Cultural Analysis: Wendy's

Cultural Analysis

Wendy's has made a name for itself as a company based on its interaction with its audience through social media platforms such as Twitter. By humorously responding to tweets made by Twitter users, they connect to their audience.
In terms of their branding, one of their trademark products is the "Frosty", which is a very thick ice cream or shake. This is the product that sets them a part from their fast food competitors and they often use it in their advertisements.
Their color scheme is usually red, white, and blue, aligning with their logo of a young girl who is evidently the "Wendy" the company's name refers to. This color scheme particularly aligns with American cultural symbolism, emphasizing the company's origination and the region where the majority of locations exist - The United States.

Like other fast food restaurants, they often promote their deals (example: "4 for $4" which entails four items for only 4 U.S. dollars). Yet, they particularly focus the majority of their advertisements on different deals, which suggests that one of their values that they are communicating is food affordability.
Another value that they prioritize based on the language they use is a focus on quality. Many of their advertisements use language such as "100% Beef" or "Fresh Beef". They are trying to emphasize their apparent use of non-processed meat, and therefore a higher quality product compared to their competitors.
Another value that can be noticed mainly through their social media activity is a regard for humor and authenticity. They want to connect with their audience and portray themselves as a company who understands the audience.

I think Cultural Analysis is one of the most useful forms of rhetorical criticism because it takes into account how culture is embedded in all forms of rhetoric.
There is also so much space for analysis in Cultural Analysis given its focus on culture, which is complex in itself and can have sub-cultures contained within it.
I think Cultural Analysis also important because it analyzes useful focusing points such as values and social practices which frame rhetoric in relation to larger themes and cultural implications.