Popularly known to have arisen in ancient Greece by philosopher Aristotle, the term, rhetoric, has gained global recognition as “the art of persuasion” (Allen Lecture Sept. 19). This concept revolves around the idea of persuading others by implementing various ideas. Aristotle’s perspectives on rhetoric emphasize its strategic nature and the importance of understanding the audience, setting, and occasion. He also made prominent that rhetoric and logic have a complementary relationship; and that the goals and purposes of each rhetorical discourse require classification (Keith and Lundberg 6). Additionally, Aristotle introduced a classification system known as rhetorical proofs (Keith and Lundberg 7) or the Rhetorical Triangle, which aids in the creation of persuasive speech.
The first of three proofs, ethos, directs attention to the credibility of the speaker. Its purpose is to create reliability and trust for the audience, enhancing their confidence in the speaker and the message. The second proof, pathos, highlights the emotional appeal within the message. Pathos evokes emotion from the audience, with an aim to stimulate feelings like empathy to form an emotional connection. This connection helps in the act of persuading as it influences the audience’s opinions. Lastly, logos focuses on logic. Logos play an impactful role in rhetorical speech as they appeal to the viewer’s logic and reasoning, providing them with reasoning to support the message (Allen lecture Sept. 19).
These rhetorical proofs are essential to persuasive discourse, particularly in the context of rhetorical criticism. Narrative criticism, discussed by Sonja K. Foss, is a method that emphasizes narratives and stories as the primary approach to conveying messages and information (Allen Lecture Oct. 17). It is further defined by four key features: 1) at least two events occur, creating a “change of state”; 2) there is a temporal sequence of events; 3) there is a connection between earlier events and later events; and 4) a unified topic or idea is followed (Foss 320). Some advertisements employ these features, producing a compelling narrative that captivates the audience, further enhancing their receptivity to the message and increasing the advertisement’s persuasive impact. By utilizing the rhetorical triangle’s ethos, pathos, and logos along with elements of the narrative criticism, the message further engages the audience. RE/MAX’s advertisement uploaded on their YouTube channel, “All Together (Long Form) | RE/MAX 2022 TV Commercial,” employs these ideas strategically, with the help of two of Foss’s Features of the Narrative – characters (Foss 328) and structure (Foss 331) to partake in persuasive rhetoric.
In the advertisement, RE/MAX highlights its credibility through a variety of elements. The slogan presented toward the end, “The right agent can lead the way,” established the brand’s dedication to guiding clients in their real estate journey. The advertisement featured a heartwarming narrative centred around a tightly bonded family, accentuating the grandmother’s commitment to helping her grandchild in her studies, the family’s shared meals, and the grandparents’ household efforts. However, RE/MAX also drew attention to the challenge of limited space for a family of six, as revealed by the shared washroom at the beginning of the narrative. Despite their strong dynamic, the characters encountered moments of congestion, prompting the young parents to search for a new home. As the video concluded with Jamie, the real estate agent, successfully finding their ideal home, viewers are able to determine that RE/MAX is a sincere and dependable company.
Throughout the progression of the advertisement, the characters employed distinct expressions to engage and sway the audience’s emotions. For instance, when the grandmother discovered a realtor’s text on her daughter’s phone, her face quickly reflected uneasiness and then turned to her granddaughter with a strained smile, revealing the complex emotions she experienced. In contrast, her daughter’s reaction after reading the same message exposed her feelings of hope and optimism. Similarly, the grandfather wore a sad smile as he overheard his daughter discussing finding a new home with her husband. The difference in emotions between the two generations enhanced the depth of RE/MAX’s narrative, in turn intensifying the emotional impact of the advertisement.
RE/MAX’s advertisement’s emotional impact was also influenced by its structure, specifically the skillful use of background music to set its tone. The music began softly, creating a peaceful atmosphere as the narrative developed. During the drive over to the new house, the music transitioned to a faster-paced rhythm, reflecting the excitement of the moment. However, upon entering the home, the music returned to a calm tone, evoking a sense of comfort and familiarity, then escalating once more after the reveal of the grandparents’ new guest home. The alternating rhythm resembled a pulsating heartbeat and represented the emotional journey of the narrative, adding to the viewer’s experience of being persuaded.
In addition to the advertisement’s emotional narrative, RE/MAX tactically incorporated a logical approach through its carefully constructed organizational structure. As RE/MAX’s narrative began by showcasing the life of a big family living in a smaller home, the ad conveyed that comfort and space are achievable by purchasing a larger house. The advertisement then concluded with the reveal of a guesthouse for the grandparents, followed by the slogan, “Sometimes all you need is a little space to feel closer together.” This strategy employed a sense of reasoning for purchasing a new home, as it encouraged the idea that a larger space assists in increased family time and togetherness. The advertisement suggested a practical solution to a common problem amongst larger families and subtly conveyed that RE/MAX is a reliable establishment that assists in achieving real estate goals.
The Straw Man fallacy is the most evidently employed in RE/MAX’s advertisement, “All Together (Long Form) | RE/MAX 2022 TV Commercial”. According to Professor Allen’s lecture on October 24, 2023, the Straw Man fallacy entails presenting an argument in a manner that is easily dismissed. In this fallacy, the argument is constructed by the speaker and is falsely portrayed to be either more extreme or less coherent than it truly is, making the speaker seem as though they are correct (Allen Lecture Oct. 24). In the same sense, RE/MAX composed this advertisement with problems that were easy for their brand to solve – buying a new home. While there were other routes to solve the argument at hand, RE/MAX strategically constructed a narrative that may seem the most logical while using Aristotle’s Rhetorical Triangle.
By considering Aristotle’s concepts of the rhetorical triangle, RE/MAX was able to produce a persuasive narrative on YouTube to encourage its audience to explore its real estate services. Their intentional use of ethos, pathos, and logos promoted an advertisement that told their audience of their credibility for creating a narrative like this, and the logic behind making this specific advertisement. The incorporation of emotional elements further enhanced RE/MAX’s ability to establish emotional trust with its viewers. Additionally, RE/MAX reinforced the purpose of their advertisement’s aim as the video concludes with their impactful slogan, “The right agent can lead the way.”
Sandhya Maharaj 