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Rhonda K. Murphy
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Visual Persuasion Paper of ‘Mamacare’
Introduction.Obamacare, also referred to as the Affordable Care Act, first made its debut in
March 2010 when President Obama signed it into law. As a result, medical facilities around the
country such as doctors’ offices and hospitals have made it a priority to advertise and persuade
their patients to adhere to the purchase of this product. These advertisements primarily come in
the form of physical and online posters that can be viewed in the waiting room as well as on the
internet. This strategy has been proven to be effective, in that, by the year 2017 nearly 9 million
people had already enrolled in Obamacare. Adam Fox, director of strategic engagement for
the Colorado Consumer Health Initiative, had a big hand in the creation of some of these
pro-Obamacare ads that went viral across the nation (EHealth, 2019). One ad in particular
conveyed what appeared to be a single mother holding her sick child with a look of worry on her
face. The promotional poster was dubbed ‘Mamacare’ as it insinuates the importance of a mother
taking care of her children. Fox’s chosen advertising technique exemplifies a well-thought-out
and very clever approach to winning the compliance of the public. There is essentially to
understanding how it is that Fox managed to generate an ad that received as much attention as
‘Mamacare’ did. The three components up for analysis are known as the ethos, logos, and
pathos.
Ethos. An ethos just refers to the sellers’ ethical credibility and character. According to
Obamacare statistics of 2019, it is a fact that the uninsured rate in the United States is the lowest
it has ever been in history (Obamacare Facts, 2019). However, these statistics fail to mention
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how up until the inaction of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in 2017, an individual mandate was
imposed between 2014 and 2018 on majority of U.S. citizens, which required them to purchase
health insurance that met the conditions set by the Affordable Care Act (Davis, 2019). If a citizen
of the state refused to comply, they would be given a financial penalty that must be paid when
filing tax returns (Saltzman, 2019). A decline to pay the financial penalty would result in jail
time. This fearmongering provides an explanation for why so many people have opted to buy
into Obamacare. In 2011, 26 states filed a lawsuit against components of the Affordable Care Act
declaring them unconstitutional, as it forces citizens to buy health insurance (Davis, 2019). The
ethical element of Obamacare has since then been in question, even after the repeal of the
individual mandate. There isn’t much to be pulled from an ethological analysis of the
‘Mamacare’ ad, although, it can be determined that without all the facts, the public can’t know
for certain what is being offered.
Logos. Following an ethological analysis is the examination of the logical aspect of the
advertisement, or the logos. In the poster, there is a brief quote made by the mother, which states,
“As a mom I want what’s best for her. When my baby is sick, my first question is what’s my
doctor’s number, not can I afford a doctor.” Speaking for the public, who gets hit with these
emotionally driven advertisements on a daily basis, one can only hope that what is being
suggested is factually true. Here, ‘Mamacare’ is implying that healthcare is a right that should be
afforded to all, not just the people who can bear the expenses (Wax, 2017). It’s common
knowledge that doctors provide a great deal of services to the community, however, for many, the
exchange of a good(money) for a service(healthcare) is beyond the comprehension of those only
looking to benefit themselves. The idea that healthcare is a privilege that is granted to those who
can give something in return for doctors’ instrumentally good works are dead in the eyes of a
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large portion of society. Currently, citizens feel as if they are entitled to the best resources'
government can provide with no charge. This kind of philosophy derives from a place of greed
and selfishness, which preys on the success of others. With that said, ‘Mamacare’ does not stem
from a very rational place. The third and final evaluation is known as the pathos or the emotional
appeal of the advertisement. Fox provides a visual of a worried mother holding her sick child
with the intent to move the audience in a sympathetic direction. No sane person enjoys the pain
and suffering from a young child, which is why the audiences’ initial reaction is the most vital.
From the moment the audience views the encapsulating poster to the moment they buy into the
advertisement, that first thought begins to dictate how they feel about themselves from a moral
perspective. They think, “I have to take care of my family too, so this must be the best choice.”
Pathos. The pathos is the strongest part of any advertisement because it stops an individual
from thinking rationally. It is natural for humans to cave to fear and impulsivity when they aren’t
given all the information upfront. For this purpose, God gave humans the ability to think using
logic and reason as a guide to help unveil the truth. Unfortunately, people have allowed feelings
to cloud their judgement in such important life situations. On a final note, ‘Mamacare’ does
indeed rely heavily on an emotional appeal from its viewers as a means of selling health
insurance. The art of persuasion is found predominantly within the marketing industry and has
had a long-lasting effect among society. ‘Mamacare’ exhibits a perfect example of the persuasion
technique throughout advertising history. Nonetheless, the question still remains: What about the
pro-Obamacare ad is so extremely enticing that it was able to generate the popularity that it did?
Looking back, there wasn’t a very strong case built in favor of Obamacare on an ethical standard,
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and neither was there any logical argument made. The only component that seems to have been
the key winner in this ad was that of an indestructible pathos.
Bibliography
Davis, Elizabeth. “What Is the Individual Mandate?” Verywell Health, Verywell Health, 18 Aug.
2019,amacare Facts,
https://obamacarefacts.com/obamacare-facts/
“History of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).” EHealth Insurance Resource Center, 30 Oct. 2019,
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https://www.ehealthinsurance.com/resources/affordable-care-act/history-timelineaffordable-car-a
ct-aca
Saltzman, Jason. “Uninsured Rate in Colorado Remains Low, Thanks to Obamacare.” Colorado
Times Recorder, 30 Sept. 2019,
https://coloradotimesrecorder.com/2019/09/uninsuredrate-in-colorado-remains-low-thanks-to-ob
amacare/18363/
Wax, Craig M. “Is Healthcare a Collective Right or Individual Privilege?” Medical Economics,
19 Aug. 2017,
https://www.medicaleconomics.com/business/healthcare-collective-rightor-individual-privilege
