2012

http://www.apple.com/trailers/sony_pictures/2012/theatrical_high.html

Argument:

What are the consequences of watching the movie 2012 on your life?

Claim: Watching the movie 2012 will change your life.

Reason: Watching the movie 2012 will help you accept the truth of the end of the world.

Audience:

The audience is United States citizens. Specifically those who go to theater regularly.

Goal:

To convince people buy tickets and go see 2012.

How:

This movie trailer makes excellent use of ethos in convincing the audience that the end of the world is coming. It begins with a shot of a Mayan temple and the words "Mankinds earliest civilization warned us this day would come." The Mayans themselves are given credibilty simply by being the "earliest civilization." In turn the Mayan calendar lends credibility to the prediction that the year 2012 will be the end of the world, because that's when their calendar ends. When the world is being destroyed the trailer shows clips of famous places and objects from around the world. It shows the White House, Everest, and the USS John F Kennedy either collapsing or being covered with water. This makes it seem more believable when people watch sites they recognize be destroyed.

Effective:

It is a very effective argument. The Mayans have been right this far, why would they be wrong now? If the world really is going to end in 2012 certainly that would be life-changing. Personally, however, I am unconvinced and I'm sure many others disagree as well. Many people I'm sure couldn't accept the idea that the world was going to end even if the evidence was staring them in the face. It's just too difficult for most people to imagine. I'm convinced that the world will not end in 2012 for religious reasons, but I guess we'll just wait and see.