William Carroll

(T/TR 2:00 PM)

Persuasive Event Analysis
October 20, 2022

➢ Persuasive Event Visual Aid:

➢ Briefly describe the event.

○ I sat down, waiting to officially start my fall break in the warm climate of Orange
Beach, Alabama. Before guests were called to board onto the plane, a gentleman,
along with a large sign resembling the one depicted above, urged customers over
the intercom to upgrade their flight seat for a small fee of $40. Since Southwest
doesn’t have assigned seating and getting a high number, like an A number,
allows for a quick, hassle-free boarding, it’s a quick attempt to charge customers
more for the benefit of having a higher number and, therefore, possess more of a
convenience. This short speech of persuading customers happened a couple of
times before the official boarding and the sign, as depicted above, was displayed
on two large electronic screens to accompany his message.
➢ Logos (Logical)
○ The messenger’s proposition is clear, concise, and very straight to the point. It
seems like a very logical choice for the customer. They can either stay with their
assigned number and wish for the window seat, or they could pay a “small” fee of
$40 to upgrade for quick access onto the plane. Although it’s not presented on the
physical aid provided above, the messenger’s diction while relaying the message
onto customers was very persuasive and convincing. Again, it addressed it as a
“small fee” and a quick change since the announcement was so close to the
departure. This motivated customers to act quickly and instigated the notion that
this question presented was very logical. It was a yes-or-no, logical question and
the customer had moments to decide.
 William Carroll
(T/TR 2:00 PM)
Persuasive Event Analysis
October 20, 2022

➢ Pathos (Emotional)
○ The messenger takes in the understanding that the flying process is emotionally
draining. There’s a bunch of hassle that the customer has to deal with to make
sure that their planned trip goes right. The message is presented to the customer
like a messiah, a quick change that can provide much needed comfort for the
customer as they board their plane. The question presented was a benefit and a
potential huge emotional asset for the customer. In addition, the message could
have been seen as having fear appeal, that if action wasn’t taken, then it would
mean more emotional turmoil for the unforeseen coming hours of the customer’s
flight.
➢ Ethos (Speaker Credibility)
○ Although the message was presented clearly on the sign, it was also reiterated by
a gentleman that was managing the gate. The man was young, had a clean,
pressed suit, and was very enthusiastic when presenting his message. You could
argue that the man presented degrees of indirect persuasion that aided in his
trustworthy message that just for a small fee, the customer could be hassle-free.
Although the direct persuasion was heard throughout the intercom and presented
customers with a clear message, it was only for the people sitting by the gate that
really received his charisma while standing solidly behind the microphone.
Although the message presented credibility by being provided by that same airline
that I purchased tickets from, it also possessed numerous amounts of discreet
credibility with the message being presented by a charismatic person.
➢ Organized in a specific pattern?
○ The message over the intercom and presented on the sign was very concise and
utilized Monroe’s Motivated Sequence model. The gentlemen first grabbed our
attention with a hook by announcing to all Southwest customers, then they
announced the problem of it being a packed flight, then they promptly announced
the solution, stating their seat fee, and lastly they called their audience to action
by stating where they could pay to get their new seating.
➢ Describe the target audience.
○ The target audience for this message was for the paying flight customers of
Southwest Airlines.
 William Carroll
(T/TR 2:00 PM)
Persuasive Event Analysis
October 20, 2022

➢ Was it effective? Why or Why not?

○ Overall, the timing, the diction used, and the persuasive appeals that were utilized
makes this message possess high effectiveness on its target audience. It was a
clear message that highlighted a common problem and provided an easy, and
reliable, solution. It presented itself to be hassle-free and could be easily achieved
at the entrance of the gate. It was a logical solution amidst the chaotic process of
plane-catching.