GMAT考试写作指导：Issue写作范文八六

86.        There are two traditional advertising¹ tactics for promoting a product, event,
candidate, or point of view. One is to provide reasons; the other is to bypass reasons
altogether and appeal strictly² to emotion. Considered in isolation³, emotional appeals are
far more effective. But many of the most influential⁴ ads combine slim reasons with
powerful appeals to emotion.
      To appreciate the power of emotional appeals we need only consider the
promotion⁵ of sodas⁶, beer, cigarettes, cosmetics⁷ and so on. This advertising is the most
successful in the industry; and it trades almost exclusively on the manipulation of our
desires, fears and senses of humor. In fact, it wouldn't make sense to offer up arguments,
because there really aren't any good reasons for consuming such products.
      Even so, some of these products are advertised with at least superficial reasoning.
For instance, in the promotion of facial moisturizers it has become popular to use the
image of a youthful woman with fresh, unlined skin along with the claim that the
product "car reduce the signs of aging." This is indeed a reason, but a carefully couched
one that never really states that product users will look younger. Still, countless⁸ middle-
aged women will pay twice as much for products that add this claim to the expected
image of youthfulness that trades on their fears of growing old.
      One of the most clever and ironic¹⁰ combined uses of reason and emotion is seen in
the old Volvo slogan, "Volvo, the car for people who think." The suggested reason for
buying the car is obvious: it is the intelligent choice. But the emotional snare¹¹ is equally
clear; the ad appeals to one's desire to be included in the group of intelligent, thoughtful
people.
      In conclusion. I agree that appeals to emotion are more powerful tools than
arguments or reasoning for promoting products. It is no coincidence that advertising
agencies hire professional psychologists, but not logicians. Still, in my view the most
influential advertisements mix in a bit of reasoning as well.