Self-Evident Truths

Matthew Armstrong and Manas Varma

Self-Evident Truths
Proceeding from an unwarranted assumption to a foregone conclusion
(includes folk sayings, such as Time is money).

Target audience is
depicted
Evocative image
saturates the
field

Self-Evident Truth

Warm, but restrained

colors show
happiness and taste

Friendly typography

Good to the last drop

Product

Maxwell House Coffee

In this ad for Maxwell House Coffee, the speaker, Maxwell House,
convinces everyday Americans to buy their coffee using a self-evident
truth backed up by visual rhetoric. The fallacy, everybody knows the
sign of good coffee, deceives the rider into believing that Maxwell
House is good coffee with no evidence. This fallacious claim is
supported by visual rhetoric that keeps the reader believing in Maxwell
Houses lie. Friendly typography invites the reader to enjoy Maxwell
House Coffee while an image shows how it is good to the last drop. An
evocative image takes up most of the field, showing happy people
enjoying Maxwell House Coffee. The use of warm, but restrained colors
in this image represents the joy and taste of the coffee drinkers who
chose Maxwell House. Clearly, these people know the sign of good
coffee.

Self-Evident
Truth

The Declaration of Independence

Although one of the most important documents in our nations history, the Declaration
of Independence has the same flaw as many pieces of political writing; it is fallacious.
In the beginning of the document, Thomas Jefferson states that they [the Second
Continental Congress] hold certain truths to be self evident. Clearly, Jefferson used the
fallacy of a self-evident truth, as he makes the assumption that these truths are
made true simply by their existence. The use of this fallacy helps Jefferson in his
address to the people as it leads them to the conclusion that his ideas are supported
by truth. By stating that all men are created equal and that they are given these
rights by their Creator, he creates a fallacy that convinces people that his ideas are
the only true ideas. While this fallacy helped to create a strong persuasive declaration,
it weakened it as a political document in the long run, as self-evident truths have no
basis or support. Because of this lack of support, the idea that all men are created
equal could not be upheld, and black men would not be treated equally by the law in
America for many years after the Declaration of Independence was written.

Caduceus
(pointing inwards)

Draws first glance

Bold letters
indicating power

Curve is continuous,
similar in shape to
that of a leaf

Self-Evident
Truth

Buzzwords

Either/Or

Green and Red

indicate health

Ad
Verecundiam

Zephyr
Zephyr, a soda that promises no calories or sodium, is marketed towards the health conscious
populace, as it provides all the satisfaction of opening a soda can, without the fattening and
unhealthy soda itself. In the advertisement we see an extended use of both fallacies and visual
rhetoric to achieve this appeal and effect. At first glance, the sun with the price tag is what stands
out, emitting a feeling of warmth and welcoming, which in turn invites the consumer to read the rest
of the advertisement. Scanning from the top to the bottom, we also see a combination of green
lines with other red colors, suggesting a healthy lifestyle by alluding to plants and health related
symbols, such as the caduceus. Following that train of thought, our attention is taken to the four
corners, which are each embezzled with a caduceus (a symbol for health first used by the U.S. army)
pointing towards the product in the center. The typography itself can be considered a reptilian
hot button as it induces feelings of power and establishes a permanence with bold, dark colors and
sharp lines. The wavy symbols under the words symbolize both health and continuity as the
shapes warp continuously, looking similar to leaves. In addition to visual rhetoric, the written
fallacies also contribute to the overall purpose of the advertisement. A self-evident truth is used
to establish trustworthiness by claiming that everyone agrees with the producers, and thus
establishing a lovemark. That is followed by an either/or fallacy, giving an ultimatum and goal for
the reader by comparing the act of not drinking it with getting diabetes. Lastly, the Ad
Verecundiam appeals to the authority of trusted physicians, strengthening the trustworthiness and
guarantee of our product. Together, these elements combine to pull in consumers in the target
audience of the producers of the product.