Seaver: It's The Real Thing

In addition Herbert devotes the fourth paragraph of his letter to an historical allusion about the slogan and starts it off by asserting that, “”It’s the Real Thing” was first used in advertising for Coca-Cola over twenty-seven years ago to refer to our product. We first used it in print advertising in 1942…” Herbert creates a very egotistical persona for himself, as he gloats over how well the slogan has worked for Coca-Cola and undermines Seaver’s knowledge, which insinuates that he is ignorant.

Herbert, a coca cola executive uses appeal to logic and historical context to convince Seaver, the author of the book “Diary of a Harlem Schoolteacher” to change their slogan “It's the real thing” used by both companies to advertise their products.Seaver replies with references, hyperbole, and sarcasm to state that they aren't changing the books slogan. They both were trying to appeal to their audience, the people who buy Coca-Cola and the book. Whereas Herbert’s letter addressing the issue of both companies using the same slogan. Seavers response is more persuasive due to its use of rhetorical strategies such as references and sarcasm.The letters were made to persuade the audience the who has the right over the slogan that coca-cola used

In March 1970, Ira Herbert of Coca-Cola wrote a letter to Richard Seaver of Grove Press, trying to convince him to stop using the phrase “it’s the real thing” in his advertisement of a new book. Mr. Herbert argued that the phrase was coined by Coca-Cola long ago, and that simultaneous use of the phrase would cause confusion. Mr. Seaver wrote back a few days later, arguing that his usage of the word was justified. In their letters, Mr. Herbert and Mr. Seaver use contrasting persuasion techniques: Mr. Herbert establishes a commanding and formal tone, while Mr. Seavers is sarcastic and comical.

Further in the reading Twitchell states personal opinion on commercialism. How it is wasteful and he would rather not have it. “It is heedless of the truly poor, who cannot gain access to the loop of meaningful information that is carried through its ceaseless exchange.” (366 Twitchell) Twitchell shares that “Coke has bought the “pouring rights” in his school.” He is demonstrating that commercialism slowly takes rights from other marketers and society.

Mrs. Seaver of Grove Press creates a much more convincing and persuasive argument through his compelling rebuttal of Mr. Herbert’s original letter. Although Mr. Herbert’s argument may seem logical in itself, Mr. Seaver mocks the argument and ultimately demonstrates the absurdity and triviality of the initial complaint. At the time the Coca-Cola representative wrote the initial letter, the company did not possess a patent declaring it had any legal rights to the slogan “It’s the Real Thing,” making the slogan fair game for Grove Press to exploit in its advertising. Mr. Seaver’s sarcastic tone, although much less professional than Mr. Herbert’s, also leaves a more lasting sway in the minds of readers. By exactly repeating certain convincing phrases and statements from the Coca-Cola letter, such as “dilute the distinctiveness” and “diminish the effectiveness,” and subsequently integrating them into his own argument, Mr. Seaver undermines their validity in the first

“With These Words I Can Sell You Anything” is an article written by William Lutz, explaining the tactics of marketers to sell their products. It is an excerpt from his book Doublespeak, published in 1990. William Lutz has been called “the George Orwell of the 1990s”, and indeed many of his books are titled in direct reference to Orwell’s works. Lutz claims in his article that there’s a big conspiracy where the people trying to sell us things are giving us ineffective products disguised as something much better. Unfortunately, he comes off as paranoid; someone making a big fuss over that which in reality isn’t a big deal and as someone late to the party, only discovering something long after everyone else.

a Company, it is a cease and desist letter written by Ira Herbert urging Mr. Seaver to stop the use of the coca cola company slogan “it’s the real thing”. The second letter written by Seaver aims at making a ridicule and parody out of the first letter but is still trying to pass across a message which was that the Grove Press Inc company did not try to steal the

Richard Seaver and Ira C.Herbert, are both introducing their argument, Herbert tries to make a stable argument and the use of ¨its the real thing¨ by the book and by the Coca Cola company. Seaver uses sarcasm such as ¨I fully understand that the public might be confused ...mistake a book …with a six pack of Coca Cola¨ (para 1). Seaver says this, not to be serious but to make Herbert and his argument be invalid. The importance of this is to invalidate Herbert, and his argument, uses the play on words to make his future argument seem greater as his opponent is put down. Herbert originally writing says ¨we are writing to ask you to stop using this theme or slogan in connection with the book¨ (Herbert 6-7). This is his original statement of not

In both letters, one written by Ira C. Herbert, and the other by Richard Seaver, they use their letters to persuade the other to see their point of view. They do, however, use different methods to achieve this. Herbert supports her claim by offering a sympathetic tone in order to make Seaver change his theme or slogan. Herbert connects the slogan used by Seaver and the slogan used by the Coca-Cola Company in order to build up reasons why they

Karen Olsen pulls at our heartstrings using the specific people, places and things that we can possibly relate to in a pathos/ethos type method of description. She pours out examples of infringement, dollar signs, inequality and discrimination. Using names and painting a picture of a subject to explain how [Wal-mart] broke the law using intimidation, denying benefits and firing those that support the union. Sebastian Mallaby rebuttals by using facts and reasoning in a logos/ethos way. Examples include but not limited to; “Wal-mart has a war room to defend its image! Well, yeah, it’s up against a hostile campaign featuring billboards, newspaper ads, and a critical documentary movie.” Mallaby goes on to discuss different ways that many of

An author’s diction is what their writing style is. What was their overall vocabulary style choice? Was the essay formal or informal? These questions compromise what makes Dave Barry’s criticism of ‘retail patriotism’ more down to earth in order to not only reach a certain audience, but to also show that a point can be made without an over extensive or over complicated vocabulary. An example of this simplified yet educated writing is, “What we are talking about, according to the commercials, is that Miller is by God an American beer,” (190). Barry subtly points out that America has been put on the back burner to advertisement. He shows us that even though one does not have to look up new

Herbert explains that when using the slogan for any other company besides Coca-Cola is a serious issue that will not be taken lightly, in hopes that the Grove Press will be open to discussing the matter and resolving it. Herbert expresses that the slogan can cause confusion on directed audiences and how it should have restricted usage on non Coca-Cola products. In addressing Mr. Seaver, Ira C. Herbert quotes, “it necessary..to use another line to advertise Mr. Haskins book”; the tone embedded in the text shows a statement without discussion. The significance of the quote shows the authors dogmatic tone and hostile manner from using the slogan for Mr. Haskins book. Seaver claims that the slogan is ¨merely¨ a phrase anyone can remark and that

Joseph Pine discussed how some companies are falsely advertising to their customers. Businessmen are not saying what they truly offer and provide. I liked how he compared Universal Studio and Disneyland to explain what real fake and fake real are. Since we are living in a service-based economy, according to Pine, many companies are running false and exaggerated advertisements. Many products and services are advertised as fake real. One of those examples would be Internet speed advertisement. I found a column titled, “Are you being ripped off on Internet speeds? This lawsuit says yes” on Los Angels Times. David Lazarus, a reporter of the column, said that Charter advertised false fact of the fast Internet speeds. They promised Internet subscribers

Herbert wants Seaver’s company to stop using the slogan “It’s a real thing”. Seavers purpose is to refuse Herbert’s statements. Herbert builds up his credibility for wanting to secure the use of the slogan by building up Coca-Cola's rep with the slogan with history behind it. Herbert’s intimidation tactic fails because Coca-Cola in 1970 did not have “It’s the real thing” trademarked meaning there is no ground that puts the Grove Press at wrong for using it. Also, since they are different products and Coca-Cola doesn't have a presence in book publishing, what does a soft drink company mean to a book publishing company. Herberts logic is also flawed because he labels a book and coke as being similar products when there is an obvious distinction to them which devalues Herbert's logic of people getting confused about both. Herbert’s plea of sympathy is his weakest point, he informs Seaver that the slogan would lose its

When a couple of marketing managers for Coca-Cola told attorney Elizabeth Finn Johnson that they wanted to sue their Coke Zero colleagues for “taste infringement,” she was baffled. She tried to talk them out of it, but they were determined. They argued that Coca-Cola Classic should be protected from the age discrimination it would suffer with the introduction of a newer, younger soft drink that tasted exactly the same as the original. Frustrated, Finn Johnson held up the Coke can and shouted, “It’s not a person! Title VII doesn’t cover these things!”