Jessica Tucker

FMS 115-02
October 11, 2011

The Real Appeal behind Real Steel

In June of 2011, the Internet buzzed with talk of Facebook’s new facial recognition

software used to tag photos automatically; some say it is creepy, while others say that it is

innovative. With new software developing every day, it is likely that the world of advertising

will evolve into a personalized experience based on an individual’s online identity. Just imagine

yourself walking down the sidewalk and seeing billboards and bus stop ads change to suit your

interests after only recognizing a face gathered from pictures off social-networking sites. While

face-filtering advertisement is not yet in existence, it could be sooner than one might hope; until

then, advertising wizards and marketing tycoons will just have to stick to the old fashioned

persuasion techniques of advertising. Rhetoric, or a keen knowledge of persuasion, is necessary

to understand nearly any image from a McDonald’s Happy Meal box to a movie poster. Even

though the movie poster for Real Steel, a robot-boxing movie, may seem bleak at first glance, the

rhetoric behind the ad is highly convincing because it meets many of the criteria found in

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Pyramid and it appeals strongly to ethos and pathos through visual

media while touching the logos via textual support.

In the movie poster for Real Steel starring Hugh Jackman, a clear appeal to pathos can be

seen in many aspects as it is the most predominant of all appeals used in the poster. When

noticing that one of the main characters is so large that he does not even fit in the frame, all

while the words on the poster are just barely big enough to read, it becomes clear that the creator

of the advertisement was more concerned with the audience’s emotions rather than their logic.

Although the words seem small in comparison to the rest of the ad, they still pack a punch by

suggesting that human character is a quality that makes a person stronger than steel.
Jessica Tucker
FMS 115-02
October 11, 2011

In the ad Charlie, the character played by Hugh Jackman, is confronting the camera with

a half smirk and fists up. Atom, a sparring robot and the main character of Real Steel, mimics

Jackman’s confrontational pose. The photograph allows the viewer to relate to the adrenaline

rush before performing under pressure, and therefore provides a pathetic appeal by establishing

an emotional understanding with the audience. Jackman’s cocky sneer relates to Maslow’s

“esteem needs” by showing the confidence that he has in himself; this helps the audience feel

that they too have something in life to feel confident about, even though it may not be boxing.

Atom, the fighting robot shown in the poster, also utilizes the pathetic appeal in several ways.

First, his light blue eyes and friendly smile make him seem comforting as well as compassionate.

Second, he is surrounding Jackman’s character as if to symbolize protection. Protection and

friendliness both fall under different categories in Maslow’s Pyramid. Atom’s protectiveness

falls under the “safety needs” category of the pyramid, which suggests that all humans need to

feel a sense of security in order to be mentally sound. Likewise, his friendliness falls under the

“social needs” category, also referred to and the “love and belonging” category by showing the

audience that he is a character that they would like to have in their own life. Let’s face it, who

doesn’t want a new friend? The background lights may be meant to symbolize fame or

eventfulness, which would apply to “self-actualization needs” along with “esteem needs”,

because many people aspire to become famous in their lifetime, not to mention that in doing so

one would likely have an increased amount of confidence. With a plethora of positive feelings

such as popularity, pride, love, and protection, the movie poster for Real Steel promises

audiences an emotional connection in exchange for the price of an admissions ticket.

Jessica Tucker
FMS 115-02
October 11, 2011

The poster places nearly as much emphasis on the ethical appeal as it does the pathetic

appeal by providing viewers with reassuring names and graphics. Atom shows the audience that

the technological team has credibility and that the graphics will be good because he is a well

developed design. The lettering at the bottom of the poster, while largely non-legible, gives the

viewer the idea that they are indeed looking at a movie poster. Because the letters help the

viewer believe that the poster is about a real movie and a reputable one at that, it establishes

credibility for the poster itself.

The credibility of the director, producer, and the actors alike all rope in viewers. The

movie is aimed mainly toward a male audience which can be seen through its robot-fighting

theme; however, with a rather handsome leading man like Hugh Jackman, the movie maybe

appealing to a female audience as well. Having a leading actor that is known for his work in

extreme action roles and his bad boy persona establishes a preconceived notion of what Real

Steel might be like. It is quite common for director to pick leading actor and actresses based on

their roles in their past production history. The director of Real Steel likely knew what he was

doing when he selected a man who played in a role such as Wolverine from the X-Men movies,

and he wanted the actor’s reputation to rub off on his film.

In the lower left hand side it can also be seen that the movie is a DreamWorks

production. DreamWorks is a famous film studio which has developed and produced such hits

as Cast Away, Shrek, and Meet the Fockers. With such famous films under the company’s belt,

it is easy to see why having the company’s name on a movie poster might boost the credibility of

the film shown on the poster.

Jessica Tucker
FMS 115-02
October 11, 2011

While the Real Steel poster is heavily doused in pathos and ethos, a logical appeal is

present in a various sections of the poster as well. For example, if one looks closely enough at

the poster, it becomes clear that the movie is rated PG-13. It is logical advertising information

that prospective viewers may wish to know before deciding whether or not to see the film.

Another example of a logical appeal is the showing of the release date. If a viewer does not

know when to view a movie, it is not very likely that they will just go to the theater looking for

it. Possibly the most logical appeal used in this advertisement is the inclusion of the movie’s

website. If a viewer felt as though there were not enough logical information on the poster to

help aid in the decision whether or not to see the film, they could simply log onto the website for

more information. Logical appeals, while scarce, are present in the poster and do have a serious

impact on the decision of the audience whether or not to buy a ticket to see the film.

Even though the movie poster for Real Steel, a robot-boxing movie, may seem bleak at

first glance, the rhetoric behind the ad is highly convincing because it meets many of the criteria

found in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Pyramid and it appeals strongly to ethos and pathos

through visual media while touching the logos through textual support. After examining the

movie poster and the rhetorical appeals ethos, logos, and pathos that make Real Steel a must-see-

movie, one can feel the effects of the poster’s persuasion even stronger than upon a quick glance;

the master-mind behind the movie poster’s persuasion also used many of the needs listed in

Maslow’s Hierarchy Pyramid in order rope in the viewer who may have otherwise been left

sitting on the fence. So, in a few years when you are walking down the street being blinded by

billboards designed to fit your interests, stop and think, “What is it that is persuading me to buy

this, and why am I so willing to believe the persuasion?”