Evan Cowgill
ENG 400
Dr. Cream
4 September 2017
Rhetorical Analysis: Nature Valley Commercial
Link for Reference: https://youtu.be/1XDVDyDJ3s0
This commercial for Nature Valley’s snack bars, aptly entitled “Would your kids respond in the same way as these kids? Raises an interesting” by the YouTube user who posted it, argues that humanity is losing touch with nature (The Great Outdoors) as each generation of kids chooses their leisure-time activities. Nature Valley claims that modern technology is to blame for this phenomenon.
Delicately dramatic music breathes emotion into the audio’s background as Nature Valley showcases a series of elderly people answering the question of what they did for fun during their childhood. Their answers are stories full of wonder and excitement, fishing and fending off bears. Then, abruptly (even menacingly), the music stops as a sample of today’s children respond to the question with non-anecdotal answers like video games, texting, and somehow e-mail. The elderly and oh-so-wise stars of the commercial shoot knowing glances at the camera as the children’s parents cry and express their fear for the future. Then, the music returns — this time, more hopeful — as Nature Valley connects their brand of snack bar to one simple solution: Rediscover the Joy of Nature. Be sure to try their newest flavor, Appeal to Tradition.
