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Cecilia Lara
K. Leon
Rhetoric and Writing
3 October 2016
Food and Advertising
As the time of low calorie slow cooked homemade meals come to an end, the

need for fast paced on the go living has made our food options questionable. As

Michelle Obama states in her press conference we are seeing a cultural shift in a nation

that is starting to care about what they eat. As the United States continues to see an

increase of diet related illness the epidemic has increased the importance of eating

good food. The nation as a whole is becoming more aware of what they are putting into

their mouth. Everyone from pop stars to specialist are talking about it. The question then

becomes how to get healthy food into the mouths of not only adults, but most

importantly into the mouths of our next generation, when we are constantly being

bombarded with advisements of quick, fast, unhealthy food. In the issue of how children

and teens are marketed food, I will be breaking down two arguments by logical appeals.

The first discourse being Michelle Obama, our first lady, who holds a press conference

to speak about how children are being marketed to. Then goes on to how best to create

a dialogue between parents and the food industry. The second being a TED talk from

Anne Lappe, Project Director of the Food MythBusters, who speaks on the issue of how

children and teens are being preyed on by the food industry, ways to fix the issue, and

what has already been done to alleviate the issue.

Michelle Obama speaks in a conversational press conference about how as a

community we can better market to children. Using both middle and grand language
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such as, problem, pester power, and request. The best example of her mixing the

two styles in a statement she makes, from the time our kids are still in diapers, we as

parents are fighting an uphill battle. Mrs. Obama uses everyday words like parents

and diapers and then mixes it with grand style words such as battle and fighting.

She speaks very mellow and is easy to follow. However, she does say key buzz words

such as, pester power and fighting. Michelle Obama ethos is set up right away. First

Lady Obama does not need to create her ethos because Americans have prior

knowledge of her and her title. Not only a first lady, but she has been working on this

specific issue for 3 and a half years. She also is herself a mother giving her even more

credibility with the fellow parents in the audience. Through pathos of language and her

credibility she begins to establish a strong argument.

Michelle Obama then goes on to make a highlight point in her argument through

simile. The simile being, Our children are like sponges in which she spends a large

amount of time going on to explain that it is the food industries responsibility to market

in a way that makes children think healthy foods are just as fun as the junk food. The

use of the simile also goes on to make an argument that it is in the responsibility of the

marketers. In order to further back up her argument as well as create Kairos she starts

to speak about how, diet has surpassed smoking in the death by disease. Implying to

those in the room that if we do not act now bad eating habits will lead to dire

consequences. Strengthening the argument that healthy living habits within children are

important right at this exact moment in time.

The first lady creates pathetic appeals at certain moment within her press

conference. Not only is she credible to speak about this topic because she is a mother
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herself, but reinforcing this to the audience this also creates pathos because she has an

emotional connection with every parent in the audience that understands the issue first

hand. During the beginning of her speech she begins by talking about recent tragedies

that have happened around the United States, creating a sympathetic appeal to the

audience even before she speaks about her topic. This appeal implies that she is

sympathetic and can relate to many Americans. Mrs. Obama also creates an emotional

appeal when she gives congratulations to the work that has been done so far, thanking

the food industry instead of just telling them they are wrong. Now the food industry

people feel like there is an open dialogue, not a bashing session. After she has thanked

the food industry people she then goes on to creates a state of urgency, another kiarotic

moment, by stating this is all great but we need to do more. Put you to work is what

she says about this emergency of marketing better to children evoking emotion that as a

village we all need to work together on this. Ending with a message that it is all our

responsibility to market, teach, and expose children to healthy eating.

Anne Lappe, is an author, activist, mother and the Project Director of the Food

MythBusters. Lappe uses very grand style in delivering her TED talk. Her argument is

emotional charged because it is very personal. She uses high emotional language such

as an alarming rate, nearly impossible, life and death consequences, and

outraged. Much like the book states her speech moves people emotionally to

recognize the problem, as well as to do something about this crisis. She uses repetition

of examples of cereal boxes, Twinkies, and candy to show that this is so prevenient the

examples are literally everywhere. By using this type pf language she shows that this is

a here and now issue, creating kiaros.

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Loppe speaking in responding to the crisis children face as they are practically

badgered with the advertising of junk food. She argues in the classic form, and uses

many examples of repetition. Lappe however, does not have automatic credibility.

Although, she is up in the front and all eyes are on her she has to establish her

credibility. She does so through an activity in which she mentally takes her audience to

the exact moment she wishes to argue about. Lappe also mentions the fact that she

herself is a mother and therefore, can relate to other parents. Lappe also uses statistic

to create her ethos, the food industry spends two billion dollars every year to marketing

directly children and teenagers. By showing the absurd amount of money used by the

food industry, she is meaning to rile up the parents in the audience to say this is

enough, she uses the terms, stop preying on our children. She goes on to tell stories

about nonspecific situations, in which children and doctors around the world are

suffering and facing diet related illnesses. By giving nonspecific examples of children

and doctors dealing with this issue and their experiences, she creates her credibility

because it in some way shows that people around the country are having this issue,

without using a specific case.

Lappe uses a lot of pathos to be persuasive in her argument. She sets up this

comparison of what this food industry is able to do and the information that they are

allowed to be collected. To then compared that to the capabilities of a health center. The

food industry has the power to change who they advertise to. Showing the hold and the

grasp that the food industry has over not only us but children and teens. By showing

that this is all our problem, not only children and teens creates a pathetic appeal. Lappe

also goes on to offer a solution to this crisis by creating a slogan, My children all of
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our children are none of your business. The slogan is quick and recognizable creating

both pathos and ethos because the argument goes further than this specific talk.

All together both ladies were arguing the same issue but in a much different way.

Taking a closer look, because of their credibility, use of pathos, and the style of

argumentation. It is clear to see that although, it is about the same topic they are two

distinct arguments being made. Michelle Obama wants a dialogue and Lappe wishes for

companies and websites to shut down. In my opinion, Michelle Obama argued the best

in her conversational style. She presented the information calmly wished to createan

open dialogue, not putting the blame on any one person, but creating an open

discussion about how to alleviate this issue. She made her audience feel inclusive and

as if they had to power to do good in changing how things are marketed to children and

teens.
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Works Cited
Marketing Food to Children | Anna Lappe | TEDxManhattan, director. TEDtalk , 11
Mar. 2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bop3d7-ddm

Michelle Obama on Food Marketing &Amp; Advertising to Children Speech (2013),

director. Youtube , 16 Oct. 2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=kkm_qf5kqxs.