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Emma Gregory

LA 101HFLORDIAS NATURAL RHETORICAL ANALYSIS

America! Home of the free! Land of opportunity! The most promised land, the

melting pot of the world! Honestly, how clich does that sound? Youve all heard

politicians say phrases like this before and have probably snickered to yourself at

their unoriginality. But, think about it. Despite our crumbling economy, deficiencies

in the quality of our lives hasnt amounted to fleeing America for something better.

On September 11th, it didnt matter your opinions on tax cuts, gay marriage or

foreign policy. Now during this crumbling economy, our nation is only truly divided

on the congressional level. Here on earth, we are begging for compromise, begging

for our leaders to stop playing games with our country. Most of us in America are

more unified and most patriotic than we give ourselves credit for and we dont

necessarily have to boast a flagpole in our front yard or gleefully recite the pledge of

allegiance every day to prove it. So where does this fit in with Floridas natural? The

latest Floridas Natural ads have utilized homeland advertising by echoing Americas

most blatant and most subtle forms of patriotism, by seizing the kairos of rekindled

American patriotism, and recognizing the exigence of support for exclusively

American manufacturing and businesses during the crumbling economy.

Its smart to target the American population; there is something about us that

makes us especially susceptible to homeland advertising. I encourage you think

about how simplistic yet complex this statement is: Whether youre liberal,

conservative, black, brown, beige, white or pink, if you reside in the USA, America is

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your home. While thats a fact, and something weve all probably considered before,

it also explicitly states how many diverse people call the same place their home.

When homeland advertising is used in America, it doesnt play to the preferences of

just one race or just one community, it relates to all general inhabitants of our

country. Besides, Floridas Natural has the most ubiquitous, perfect product for a

broad population appeal. Narrowing it down to particular groups would only

decrease their sales. Which social group, race, organization, socio-economic level,

really has a problem with orange juice?

The idea of appealing to an audience with homeland advertising isnt new to

the marketing world. In fact, its kind of old. What makes this time any different

from any other time in American history? Floridas Naturals seizes kairos knowing

that while September 11th happened nearly a decade ago, our nation collectively is

still hypersensitive to another crisis. This ad campaign is fairly only spanning back

around two years. Yes, it feeds off of our September 11th recovery, but also the

economic ruin we found ourselves in two years ago. Two years ago around this time

we found ourselves in the deepest ditch of all the ditches. I remember my parents

warned me that rebuilding my college fund wasnt going to be a walk in the park. I

remember gaping at the oil prices spiraling up towards four dollars by the

springtime. We expected Obama to put on his superhero cape and save the day.

Truly, we felt helpless. Even with our frustration at the situation, we supported

whoever and whatever supported us, the American people, in return. Jobs need to

be here! we cried! This cry was what was most important to Floridas Natural at

that time: our scoffing at any imports to the USA complemented their home-grown

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product perfectly. Homeland advertising is used frequently, sometimes effectively

and sometimes not. Whats unique about Floridas Naturals approach is that theyre

not feeding off of that typical patriotic flare, theyre feeding off the exigence for the

rekindling of a patriotic flare. This is the perfect time for Floridas Natural to boast a

home-grown product that elicits that desperately needed USA pride.

USA pride is more than just waving red, white, and blue colors in the air and

dutifully belting AND THE ROCKETS RED GLARE! at the beginning of sporting

events. Capturing the subtleties of patriotism is a common theme in Floridas

Naturals ads during this campaign. In one ad, Floridas Naturals pairs its product

with our favorite national holiday, Thanksgiving. The patriotic subtleties Im talking

about arent referring to fond pseudo-memories of pilgrims and the Native

Americans convening peacefully over a feast. No, its a holiday allowing us to reflect

on our beloved communities and families and to also be thankful for them. We are

proud of our values that are reflected on Thanksgiving Day and we are proud that

its 100% American. At the bottom of the ad, the tag-line reads Never imported.

Happy Thanksgiving, America. They are not only eliciting USA pride in this

instance, they are eliciting pride in their product by pairing it with our favorite

holiday.

To further this example, homeland advertising can be applied by using a

certain stereotypical image thats paired with our favorite holiday. Now, picture all

the women of the family bustling around the kitchen preparing for the early meal,

the men lounging on easy chairs in the living room watching football. The rest of the

cousins, siblings and other young people have separated into groups, the boys

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playing video games or game-boy until the meal is ready, and the girls (when not

aiding the older women in setting the table) can be found sitting in a more quiet

room talking just to catch up. Remember, a stereotype is called a stereotype because

this kind of tradition does exist, and I believe is widely spread across many

demographics. Floridas Natural aims to embrace this well-known family dynamic

because it too is 100% American.

Floridas Natural upholds our family values in American and also, like I

discussed before, our concerns for our nations economy. On Floridas Naturals

website, they showcase testimonials from average Joes supporting their business.

One written by Cathy from Georgia says, Floridas Natural is the BEST. BUY

AMERICAN- THE JOB YOU SAVE MAY BE YOUR OWN. Another by Jim from Main

reads, I believe there is no comparison. Floridas Natural is the best in every way

Truly American. Reading fellow Americans messages of supports of American

businesses creates a circle of American pride exchange as if to say, were all in this

together. The campaign unifies America in our fight to maintain what we like to

think is a reputation for magnificence. Floridas Natural encourages this

homegrown pride so that their homegrown oranges parallel our unique American

concerns.

Floridas Naturals recent ad campaign echoes the both the blatant forms of

patriotism such as our rekindled pride after the 9/11 disaster, and the most subtle

forms like Thanksgiving. They also make a political statement about supporting

American jobsa safe statement that isnt boiling over with controversy. They

assert that buying their juice made from American grown oranges embodies the

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concern for and the action of supporting exclusively American manufacturing and

business. Thus, Floridas Natural seizes kairos and uses homeland advertising, an

old concept with unoriginal intentions, remarkably effectively. Our nation responds

to this appeal extremely well because we are, after all, the melting pot of the world.

Extremely Small Works Cited

What do you believe?, Floridas Natural, 2011,

http://www.floridasnatural.com/fun-stuff/what-do-you-believe/

Thanksgiving ad: http://www.madeintheusabrand.com/wp-

content/uploads/2009/11/American_Holiday1.jpg