satire

             This article from The Onion advertises MagnaSoles, a new and high-quality insoles used in making shoes. However, this article goes further than just advertising. It is clearly “mocking” all sorts of advertisements, by using the identical methods used by other ads. It deliberately overstates the effects and mechanisms of MagnaSoles, considerably appeals to authority, and uses citation to satirize the unreasonable inference from consumers.

             The first strategic tool used in this article is hyperbole. It overestimated the positive influence of MagnaSoles, by mentioning that it “restores the foot’s natural bio-flow”. According to the ads, “only” MagnaSoles “enables your soles to heal your entire body as you walk”. Walking with MagnaSoles is a panacea since it has a “special resonator” which helps wearers have “energy to match the Earth’s natural vibrational rate”, and ultimately, “harmonic energy field”. The ads highlights not only effects of technology, but also the mechanisms of MagnaSoles. It employs the “healing power of crystals” and “biomagnetic field around around you foot” to actualize the “total foot-rejuvenation system”. Even without closely scrutinizing in the contents, it is explicitly manifested that the claims of this ads are nothing but “crappy”. Such use of hyperbole makes people alerted to the use – or abuse, to some extent – of hyperbole in other ads.

             In addition to hyperbole, the author of this article frequently uses the appeal to authority to satirize the current advertisements. ™, which is the symbol of trademark, makes people hastily assume the decent quality of MagnaSoles. Also, the names of academic fields -like pseudoscience, reflexology and Terranometry – give plausible credits to the unreasonable arguments of ads. Moreover, the author uses names of authoritative people to intensify his or her claims. “Dr. Arthur Bluni, a pseudoscientist” and “Dr. Wayne Frankel, the California State University biotrician” are seemingly reliable characters. Likewise, this article depends heavily on the authority of symbol, academic fields and people, just like the other ads in the real world.

             Furthermore, this passage uses citation to make people believe its argument and ultimately to criticize the consumers who blindly accept the overestimated claims in ads. Helene Kuhn of Edison, NJ states that he “could barely walk a single step”, but the MagnaSoles soothed his ankle pain. It is logically contradictory that he could not walk, but somehow walked with the MagnaSoles. Also, the only reason that Geoff DeAngelis blindly believes the effects of MagnaSoles is the “intelligent-looking man in a white lab coat”. These two stories of consumers clearly indicate how unreasonable and easily-persuaded the common consumers are.

             In summation, the article from the Onion satirizes both marketers, who irresponsibly dare to exaggerate the effects of their products, and consumers, who are easily convinced at what ads shows. To achieve this goal, the author uses hyperbole, appeal to authority, and citation.