Plain Folks
What is Plain Folks?
Plain Folks is used to convince the audience that they are the “ideas of the people” and work for the benefit of the commoners, and with the same views.
Analysis:
In this picture, Barack Obama, the current President of the United States, is shown playing basketball with a group of kids at a basketball court. This photo tells the audience that Obama is a reliable and trustworthy candidate because he looks like a common man, just like them and the other citizens, who is playing basketball with kids in his neighborhood. By doing this, it allows for people to empathize and understand with a listener’s concerns. Furthermore, this Plain Folk technique portrays Obama as a regular man who thinks and acts the same way as the people. The audience is able to feel a sense of comfort when it shows how the candidate shares common hobbies with them. Not only this, but the use of a common basketball court delivers proximity to the audience in comparison to the White House or a grandeur palace. There is nothing fancy about the photo and doesn’t portray Obama as the President of the United States in a suit. The overall effect of using this technique is that more people are able to relate and side with Obama.