1. Exigencies: One thing I noticed with this company is that it has a lot of history and a major community outreach. The homepage and links may overwhelm a new visitor.
2. Audiences: Members of the Lancaster community and building contractors would benefit most from this company’s layout. For those outside of the community, it may be difficult to find what they are looking for.
3. Constraints and Assets: The desire to appeal to the community is understandable; however, alienating those from other communities may not be the way to go. Instead, they should showcase how the company has helped their community and explain how they can help other communities as well.

Issues:

1. How does the organization portray itself as qualified or authorized to speak about a particular issue?  The company portrays itself as a fixture in the community and a company partnered with B Corporation, an acknowledgment of the company’s commitment to social and environmental ethics, transparency and accountability.
2. Is there evidence in the rhetoric that interested audiences have been consulted and have had a reasonable opportunity to influence the process? The website offers a “Testimonials” tab and has a “When Clients Become Family” section that details the extent of the company’s relationships with its clients.
3. What is said about an issue and what is not said? A major issue within the painting community is the surge of DIY enthusiasts who prefer to tackle their paint job on their own. The website does not acknowledge this as a potential problem for those seeking superb results.
4. Based on your knowledge of the rhetorical situation and rhetoric, does the organization appear to conceal or de-emphasize information that might influence the issue? I do not feel that simply not mentioning the issue is “concealing” it. I would say no, they are not.

I have chosen to do the alternative project which means I will be creating a website and other promotional pieces for The Dyer Paint Company, my dad’s business. Beginning with this blog post, I will analyze an existing website for a company like my dad’s to get the best view on how to approach creating the website.

The company I’ve chosen to analyze is James River Painters, a painting company located in Richmond.

a) JRP associates the company with Richmond, VA. This allows them to appeal to locals who want a contractor with experience in the area that they can compare to other contractors. This also allows for the testimonials that they mention to really resonate with locals. Richmond, VA is a very successful city and therefor has big business coming to plant their companies as well. JRP can say, “We know the area, we’ve done work here before, and we’re ready to work for you.” They also use association by saying, “No job too big or too small.” This associates them with not only major corporations but little companies or customers as well. They list their services on the homepage as well, allowing potential customers to see that they are not simply just a painting company but do other work as well.

b) JRP disassociates with phrases such as, “15 years in business,” implying that they have experience over other companies, “no subcontractors” and “work around your schedule, indicating that other companies will not do the same.

c) The branding that JRP uses is minimal on the homepage, but customers are given the idea that this organization can effectively “do it all”. Perhaps tying themselves to Richmond, VA is their most major branding.

d) The organization lists its’ services on the homepage along with their experience and mission statement for their work. They prove to their customers that the customer is the most important, not the company.

e) Facebook seems to be this company’s biggest advantage on social media. The Google+ link given on the website does not work and the only other existing link to outside sources is a telephone number. The FB page shows pictures of their work and connects them to their customers who can leave reviews and comment on the pictures supplied by the company.

f) Based on the company’s experience of the area after fifteen years of working there can be used to attest to their longevity in a city that has changed so much over the years. They can say that they’ve seen it all and have survived Richmond’s changing face to this point – and how they’ve also improved Richmond from what it once was.

2. The rhetorical situation is a company that needs business to survive and must outreach to customers in a unique way in order to outsource other companies in the area. Richmond has boomed over the last few years, and with that has come many new painting companies who may have an edge of youthfulness that they are employing.

a) This situation requires identity maintenance. The company has been here for fifteen years and must stay relevant with the changing city.

b) JRP stresses that all customers, big or small, are welcome. This particular company reaches out to the Richmond locals and surrounding areas.

c) They must maintain their credibility as a staple in Richmond.

For this post, I will focus on SeaWorld’s new mission statement, released in video format on August 24, 2017.

1. This video focuses on taking steps to save the planet and improve life on Earth. It conveys a positive, fun experience that they hope will inspire their audience to get on board with. They show videos from outside of the Park, itself, and focus on their philanthropic work outside of their walls.

2. I believe ideological criticism would be needed as well as maybe cultural criticism. SeaWorld’s ideology is vital to their response to criticism they receive. What they do evolves from what they believe. CUlturally, they must deal with problems arising from the millennial generation and Gen Z, both of whom must be marketed to differently than past generations.

3. SeaWorld so far has made families their main concern. With this particular video, it was interesting to see how they pushed their philanthropic work outside of the park to the forefront. I want to dig deeper into this part of its work and maybe ask the question, “What is SeaWorld doing right?” I haven’t had the best opinions about SeaWorld but I would love to have a change of mind.

4. The audience is potential SeaWorld employees, shareholders, customers, or anyone who is trying to find out more about the park. No prices are ever listed in their pitches; the “life-changing experiences” seem to cover the prices.

5. Some see SeaWorld as a great park with amazing opportunities to interact with marine life. Others see it as a greed-powered machine that exploits their animals for their own profit.

6. We are shown people having fun, getting close to the animals, and making a difference in their communities. The images show SeaWorld to be a life changing experience.

7. The video appeals to the interests of those looking to make a difference, animal lovers, or marine life enthusiasts.

8. I would like to present an analysis that leaves the reader sure of their opinion on SeaWorld. I have heard many come to its defense, but I want to see if there’s a good company that was perhaps struck blind by the Blackfish documentary. What does SeaWorld do in the world that does make a difference and accurately represents the struggles of marine life?

“Blackfish,” a shocking documentary released in 2013 that showcased the horrors of Orcas in captivity.

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• Exigencies: SeaWorld’s biggest issue is Blackfish, and more specifically, activists who believe that the park’s Orcas do not belong in captivity. When the documentary was released, SeaWorld first tried to attack the filmmakers and former SeaWorld employees involved in the movie. This was unappreciated by many as it mimicked the blame put on Dawn Brancheau, a SeaWorld trainer who was killed by Tilikum, one of the park’s most famous Orcas. SeaWorld has been charged to stop all breeding of captive Orcas and the show must go on with the Orcas currently at the park.
• Audiences: Animal rights activists, OSHA affiliated persons, SeaWorld fans, and many more have influence on the park. SeaWorld chose to ignore the documentary with no comment at first, which many saw as suspicious. A park dedicated to keeping marine animals safe should jump to the defense of their practices.
• Constraints and Assets: SeaWorld’s problem lies in the legitimacy of the documentary. It did not just focus on SeaWorld as a whole, but on Tilikum, a whale that had been through many parks and was known to bite. It was not that SeaWorld was blind to his behaviors, but that they did not care to protect their trainers, staff, guests, and even Tilikum, himself. It appears that they cared most about making money off of Tilikum’s performance.
• Rhetorical Situations: There are risks in anything that deals with wild animals. I believe another issue would be identity. SeaWorld, if it wishes to get back to its’ glory days, will have to find a new identity that focuses on preservation of marine life, not exploitation.

For my artifact, I have chosen a commercial released by SeaWorld on July 7, 2017.

The medium of delivery:

SeaWorld is famous for its’ commercials that show clips from dolphin and orca performances, interaction with different fish, and rides. The park has always pushed the “family values/childhood memories” agenda, and this commercial is no different. It appeals to millennials and urges them to “share your seaworld story”.

Ethos:

The commercial shows clips of SeaWorld operating at its highest points:

• no lines for the rides
• enjoyment of the food available
• instant responses from the aimals
• one-on-one instruction from SeaWorld trainers
• no prices are shown
• animals are on their best behavior when interacting with visitors and performing

It also shows a strong sense of community. SeaWorld has always been a family company, and in this commercial they push those communal values as well. The stars of the commercial all appear to be in their early teens on vacation with younger brothers and sisters or friends.

Pathos:

This commercial appeals to millennials, who are no longer the ages of the kids in the commercial. By doing this, the producers of the commercial are able to invoke nostalgia. Memories of going as a child to SeaWorld come back to their audience and they are invited to share their SeaWorld story. It appeals to family values as families are most often their target audience. Millennials with kids may find this commercial nostalgic enough to take their own kids to the park.

Logos: 

The producers focus on the main attractions at the park, such as the Dining with Orcas, Dolphin Show, and the rides. By doing this, they show the reality of the park, but do so without naming any prices or extra fees. They also encourage the audience to think back on memories that they have of SeaWorld that the park cannot replicate in a commercial.

For my paper, I will be analyzing SeaWorld, a United States chain of marine mammal parks. SeaWorld was under fire after the release of Blackfish, a 2013 documentary that threw SeaWorld’s less than stellar track record into the open. I will be focusing on SeaWorld’s reaction to the documentary and how/if they have changed their organization’s standards and beliefs as a result of the documentary.

My name is Savannah and I’m a senior History major with a minor in Rhetoric and Professional Writing. My plan after graduation is to join the Virginia State Police and eventually work in the K-9 Unit for the FBI.

This blog will showcase my classwork for my Organizational Rhetoric class (ENG 305). I’m excited to see rhetoric applied more specifically in the business-world division and to understand rhetoric even more.

The classwork will consist of my applications of rhetoric to different organizations and fields with the  intended audience being other rhetoric students, future employers, peers, etc. The context of the blog will be my work in understanding rhetoric further.