Sabrina LeMond

ENG 112

Rhetorical Analysis

May 4, 2021

Evolution of Makeup Advertising

The beauty industry is one of the largest branches of products on the market and spends

billions of dollars advertising products every year. Beauty products, especially makeup products,

have historically been marketed specifically towards women. Although men have been known to

wear makeup in ancient history, in recent historical years it has been seen as a feminine luxury.

Recent social advancements, however, have shifted to advertisement to those who like makeup

rather than just women. In 2016, James Dickinson, more commonly known as James Charles,

made history by becoming the first male “coverboy” for the makeup company Covergirl. Just as

the people who consume makeup products have changed overtime, the method of

advertisement has changed respectively. Advertising for beauty products have definitely

changed throughout the years. Each decade in American history has distinct features and

utilized various techniques to get the most customers possible.

In the 1900’s, beauty companies used Fowle’s basic appeal of the need to feel safe. In

the advertisement for Jonteel, the phrase “Will now grow hair on the face.” Although those

words may sound unsettling to the safety standards in the twenty-first century, they were

intended to comfort the consumers and assure them of the safety of the product. By stating that

unlike other products, Jonteel face cream will not make unwanted hair growth, customers are

more likely to buy Jonteel products over other companies. The woman putting on the cream

also reassures potential customers that it is safe to put on the face because other people are

putting it on their face.

In the 1920’s, the advertising methods shifted towards the need for affiliation. The

desires for friends, family, and most importantly, romance, was utilized to entice women to buy
 LeMond2

products. The makeup products for the brand Hollywood used the words “for your dream of

romance” as the largest font size on the print. The advertisement implies that if customers were

to buy Hollywood makeup products, their dream of romance would come true. The woman

looking to the distance shows that she is daydreaming about romance, and the advertisement

implies that if the makeup products are purchased, the consumer can experience romance too.

This emotional appeal is very important when companies are trying to entice their consumers to

purchase their products.

The 1940’s were an era for soldiers coming back from the war. In order to support the

war effort, women were encouraged to please their husband returning home on leave. In an

advertisement for Pond’s, the 1945 print shows a man kissing a woman with the words “meeting

HIM on leave.” This print utilizes the need for sex appeal in order to promote their products. The

woman is portrayed as happy that her husband has returned while showing the bright red

lipstick shows the connection between the beauty product and happiness.

In the 1950’s, the advertising for beauty products shifted towards the need to achieve. In

the advertisement for Max Factor, a woman is seen looking to the side with fireworks in the

background, showing success and a feeling of accomplishment and wealth. The advertisement

focuses on success and status as being tied to the makeup products. The illustration of class

and status encourages consumers to buy because they are more likely to trust someone

promoting a product if they are successful.

The 1960’s showed a dramatic shift in the makeup industry. Women were now indulging

in bold makeup looks and advertisements focused on the need for attention. Bright colors and

enhanced makeup looks are utilized in the advertisement print for Maybelline. The

advertisement also uses humor to advertise their products. The advertisement shows the words

“keep your eyes in line” while promoting eye liner. The pun adds to the illustration and the

humorous touch increases the likelihood of the product being sold.

 LeMond3

Fast forward to 2016, and a man is the face of a large makeup brand, Covergirl. In the

advertisement video for covergirl, James Charles puts on makeup in front of the internet. A man

putting on makeup proudly was unheard of before. The advertisement technique used in the

video was the need for nurture appeal. Having a male be the cover of a large beauty industry

company creates a safe space for other males who want to explore in the world of makeup. The

safe space created by this advertisement likely increased their sales and extended their market

to other males wanting to explore the world of makeup.

The beauty industry has undergone tremendous changes throughout the years. The

methods of advertising have changed drastically, showing the societal norms during each

decade. The various appeals of Fowle is a universal one and is timeless. Even within the last

one hundred years, the variety of Fowel’s appeals utilized is extensive. Companies use one or a

combination of multiple Fowel’s appeals in order to persuade their consumers to purchase

products.
LeMond4
 LeMond5

Rhetorical Analysis Paper Peer Edit

Writer’s Name: Sabrina LeMond
Peer Editor’s Name: Amanda Zheng
1. Highlight the thesis. Is the thesis valid and written appropriately? Explain.
- The thesis is valid and written appropriately because it is stated clearly in
the first paragraph.

2. What evidence is used to support the thesis?

- She uses different ads from different decades to describe the different
Fowles appeals that were used in them.

3. How could the writer make the evidence more convincing?

- I think she could probably talk about the background colors of the ads and
describe how it relates to the appeals.

4. Is the paper 2-3 pages (double spaced)? Yes or No

5. List the examples of strong, precise words the writer has used –
a. dramatic e. assure
b. feminine f. entice
c. bold g. unheard
d. unwanted h. safe
(Hint to the writer – If the peer editor cannot find at least 8 strong words, you need to improve
word choice)

6. Is the conclusion effective or is it rushed? A little rushed

● What could the writer do to make the conclusion stronger?
- Add a little bit more details

7. Did the writer analyze: pathos- ___x___yes ______ no

ethos- ___x___yes ______ no