Analysis of Direct TV's Get Rid Of Cable Campaign

There are a number of rhetorical effectiveness advertisements.  The Direct TV advertisements seem to be masterminds in rhetoric.  The advertiser’s goal in demonstrating that choosing the wrong provider can in turn produce dier consequences in your life, outlines the importance of obtaining their subscription. 

The story outlines in the Direct TV advertisements have a clear path.  They demonstrate the working of the Rhetorical Triangle; appealing to the ethical, emotional and logical senses.  It starts with an issue a person has when they subscribe to cable, which then conjures up a negative feeling, to feel better the person seeks alternate entertainment or relief from the negative feeling.  Unfortunately the alternate entertainment produces an affliction, which causes a consequence, the consequence then produces a demeaning result.   The following is a sample of the Direct TV story ads progression:

Cable Issue	Feeling	Alternate Entertainment	Affliction	Consequence	Result
On Hold	Angry	Blow off steam (play raquet ball)	Eye patch (eye injury)	Beaten up	Wake up in a ditch
Goes out (stops working)	Stressed	Exotic vacation	Exotic Insect bite (allergic reaction)	Quarantined	Local fisherman called fatty face
Can’t find something good to watch	Depressed	Attend self help seminar	Gamble money away in Las Vegas	Loose everything	Sell your hair to a wig shop
Pay too much	Dejected	Visit parents	Discover something new about  your parents	Speed off with tears in your eyes	Drive into a pizzeria that makes great baked ziti

            The focus of the advertisements appear to be geared towards the male consumer, given that all the calamities are upon him if he chooses Cable TV, as opposed to Direct TV.   The appeal to the male audience seems plausible due to the fact that additional television channels are mainly geared towards sports and action movies. I do find this campaign sexist, but I remember reading where television is trying to win more men, over women, so these advertisements are proof of that claim.

Direct TV Advertisements: https://youtu.be/u9vbXpMKz6I