacking and predicting
the decisions of the opposing teams. Malik had described Messi as an individual who dribbles
the ball while paying close attention to both his teammates and opponents. He is, therefore, less
likely to make tactical errors (Malik). Moreover, Messi understands the need for teamwork when
playing against any team. Teamwork is essential in football because it enables all the players to
make decisions suitable for the team. Teams with individualistic players tend to make costly
mistakes because the players only focus on outshining each another.
Another great lesson that players can learn from Messi’s success is the need for
consistency. Messi has always shocked the world by winning awards not only for himself but
also for his team and his country. Some players tend to get lost in the newly acquired fame
thereby affecting the skill and attitude on the pitch. The lack of consistency has seen some
players shine for a season or two then they are outshone by other players. Consistency and the
desire to keep winning has seen Messi acquire recognition alongside other football legends such
as Ronaldo and Diego Maradona ("Lionel Messi Biography," 2018). However, winning awards
does not come easily, it is the result of pure hard work and devotion to the team. Continuous
training enables players to acquire a new skill and sharpen the already existing ones.
Soccer players and fans can learn a lot from the life of Lionel Messi. He has had to deal
with health complications, negative criticism and other challenges in his football career.
However, he has not allowed these difficulties to slow him down; he has always focused on his
career and the desire to perform exceptionally for his team. Moreover, the elements of hard
work, discipline, and consistency have been vital in Messi’s success. It is these simple
characteristic that has seen many people consider Messi to be the best football player of all time.
5
Reference
Lionel Messi Biography. (2018). Retrieved from
https://www.biographyonline.net/sport/football/lionel-messi.html
Alraban1
Mahmood Alraban
Rachael Williams
English 101
8/24/18
Football
The day was sunny, and the blue clouds resembled celebrants during a Holy Communion
and the clouds kept moving, as if in competition with the movement on the football pitch. There
was life everywhere, whether it was the referee’s whistle signaling control, or the occasional
cheers and jeers, the pitch was bursting with energy. I had always wanted to play football but
after nursing two broken toes and failed yet justified omissions from the first team, I had
accepted my destiny. I had become a devoted football fan, devoted to the cause of the war, but
never being a foot soldier to actualize the cause. The football pitch has become my favorite
place, a place to build castles in the air, to let the demons dance in my head and if need be, bask
in the green grass like night reptiles. It gave me life, made me feel like a one-eyed king in a land
of the blind. And then there are days like today…
Days when the football pitch is filled by people from all walks of life. Some come with
football jerseys to express their loyalty, while some come to while away time, oblivious to their
environment, both social and physical. These are the people who do not get any sense as to why
more than twenty people in the field chase a round object, with so much passion and energy,
putting their bodies on the line. Today, I try to balance, following the events on the pitch as the
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teams play one another, and the dramatic indifference of some of the attendants. I find that
humorous. The two teams on the field can be said to be of equal strength, chasing the ball for
half an hour without any goals forthcoming. The stadium is on edge, and then there is the fan
seated next beside me who has been sleeping through all the events. I wish I could talk football
with him but one glance at him; I feel sick. I rise and partial cheers fill the stadium; I missed the
goal.
I need to feel angry, I want to blame the fan for making me drift away from my hobby.
How could he? Isn’t a football pitch supposed to be a place where people come and enjoy the
game? It should not be allowed that such indifference takes place in the field. Perhaps, there is a
need to have a football monitor, a person who gauges the passion of the fan on the benches and
stands. Again then, what would he use? Even Steve Jobs was not able to innovate a ‘passion
meter’ and this means that there is a very low likelihood of this hippie generation coming up
with any significant innovation. I feel desolate, and rather than bring my head to the events in the
pitch, it continues to wander, indulging its demons. Maybe I am no different from the fan who is
slumbering, I just have a different way to do it. I need to focus, and the referee’s whistle
signaling halftime saves me from my misery.
Halftime. Who made such a declaration? I try to be more philosophical. Life has its
emotions and mobility. People move, some in round, others in straight lines, but the football
players move all over the pitch, either to offend or defend. However, despite the type of
movement one engages in, there is a commonality; it all comes to an end at some point. It does
not sound right. This is not the point I want to make. You see in halftime, the players are given a
second chance for redemption, to correct any mistakes, to improve, and for those who do not
seize this opportunity, they drift and pay for their actions. This sounds like it; the point I want to
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make. Second chances. There are people in life who are not fortunate enough to get such
opportunity, but football is fair. I smile, sarcastically. Then the players start streaming back to
the field, and I decide to move places, this fan would not get the opportunity to ruin my
experience again. I deserved a second chance. Well, I like the word play as I settle to a fan who
looks equally enthusiastic but appearances can be deceiving. I hope this would not be the day to
learn this.
The opposing team, nicknamed as the ‘Tehran Fc’ is on the front foot, chasing for an
equalizer. Their star striker, commonly known as Farouk has been making inroads in the
opponent’s box, and just as he was about to shoot, he is felled by a defender. The referee blows
his whistle; penalty. “That is so soft!” one fan airs his opinion rather loudly. The judgmental
glares on his path makes him shut up. However, I like controversy and being a fan of football, I
felt this would increase the intensity of the game, and boom!! The goal was slotted in, and the
supporting fans, myself included, jumped up and down. The spoils were now evenly shared. I do
not explain how I found myself embracing the fan beside. Such intimacy in public is not allowed
by the religious and state laws, and I make a mental note to conform to social conventions.
Anyway, who cares, who is the self-appointed moral police marauding in the stands? Better safe
than sorry and at times, you never know who is watching. I have to show restraint.
The game continues without any further incidents, with Farouk being substituted after he
was unfairly targeted by the opposing team, though the culprit was given a cautionary yellow
card for his unwarranted overtures. The people are screaming, some calling on religious deities,
while some look withdrawn. I am neither, and I just look on, enjoying the movement of the ball.
The way it moves from one corner, from the midfield to the defense, a long kick to the offense
and to the gloves of the goalkeeper. The teams look well drilled, like a system that looks to
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ensure each cog serves its expected role. I wonder whether the football fans are a cog to any
football team. I have an ego to protect and I smile, I am a cog. I have to be.
Then there are doubts that start creeping in my mind on the whole premise on how
football is based on. You see, there have been people who have argued that love is a fallacy
meant to ensure that procreation is perpetual. What about football? Could this also be one of the
intricate plans by the elite to try and control the masses? A look at the field, both on the pitch and
in the stands, everyone seems engrossed. However, these people have issues with freedom of
expression, political determination and other social issues, yet they cannot find it within
themselves to demand for such freedoms. I wonder who is to blame. I realize that some are on
the pitch to run away from their realism, and perhaps I am one of them, but too afraid to admit it.
I would like to gamble on my favorite team but you see in this part of the world, state and
religious laws do not allow it. It explains why informal groups keep forming in the stands, and
membership to such groups is so secretive, making a mockery of the so-called, yet often rigged
secret ballot used to ‘elect’ our dignified and heaven-ordained leaders. The pitch offers
something that most people are not accustomed to, and with this realization, I try to be less
judgmental. However, I no longer feel so much interested in the game; how life can be deceitful!
Time flies and the game is in the injury time. There is a dangerous free kick directed
towards the goal of Jeddah Fc but will the substitute Mo stand up and make it count?
Uncharacteristic silence punctuate the stadium. A time of reckoning has arrived. Mo takes a step
backs, breathes heavily, surveys the stadium and forward he goes. Then he kicks, and everyone
waits, the movement of other players in the box of the opponents takes a twist, and the referee
makes a call. There was a foul, and a penalty is awarded to Jeddah Fc. No. This cannot be
happening. The football gods are so unforgiving. I rise. A few other fans do so, and as the partial
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screams of “Gooooaaaaalllllllll!!!!!!” in the background continue to recede, I feel I know the
outcome. A bad day in office but tomorrow, the football gods will be a little fairer. I think I hear
one fan talk something about gambling, which is also illegal. Football has a funny way of
showing the social ills of this society, I finally realize make my exit from the pitch, determined
to find a winning team to support next time. Yes, I will be back.
Reflection
The writing exercise has been one of the ways in which I have to understand on the
power of imagination. There is a need to understand that while the setting was familiar, I had to
engage my mind beyond the scopes and events that take place in the football pitch. I had to make
sure that there was a representation of all the people and elements in the football pitch. It was not
a simple task, but it was exhilarating, and satisfactory. It made me to look at football as a way of
life, and how it affects other issues in life. I had to create a correlation both internally and
externally, and this perhaps, is the goal of literature. I need to improve on other areas such as use
of other figures of writing such as direct speech which I feel I have not incorporated adequately
in the essay, but there is time and willingness to learn.
Mahmood Alraban
Rachael Williams
English 101
10/19/2018
Rhetorical Analysis of Nike Commercial
Nike’s ‘Winner Stays’ commercial generated a lot of excitement and popularity during
the 2014 World Cup. The commercial received millions of views across the globe due to specific
rhetoric appeals that enabled Nike to elicit entertainment from their audience while promoting
their soccer products at the same time. With the help of football commentators, upbeat music,
renowned soccer players and other famous athletes, Nike managed to create an unforgettable
message to both soccer and non-soccer audiences. Additionally, the use of emotional appeals in
the advert allowed Nike to reinstate itself as a trustworthy authority specifically in Sport
equipment. Thus, the ad featured an effective use of rhetoric apart from a few weaknesses
emanating from the fallacies and bandwagon effect.
In the commercial, the speaker focuses on marketing Nike’s products while also creating
excitement among the audience several months before the commencement of the World Cup.
Nike addresses its message to a diverse audience using a tone that is characterized by excitement
and passion. However, it is obvious that the ad is directed largely to soccer fans as well as people
who play soccer. The primary goal of Nike is to have this audience purchase their cleats and
other products. The advertisement persuades its audience to do so by showing renowned athletes
using the products while also implying that anyone can play like the professionals if they use
Nike Equipment.
Pathos is one of the rhetorical appeals that has been used widely in the commercial
because it focuses on the audience’s emotions. Thus, the commercial tried to get the audience
enthusiastic because of the upcoming World Cup and also instills a sense of pride by having
international stars and fans come together to support their respective countries. There is further
creation of excitement by the display of interesting elements of a soccer game such as scoring of
goals as well as a demonstration of skills and tackles. These aspects are then combined with the
cheering of fans in the stadiums, homes and bars as well as the yelling of the commentators. To
top all this, there is an upbeat song that keeps playing throughout the commercial to enhance the
audience’s eagerness and optimism of the World Cup.
The commercial goes ahead to appeal to the fans personal inspirations while combining
them with elements of humor. Nike acknowledges that many fans would want to be great just
like professional soccer athletes. Thus, Nike maximizes the use of these desires in the
advertisement. As such, a pickup game transforms into a game played on an international
stadium. At the same time, amateur players quickly turn into famous soccer stars while a field in
the park changes into an International stage with thousands of fans cheering. Positive emotions
are further enhanced with the integration of humor. For instance, an amateur player who
resembles David Luiz tells the real David Luiz that he does not look like David Luiz. There is
also the mispronunciation of the name Iniesta as Iniesto which makers the player a mailman.
Thus, the commercial invests heavily in emotional appeals as well as other elements of
persuasion.
The other rhetorical appeal used in the commercial is Ethos whereby the speaker attempts
to gain the trust of the audience by showing that he is knowledgeable. Moreover, renowned
figures who are not soccer players are featured in the advertisement. They include Kobe Bryant,
Anderson Silva, and Irina Shayk to show that Nike and the World Cup can also draw the
attention of people who do not play soccer. Moreover, numerous international soccer players
appear in the commercial to reinstate the authority of Nike.
Unlike ethos and pathos, logos as a rhetorical appeal has been used sparingly in the Nike
commercial. Its first use is where an amateur player says ‘winner stays on’. The words seem to
resonate with the winner who has to keep on playing. It is also similar to the formalities that
characterize the elimination stages of a football tournament where the winners continue playing
while the losers go home. The use of logos is also present in the conversation between Ronaldo
and another player where they use the events happening around them to show that each of them
can be better than the other. Logos is also used in the scene where Ronaldo allows a young layer
to take the penalty shot. The gesture matches the commercial’s slogan – ‘risk everything’.
The other rhetorical appeal in the commercial is the focus on all types of audiences
globally. The all-inclusivity is achieved by using people of different age groups that is young
teens, slightly older adults and elderly people. Moreover, there is diversity of fans featured in the
ad since they come from different countries and ethnicities. Similarly, the soccer players in the
advertisement come from different countries such as Spain, Germany, Portugal, Brazil, Italy,
England, Argentiba and the United States. However, since the advert was to be used during the
Men’s World Cup, women are not shown playing but this does not translate to mean that they are
excluded from the World Cup or from wearing Nike gear. Nike compensates for this weakness
by showing women fans sitting on the benches and cheering with the rest of the fans. To further
emphasize their point, Nike brings in a supermodel Irina Shayk to gain the appeal of women
fans. Apart from women, the Nike commercial appeals to other groups such as Marvel fans with
the use of Incredible Hulk, Basketball players with the appearance of Kobe Bryant and Mixed
martial art fans with the use of Jon Jones and Anderson Silva. These figures help to appeal to a
diverse audience in addition to the traditional soccer fans. Most importantly, the commercial
captures the reactions of people we may consider ‘ordinary’ in their unique settings.
However, though there has been effective use of rhetorical appeals, the commercial also
features a few fallacies and inconsistencies. For starters, the bandwagon effect is quite prevalent
in the commercial. The use of the bandwagon effect aims at gathering support for a concept or
argument by depicting that a large amount of people are already in support of the idea. The effect
recurs throughout the commercial as countless soccer stars are featured wearing jerseys and
cleats made by Nike. Such a demonstration aims at convincing both ordinary people and
athletes’ to purchase Nike equipment. Additionally, there are repetitive images of fans cheering
in the stadiums, homes and bars to encourage people to watch the World Cup. Moreover, Nike
makes use of non-soccer athletes and other popular figures which tends to appeal to a false
authority because these people are in no way associated with soccer. As such, it is difficult to
validate Nike’s opinions that these people are more valuable than the ordinary people. Another
fallacy present in the advertisement is the faulty causality where the primary premise is that the
use of Nike equipment can transform an amateur player into an international star which tends to
be untrue.
Apart from the individual rhetorical appeals manifested in the Nike commercial,
there are instances where these appeals overlap with the aim of communicating the same
message; showing that Nike cleats are the best. For example, there is the use of ethos and
pathos in most parts of the ad. For instance, the ad features prominent personalities in the
sporting world in addition to thousands of fans at home, stadium and the bars cheering on
the players. Such a moment features two rhetorical appeals at the same time because the
skills and humor if the players appeal to the emotions of the audience.
However, overlapping of the rhetorical appeals does not always produce the
intended result. There are instances where the bandwagon effect can be confused with
addressing an all-inclusive audience. All-inclusivity in the commercial is manifested in
having players of different nationalities and renowned personalities watching the game. It
translates to mean that individuals across all fields can wear Nike products. However, it is
quite difficult for a product to achieve recognition among all people considering that there
are other products in the market.
It is evident that the Nike’s commercial makes excellent use of different forms of rhetoric
appeals. The use of ethos, pathos and logos ensures that Nike creates a strong promotion
message not only for the World Cup but also for Nike soccer gear. Moreover, the presence of
minimal fallacies, bandwagon effect in addition to appealing to false authority and faulty
causality helps in improving the effectiveness of the advertisement. Additionally, the
incorporation of renowned soccer players and other international athletes enables Nike to
establish and reinforce its position as a company that can be trusted with sport equipment. Also,
the voices of the excited commentators, upbeat songs and the cheering of fans helps to capture
the audience attention and enables them to be excited just like other fans and commentators in
the advertisement. Finally, though Logos has been used sparingly, it still appears in the dialogue
between Ronaldo and another player and in reinstating the principle of the commercial that the
winner continues playing while also risking everything. The combination of an all-inclusive
audience, the three rhetoric appeals and the bandwagon effect ensures that Nike achieves its goal
of advertising its products while also generating excitement for the 2014 World Cup.
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