Paul Pippin Wendy Braun 11 April 2014 English 255 009

Infographic Defense Essay Infographics are quickly rising in the world of persuasion like the latest social media site, yet have deep roots in classic persuasion and marketing. Their goal is to provide the visual appeal of an ad, the conciseness of a catchy slogan, but the repetition of textual facts to hammer away at persuading the audience. A good infographic can provide all of these things with a style all its own. My infographic provides good reason for why America should legalize marijuana with reasons that touch upon financial logic, reduced crime and teen use, and appeals to patriotism with a focus on conservative audiences. Infographic truly rewards those who are creative. The template I chose gave me a great slate to add and subtract what I needed to make my infographic influential. The title is the first thing my audience sees on my infographic and that is why I had to make it visually and rhetorically stimulating. Following the title is a few compelling sentences about why my topic was important. After this point, I really start to use the infographic to its full potential. As John Smith said in his article Data doesnt lie [and it] has a way of winning a debate (Smith, 2012). I chronologically make points for my argument while simultaneously slapping the viewers with visual appeal to truly allow the information to soak in. I conclude with bold statements that penetrate and highlight the positive effects America could revel in if marijuana was legal. This aspect of the infographic helped me establish logos through facts and ethos through my desire to help America. However, there is much more to infographics than just that.

What separates infographics from strictly rhetoric is its ability to use visual appeal to create strong pathos. The images displayed to the audience are what create the emotions they feel when they are reading through the infographic. I use a lot of American flags to spark a sense of pride and patriotism in my audience that will make them want to pay attention and make changes for America. The clipart in my infographic is very consistent because I use the same stick figure cartoon in different spots, but he is doing different things relative to what I was talking about in that area. I also found good images that blended America and marijuana, my main topics, quite well with the American flag at the bottom and the marijuana leaves next to the title. Perhaps more important than images are the font, font size, and placement of the rhetoric splashed across the infographic. The majority of the text I use is Britannic Bold due to its ability to grab attention while still being easy on the eyes. I did switch it up from time to time by using gothic font for more intense text, and Calibri for more light-hearted, casual text. What I found more important was the font size. It is surprising how much difference the size can make on an audience subconsciously. When certain words are bigger then there is a greater emphasis placed on them in the mind. This in combination with clever placement of words can create an undeniable ambiance that can mold opinions. Color is by far the most important aspect of any infographic. That are so many things to be considered in terms of what each color says, how the complement each other, and whether it is visually appealing. I found the Psychology of Color to be the most helpful, and thought provoking reading material was provided. It helped me match what I wanted to convey with what colors actually evoked those feelings. The Introduction to Color theory Power point then allowed me to determine which of those colors would work together to deliver my message in a visually appealing way. I chose the colors Red, Blue, and Green. The red and blue on my white

background worked well with my American theme. The red is stimulating, and grabs the attention of my readers. The blue gave a judicious, assuring, and objective vibe that allows the infographic to flow. And the green represents marijuana, but also shows a more broad sense that marijuana is natural with undertones of peace and serenity. I found the green to be especially helpful as I wanted my audience to feel secure and also understand that there wouldnt be any drastic changes in their day to day lives. It is surprising that these three colors could say all that, but I truly think they do. My infographic is effective because I have a targeted audience that I am catering to with my facts, images, fonts, and colors that gives a strong pathos appeal while giving hard hitting, logical facts to persuade. The focus should always be on those who disagree with your goals, and to give counterarguments. Show that you care about the same things the opposition does, but why your way makes more sense. The infographic genre is really powerful because the amount of information you can convey in a short period of time. It is the best bang for you and your audiences buck because of how much the author can potentially influence, and how little time it takes up for the viewer. There are simply more tools at hand with infographics than with only pictures or rhetoric. The number one thing to keep in mind in an infographic is who you are trying to influence. Audience awareness is everything because you wouldnt tell your grandmother the same jokes as your drinking buddies. If an author is clever and can manipulate pathos, then their infographic will be highly effective.

References Aiello, Stephen. "Introduction to Color Theory". File last modified 25 Jan. 2014. Microsoft Powerpoint Jolliffe, Carey. "The Psychology Of Color." Imgur, 8 Mar. 2013. Web. 10 Apr. 2014. Smith, John. "10 Steps To Designing An Amazing Infographic." Co.Design, 13 June 2012. Web. 10 Apr. 2014.