what is being advertised?
Citizens in Charge is a "citizen-powered advocacy organization" that supports and educates people about their right as American citizens to participate in their legislative proceedings through petitions, ballot initiatives, and referendums. They offer information about each particular state's policies regarding public legislative action, and provide a forum for networking and making contact with others that can assist in the process of lawmaking.
why target this audience?
Research has shown that urban chicken farmers frequently must keep a careful eye on their local laws and ordinances due to the fact that raising chickens in the city is frowned upon by those who don't understand the benefits of their lifestyle. Even when chickens are permitted, there may be unnecessarily stringent regulations that should be rewritten. Given these circumstances, it is in their best interest to be well-informed and well-connected in their local and statewide politics. Citizens in Charge, while not directly related to chicken farmers in particular, is a great resource for the politically active and those who want to take action but need backup. This makes a relationship between chicken farmers and the Citizens in Charge organization a very useful idea.
how does this ad communicate this message to that audience in particular?
This advertisement uses the rhetorical methodology of pathos to strike a chord. First and most obviously, the use of the constitution as imagery, particularly with the upward slant, is a reference to American optimism and the democratic way; in one motion, it acts as shorthand for the political process and also delivers an emotional response in the form of pride and nationalism. The use of green and brown as the predominant colors speak to the naturalism inherent in a lifestyle of urban farming. The tailoring of the message comes not just in the chicken silhouette, which anyone can comprehend, but in the targeted messaging of the copy. I am appealing to the protective nature of chicken farmers by demanding that they step up to defend their chickens against the political obstacles they face. By comparing the call-to-action of utilizing Citizens in Charge to a common behavior specific to chicken farmers (ie: locking the henhouse to keep out predators), I hope to help them realize that collective civic action is just as important to keep chickens safe as keeping out foxes and coyotes. When describing the organization itself, I was careful to expound upon shared values between them and the farmers, such as hard work, grassroots effort, protection of the family, and well-informed sustainable living.
