Isabelle Helmich 10/4/13 Dr.

Veena Raman Rhetorical Analysis Swag, Baby, Swag

The term daddys girl brings to mind a very stereotypical image: A generally spoiled, materialistic, female who uses her feminine wiles to get what she wants, especially from Daddy. A brand under Sketchers Shoe Company called Daddys Money alludes to this stereotype in their commercials marketing a new type of footwear to young girls. The rhetorical techniques employed in the 30-second long advertisement provoke an emotional response from an impressionable population of 9-14 year old girls. By utilizing attractive actresses, colorful, fleeting sexualized images, and background music, Sketchers generates a connection between the shoe and various implied benefits that are attractive to their target audience. The advertisement begins with a warning. Caution! Extreme height. This seizes the viewers attention and arouses curiosity. Various images then move across the screen. Images of the shoe in many different styles and colors, of dollar signs, lips, hearts, all in a kaleidoscope-like fashion maintains the attention of the young audience. The eyes remain focused on these pretty pictures. The visual effects definitely highlight the girly aspect of the product and allude to the desirability of adhering to a feminine standard. Sketchers also hired a selection of attractive actresses to don the shoe for the commercial, while smiling, posing with various props (like a guitar or bunny), blowing kisses, and even fanning money. This technique establishes a link between wearing the secret wedges and being a young, happy, attractive, rich-looking young girl, which is what the company assumes female tweens find desirable.

There are contextual implications of how and why these devices are effective in convincing young girls (or their daddies) to purchase this product. At a malleable stage in life, tween children attempt to conform and identify themselves with a group where they feel accepted. By purchasing a shoe that will, they believe, make them more fashionable and attractive, they can more successfully infiltrate a desired peer group. The idea of wearing a shoe called Daddys Money relates to the young persons inclination to convey financial status through appearance and clothing. If a child is rich, they may want everyone to know it. If a child is poor, they may do everything possible to hide it. A brand boasting the word money in its title can very well achieve this purpose. The music and text of the advertisement further bolsters Sketchers campaign. Lyrics looping over and over in the background remind the viewer that they can also be a daddys girl and have swag, baby, swag! The idea of being a daddys girl adopts a positive connotation in this case, and is even a pre-requisite for having swag, or fashion sense. Again the concept of displaying ones socioeconomic status is presented. Being a daddys girl implies that all money provided to the child is obtained from the father, without much effort. This unstated implication has sparked anger from mothers and fathers, who disagree with the idea of obtaining material things (especially a sneaker with a heel on it) from parents, without any hard work. Sketchers has apologized for this commercial in the past, because their message is that elementary and middleschool aged girls can bat their eyelashes to get what they want from males. As much as the company would abhor admitting it, there is a sexual element embedded in the product. Be 2 inches taller! says the commercial. One can easily see how this is an attractive idea to a young girl. To be taller is to potentially look older. It is not uncommon for kids to act older than they are, and what is better than a sneaker with a hidden wedge to do this? Why, one

may ask, would a sixth grader possibly want to look older? Well, present day media sexualizes almost everything, from Hot Pockets to 13 year old girls wearing sparkly sneakers. It has become a standard tool to convince consumers that a certain product will make them sexier. The images of pink, puckered lips, hearts, and females in various poses strengthen this image and invite young girls viewing the commercial to focus on the objective of becoming more attractive and acceptable to their peers. The characteristics of the shoe, along with the marketing techniques in the companys advertisement, attract their target audience of young girls, while repelling their parents. A secret wedge that heightens the individual wearing the shoe paired with colorful, attention-grabbing designs appeals to young girls because they want to look taller, older, and more fashionable so that they may portray a certain image to their peers. The presence of attractive actresses in the advertisement further reinforces the argument that appearance can be improved or changed through purchasing the footwear. The lyrics, which allude to being a daddys girl and having swag instill the idea that being an overindulged adolescent is not only acceptable, but admirable when it comes to conveying socioeconomic status to peers in order to fit in. This commercial says so much more than buy our shoe. Even the name of the brand evokes surprise from the viewers. Nowhere in the advertisement is the word Sketchers mentioned. The company wanted to dissociate this new style of footwear from the traditional, affordable, and comfortable sneakers that are commonly imagined when one thinks of Sketchers. In this context, the company has good reasons for desiring disassociation. Perhaps it is more profitable for an industry to appeal to spoiled daughters as opposed to practical parents. Is a generation of daddys girls creating their own, new market? Their parents would (hopefully) disagree, considering the sexual element displayed in advertisements such as this one. Why do

Americas 11-year-olds need to be 2 inches taller? And more importantly, why do companies need to sexualize their image in order to appeal to their market of children? How is it that lowquality pop music and lyrics can instill and enforce standards of appearance in a young audience, meanwhile flashing, colorful images glue their eyes to the screen? Parents have fired back at Sketchers for their advertising choices, however Sketchers would never have made this commercial if it didnt appeal to these same parents children. Rhetorical strategy often reflects rhetorical situation; the kids want swag, baby.