Benji Wilson
English 103
Jan. 26 2009

Many different rhetorical devices are utilized in successful advertisements. Advertisers use color, word choice, timing, pathos, ethos, and logos to make a consumer desire the product that they are selling. Recently a new product was introduced to the markets called a Snuggie (Snuggie, Blanket with Sleeves, Youtube). The Snuggie is simply a blanket that has sleeves built into it. Although this may seem like a mild advancement from the traditional blanket, the Snuggie is advertised as a necessity for every member of society. The makers of the Snuggie use color, logos, compare and contrast, voice, and the five cannons of rhetoric to convince consumers to purchase their product.
When the infomercial for the Snuggie begins, the first thing that is noticed is the color. On a television set or even a computer monitor the color used to begin the commercial is less than standard; the entire screen seems to have a blue tint over it. During this section of the commercial the commentator is talking about the all of the hassles involved with trying to be warm. The blue tint is a way for the advertisers to create a more negative aspect about keeping warm using a blanket or turning your heat up. When the idea of a Snuggie is introduced, suddenly all of the colors appear and the blue film fades away. Most of the colors used at this point in the commercial are very bright and enticing. When the viewer feels that they have a choice to live in the dull blue world or the bright, colorful, fun world, of course they would pick the color; it just so happens that the colored world is associated with owning a Snuggie. The sudden color change appeals to people because it suggests that their life would be better and happier if they owned a Snuggie. Even the actual Snuggies come in bright colors, as demonstrated by the infomercial. Color is a very strong use of persuasion in this infomercial.
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In the next section of the commercial, the viewer is introduced to all of the uses of the Snuggie. Examples are both narrated and visually demonstrated by actors in the commercial. These examples are a form of logos: using logic as a form of persuasion. Some of the examples that are used in the commercial are using the Snuggie while using the remote, reading a book, using your laptop, eating a snack, doing homework, or even to keep warm while at an outdoor sporting event. All of these activities are, according to the infomercial, difficult to accomplish with a blanket but easily accomplished with a Snuggie. The narrator also explains that the Snuggie comes in a one size fits all for more comfort and will not fall off of you like a regular blanket would. Another point that is brought to the attention of the consumer is that the Snuggie is mobile. You don’t have to worry about taking it off when you need to move to another location because you wear it. It is logical to take the easier route if one is available, and this is what the advertisers are offering through the use of their product, the Snuggie. Logos is one of the key elements in this advertisement.
Near the end of the commercial, the Snuggie is compared to other similar products. The prices are one of the main elements that are compared to the Snuggie. The narrator explains that similar products are sold for a much greater price, although they are of less quality, than you can buy the Snuggie for. An additional book light is also offered with the purchase of a Snuggie. With this added offer, the commercial explains that the consumer will receive a more expensive overall product for a cheaper price than they would find anywhere else. After gaining the consumer’s attention with the logos used in the commercial, comparing the prices of the Snuggie and similar products is used to ensure that if a product Is to be purchased, it will be the Snuggie.
The voice, which is most utilized at the end of the commercial, also plays a huge role in the insurance of the purchase of a Snuggie. In the last few seconds of the commercial, the voice changes
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dramatically. The speed of the voice accelerates, creating an urgent atmosphere so that the customer will be more willing to buy the Snuggie now before they may change their minds. The narrator’s actual voice also changes from a female voice to a male voice. The male’s voice is much faster than the female’s voice and, because he is the one who is announcing the telephone number to call and order a Snuggie from, the urgency is brought up another level and people may feel like they should call right away. The voice also changes so that the consumer is offered with a second opinion. It is very easy for one per son to get something wrong, but the consumer would feel more secure after hearing the same thing from two different people.
The five cannons of rhetoric are used by advertisers to promote their product. Among these cannons are Invention, arrangement, style, memory, and delivery (Alfano, 54). The invention is the Snuggie, itself. It is a new product and is being shown for the first time in this infomercial therefore it is up to the advertisers to create a unique identity for the Snuggie. This infomercial was also very strategically arranged. Basically, it began by introducing the new product, providing maximum examples of how the product can be utilized in everyday life, compared the product to other similar products on the market, and, after the consumer was convinced of the legitimacy of the product, offered special deals that are too “irresistible” to turn down. The style of the infomercial sets the mood for purchasing. The narrators sound friendly and like they are trying to help you, the consumer, rather than have you buy their product. Memory is stimulated at the beginning of the infomercial. When the narrator begins to explain the concept of a Snuggie, she uses rhyme, which makes the audience think about what she is saying longer than usual, and thus commit the information to memory. At the end of the infomercial, the phone number to call to order your Snuggie and the price of the Snuggie package are repeated many times. This repetition also helps the audience commit the information to memory. The entire delivery
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can be summed up by the classification of this advertisement: infomercial. The delivery is a way to persuade someone of something. Not only in this infomercial, but in all infomercials, the objective is to provide an audience of information about a specific product to persuade them to purchase that product.
The Snuggie infomercial utilizes many rhetorical skills to sell their product. In my opinion the Snuggie is not a very unique product and is extremely similar to a blanket. The advertisers, however, are able to make even skeptical people consider buying a Snuggie. By using color and comparing it to other products people are able to gain interest in the Snuggie, and then feel as if they must hurry and buy one when the false sense of urgency is created.

Works Cited
Snuggie Blanket with Sleeves Commercial. 14 Nov. 2008. 26 Jan. 2009 .
Alfano, Christine. Envision in Depth : Reading, Writing, and Researching Arguments. New York: Longman, 2007. p 54.