Visual Rhetoric and How it works as Digital Rhetoric

The term Digital Rhetoric was coined in 1989 after Richard Lanham presented a lecture on the topic. Digital rhetoric, by and large, hinges on visual rhetoric. While online spaces do use literary styles of rhetoric, they mostly use a more visual style.

Part of the reason for this is that visuals can project and sway minds via one image. It gives off a message a lot easier and more moving than text can. As such, it’s a lot more effective.

Doug Eyman defines it best in “Defining and Locating Digital Rhetoric”. The visual aspect can apply to pretty much everything. Thus, the study of visual rhetoric overlaps with the study of design. Effectively it’s how an object appears and what it’s supposed to make you feel.

Visual rhetoric can be created both purposely and without intending to. This is because the rhetoric itself isn’t just the actual visual but the perspective of said visual data. Thanks to the hybrid nature of technology, it’s understandable;e why digital rhetoric has become of more importance over literary rhetoric.

An example of visual rhetoric

A good example of visual rhetoric we’re all familiar with is digital advertising, either from video and TD Ads or still images or pop-ups. Advertising has always used images

My specific example is the following advertisement: A Burger King Ad.

Eyman also gives us an analytical approach to explain this kind of visual data. In this case, If I were to show you this, you’d most likely understand what it is: the famous Whopper commercial. While its part has to do with the song, the visuals of the advertisement are both striking and what you expect: burgers, people, and people enjoying said burgers.

The name is striking and it along with the Whoppers is in the center. They’re the main focus of the commercial and what the creators want the viewer to focus on. The food itself is made to appear more appetizing although if you were to buy a Whopper, it’s unlikely the two would match.

As such, its intention is obvious: they want you to buy some Whoppers, and honestly? It’s working on me.