Rhetorical Maneuvers in a Controversial Tide: Assessing the Boundaries of Advertising Rhetoric

Abstract

Despite strong evidence on the effectiveness of advertising rhetoric, the extant literature has not theorized or empirically assessed conditions under which this effectiveness may be nullified. The present research argues that the application of rhetoric in advertisements grounded in controversial topics such as violence and eroticism may be ineffective. Results from two studies suggest that the application of a widespread rhetorical figure such as resonance within controversial ad settings cannot attenuate consumers’ negative responses and under certain conditions may even worsen them. Implications for advertising theory and practice, along with study limitations and future research avenues, are presented.

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