ABSTRACT
Persuasion is generally associated with an effort to change an audience's mind about something. This chapter provides analysis of commercials pertaining to a specific issue of political concern from 2013-2016 fracking. Fracking involves oil and other energy companies drilling wells that move along an angled hole, not a straight vertical hole, to get to oil and other fuel resources, then using hydraulic means to extract the fuel resources. The chapter focuses on efforts in Colorado to enact laws concerning fracking. It presents three fracking commercials that are produced by different organizations. Two commercials are testimonials by people who are depicted as environmentally conscious supporting fracking as a safe way to access resources. One is a radio advertisement in which the Colorado governor offers testimony about fracking laws and safety. In the commercial the governor identifies himself and explains that Colorado has passed some of the toughest laws pertaining to fracking to ensure safety.
