I have found myself heading to check out in a supermarket only to have my attention caught by a magazine cover with big bold letters. Unfortunately, upon reviewing the magazine, I find the bold headline, which caused me to stop and purchase the magazine, has little to nothing to do with that headline. Nevertheless, it did its job, drawing me in and making me believe I needed to buy it. This is a form of visual rhetoric that works to pull on your curiosity, and to persuade you into doing what the newspaper or magazine wants you to do: buy their product. It is the same with YouTube videos. The thumbnail of a video will have some creative imagery and bold lettering, which makes the viewer curious enough to click on the video. Politicians also use visual rhetoric when trying to persuade voters to vote for them. Some small details voters may miss, but are effective, such as a male politician giving a speech wearing a colored tie that matches the color of his party, and most politicians wearing an American flag pin on their suit. These little details work to catch the voter’s eye and to help convince the brain this politician is worth voting for because they agree with you or because they are patriotic. An article from Calvin University states, “The concepts of exceptional visual rhetoric are critical to consider because we encounter and interpret visuals daily—and we frequently produce them.” We can produce visual rhetoric by the choice of clothes we wear, our body language, and so much more. Visual persuasion, whether we acknowledge it or not, is a part of almost every decision we make.
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