Ad Misericordiam

Lani Wongkar and Brooke O’Flaherty

Ad Misericordiam
An appeal to pity (also called argumentum
ad misericordiam, the sob story, or the
Galileo argument) is a fallacy in which
someone tries to win support for an
argument or idea by exploiting his or her
opponent's feelings of pity or guilt. It is a
specific kind of appeal to emotion.
(Via Wikipedia.org)
Humane Society Ad
Visual Analysis
This ad is targeted towards people who like and spend time with animals, but more
towards people who want to help animals without truly doing anything themselves.The
most prominent colours on the image are around the “DONATE” and “ACT NOW”
buttons, prompting the observer to associate helping animals with giving the
organization money. The phrasing of "act now!" seems like a call to action, causing
consumers to want to be a part of the movement; the sense of urgency creates a
“limited offer” offer effect, so people donate without thinking, which in turn helps to
increase donations. It also offers an organization the individual can be a part of,
conceiving a lovemark. The photo of the melancholy, lonely horse - the pathos of the
argument - creates a sense of pity and sadness, persuading the reader to vote on the
bill. This blurry horse -- gazing morosely through the bars of its stall, which are focused
to appear like prison bars -- further amplifies the imprisonment of the horse -- and by
extension, all farm animals -- strengthening the appeal to pity. Overall, this emotionally
manipulates a consumer on board with the cause to donate with their compassion
(appeal to pathos), instead of looking past the front with logic (use of logos) to see
where the money is going.
Heifer Project
Textual Analysis
In this blurb on women's education, ad misericordiam is used to make the
consumer pity underprivileged women, hoping to convince them to donate to
the Heifer Project. By using statistics such as "more than 150 million", the ad
appeals to logos, causing the reader to assume that the argument is logical
and to perceive the magnitude of the problem presented. The gratified woman
and the flowers she sits amongst are warm and complementary, as well as
reassuring of how great her recent empowerment is. Uplifting diction such as
"equality", "help", "empower", and "full potential" fortifies the connection
between donating to the charity and helping women in need.The genuinely
happy, natural woman, aim for a better ‘reality,’ and use of uplifting diction
pressing the reptilian hot button in women who seek strength and
empowerment in their own lives.. Here, empowerment acts as a personal
appeal, supporting their own personal cause. The inequality of genders is also
incorporated into the argument to sway politically charged readers.
Annotation
Analysis
Our ad was aimed towards new, gullible, paranoid pet owners, who worry that their new
companion will not feel at home. We appeal to their concerns, stating how you should
“keep your dog happy!” We also subliminally let them know that their dog will feel
ISOLATED and SAD when confronted with the other scents of your house. The spray, that
literally smells like wet dog, takes advantage of the consumer’s ignorance of having a dog
as a pet. Our endorsement, “4/5 dogs barked enthusiastically when approached with the
product,” means nothing, for dogs will bark at new people, and not all dogs react
positively to the scents of other dogs. We use a combination of warm colours, cooler
shades of warm colours, and cool colours to contrast the happy product with the sad
pups. The cooler yellow represents the warmth that can be added to your blue dog, so
struggling pet owners have a chance to create a bond too. The cluttered format of the
product also creates its own feeling of restlessness in the consumer, and when combined
with the use of “NOW,” a feeling of pressure to buy the product without thinking forms.
The aid of “As Seen on TV” shows the product is sold through an established source as
well, and provides the consumer with a friendly out of the visual white noise.
Works Cited

“Appeal to Pity.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 3 Apr. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appeal_to_pity.

“The Humane Society of the United States.” The Humane Society of the United States,
www.humanesociety.org/.

“Women's Empowerment and Social Capital.” Women's Empowerment and Social Capital | Heifer
International | Charity Ending Hunger And Poverty,
www.heifer.org/our-work/womens-empowerment-and-social-capital/index.html.