Morales, Gonzalez 1

Dariana Gonzlez Avils

October 17, 2014

Ambar E. Morales Aldarondo

Section 036 / ENGL 3103
Prof: Ellen Pratt

Rhetorical Analysis: Always Like a Girl

Since 1853 when women got the right to vote, they have constantly succeeded in
obtaining some equal rights and more respect from society. Even after all these
accomplishments, women are still being taken for granted by societys perspective about
them. This is what Always starts to communicate to us in its commercial Always
#LikeAGirl (http://youtu.be/XjJQBjWYDTs). The advertisement makes us acknowledge
that girls shouldnt feel insecure just because theyre passing thru puberty. In our century
this has been a controversial topic that focuses especially on teenage girls that are passing
thru a big transition, which makes them insecure. Most females can actually relate to this
commercial because we they understand the pressures society puts on them to make them
feel inferior just because their gender.
In relation to this message, the brand Always has been well known, for more than
30 years, as one that contributes in enhancing confidence in women, especially every
month. In its latest commercial, people can observe how this brand promotes gender
equality. Even though the purpose of this brand is clear, it is also evident that there are
some factors that still contribute to insecurity in a woman's life. The commercial starts with
an interview to teenage girls, boys and girls where the interviewer asks them to start
running, throwing or acting like a girl would. As response to those instructions, the
teenagers started acting like if they didnt have the strength enough, or the ability as well as

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developed as a boys. On the other hand, the young girls did everything with all the
strength they could, efficiently, and determined to do it excellently. Finally when the
interviewer asked them if like a girl could be considered as an insult, all of them started
to answer that in some way it has become an insult. As a result, those teenaged girls that at
first where imitating a stereotyped view of themselves started auto evaluating their actions
and finally realized that doing things like a girl shouldnt mean doing things wrong or not
good enough.
Throughout the commercial it is evident how logos appeals to us more directly by
giving us a sense of logic and awakening with elements like the interview, use of normal
people, and their reactions. Lauren Greenfield, filmmaker and director of the commercial
mentions in a description of the commercial on YouTube that, "When the words 'like a girl'
are used to mean something bad, it is profoundly disempowering. I am proud to partner
with Always to shed light on how this simple phrase can have a significant and long-lasting
impact on girls and women. I am excited to be a part of the movement to redefine 'like a
girl' into a positive affirmation." This is why we emphasize that a big part of this insecurity
comes from the perspective society has on them, but also their own.
It is important to emphasize that this brand gives rise to this message thru an
interview of girls, women, men and boys to awaken our principally with the use of logos,
but also our feelings by pathos in their reaction, when they realize that the fact of being a
girl doesnt make you less or weak. The main purpose is to exhort and create consciousness
in the way that we see ourselves by making us forget about stereotypes. It also shows us
that gender is not an obstacle for doing things a certain way. The purpose was effective,
because by the interviewers realizing that like a girl is not a limit or a problem, you can
also analyze the situation. On the other hand, some values that are exposed in this

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commercial are consciousness, confidence, achievement, acceptance and empathy. We can

observe that the fact of integrating people just like us and making them answer based on
their life experiences gives this commercial enough credibility to make us feel identified.
We can conclude that the main idea of this commercial is to end with the
stereotyping of gender. It also makes us realize that like a girl is not an insult because if
you are a girl you will do things like one. You can do things excellently, do hard work, and
even stand out like a girl, because the fact of being one means strength. If there were
strong girls that fought for the right of voting years ago as a starting point for women
equality, there shouldnt be a reason for women to feel unable to achieve what they want
and do it extraordinarily. It is important to know that confidence helps us embrace
ourselves while enabling the insecurities that emerge in different stages of life. If you're a
girl, embrace it.

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Work Cited
Always. Always #LikeAGirl. Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 26 June
2014. Web. 21 October 2014.
Isemberg Nancy. Womens Rights Movements. The Oxford University Press.
N.D.Web. 21 October 2014.

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Peer Editing Worksheet: Rhetorical Analysis

Writer: Dariana M. Gonzalez and Ambar E. Morales

Reviewer: Ivan A. Umpierre

for the writer:

1. If you were to sum up your main point (thesis) about this text, what would it be? Remember, it
should be the rhetorical strategies used in the text, not about the product itself. Please mark it
with a star on your draft. If it isnt there, come up with one and write that on the draft.

The advertisement makes us acknowledge that girls shouldnt feel insecure just because
theyre passing thru puberty.
2. What in particular do you want the reviewer to check?
The thesis
_______________________________________________________________________
For the reviewer: Write answers on the back of this sheet if necessary.
1. Does the opening section contain an overview of the topic that orients the reader? Yes Does it
look like the writer has focused the topic narrowly enough to deal with it adequately in 4 pages or
so? Yes
2. Is the thesis clear, adequate, and supported by the data and arguments provided? If not, how
could it be improved? Thesis has not been clearly selected.
3. Is there enough content? Of the eight questions listed on the assignment sheet, are enough of
them answered to make an interesting analysis? What else might be covered to make the analysis a
solid meal for the reader? Yes. Explain the advertisement itself in greater detail.

4. Comment on the organization and coherence of each paragraph and of the draft as a whole.
Are the transitions adequate? Mark on the draft where you see any problems with coherence or
organization.
The draft is mostly complete. The transitions are adequate.
5. Is there a good balance between describing the text and analyzing it? That is, does the essay
just report what is in the text, or does it do that AND discuss how the text makes an argument for its
audience? (Note: it would also be a problem if there are only analytical statements without
supporting details from the site.) How might the balance be improved? Yes it is balanced.

6. Is the essay properly formatted using MLA style? Is there too much quoting or paraphrasing
from the text or other texts that support it?? Mark on the draft any problems you see here,
particularly missing citations. Note: If all of your info is from the site, just be sure you use quotation
marks for their exact words. If you do outside research (e.g. about the companies that are on the
defensive, you will need to say where your information is from. If you dont know how to do a
bibliography, just cite them informally for now.)
Yes
7. As a reader, are you left with any questions about the issue that should be further clarified or
supported? Be as specific as you can.

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No. I understand the message the advertisement is trying to convey. I only dont know what the ad
is actually like.
8. What do you like best about the essay?
I like the first paragraph that briefly explains the history of womens rights.