Nike Just Doing It

Nike advertisements are everywhere so I figured it would be the perfect place to start when looking for an ad that contained a lot of rhetoric. This ad just about hit the jackpot when it comes to rhetoric and being persuasive. The ad puts across a very gender stereotypical message, one that could almost be considered homophobic. The ad says, "The only thing worse than going to the ballet is going to the ballet to watch your son." The author of the ad tries to convince the audience that their sons should never take part in ballet or any kind of dance. The author thinks that boys dancing is a disgrace and is an awful thing to watch. The pictures of the cleats and goalie underneath the phrase indicate that boys should play soccer instead of being involved in a ballet. Also the small slogan in the bottom corner of the page that says "Raise A Champ[ion]" tries to persuade the audience that their son won't be a champion if he plays ballet or does other activities not typically done by boys. The advertisement creates a sense of pride in those whose sons play soccer, or any other sport most likely, because they are considered champs. However, the ad creates a feeling of disgrace and shame in people who have a son that does ballet.