The rhetorical analysis is a necessary tool that helps to understand how writers or speakers use words to fulfill the communicative function of their text. The art of rhetoric deals with effective, persuasive oral or written communication, applying certain techniques that are widely used in creating commercials and advertisements. This paper aims to convey the rhetorical analysis of the Gilette Commercial “We Believe: The Best Men Can Be” to identify how its text uses the rhetorical triangle to influence the targeted audience. The paper also aims to explain the background of the selected media file and define the audience of the analysis.
The commercial chosen for the rhetorical analysis is a short film from Gillette, which addresses bullying and harassment that become an outcome of raising young boys without giving them a perspective of what decent men’s behavior should be like. The commercial is intended to show how different and yet wonderful men are and how important it is to cultivate love and consciousness in them from a very young age. To do that, it is necessary to set an example of decent, fair everyday actions so that boys today can grow into strong, respected men tomorrow. Keeping in mind this socio-oriented intention of the commercial, its targeted audience and the audience of the given paper is a group of young people aged from approximately 15 to 40. This age group includes both men and women, who might actively use the brand’s products, and thus the commercial is most likely to attract their attention. Catching this particular audience’s attention is highly essential, as these are young people who might be parents or other relatives of the younger generation that will shape the future of society.
The rhetorical triangle is cleverly woven into the commercial’s text to create a strong appeal to the intended audience. The logical appeal of the text is the message it needs to convey to the public, as well as the message’s crucial elements such as research, facts, evidence, etc. The presented Gillette commercial uses logos to represent the main message: we are responsible for making the world a better place. The logic of the message is obvious, and the commercial introduces the statement “It’s only by challenging ourselves to do more that than getting closer to our best,” in which careful reasoning leads to a coherent deduction (“We Believe: The Best Men Can Be | Gillette (Short Film)” 00:01:36-00:01:41). Thus, logos convinces the audience that the message is true to life, well-researched, and worth their attention.
The pathetic appeal of the commercial’s text represents how the audience comprehends the stated message. The pathos’s appeal makes the person perceiving the information experience certain emotions, thus preparing the ground for this person to act according to the text’s message. In the Gillette commercial, we observe a strong emotional appeal to the audience by showcasing the issue of cultivating “the best in men” (“We Believe: The Best Men Can Be | Gillette (Short Film)” 00:00:53). This issue is in strong consonant with the central message of the commercial – together, they are saying to the audience how important it is to raise boys in accordance with morality, conscience, and respect from a young age. Only then, the commercial suggests that these boys will become decent, strong men of tomorrow. The text appeals to the human emotions of sympathy, compassion, sense of personal duty, and raising spirits. Thus, Gillette addresses an important social issue to make the audience aware of its existence and tries to persuade them to take action and change the situation for the better by incorporating elements of emotional reaction.
Finally, the ethical appeal of the text represents the credibility and authority of the one delivering the information to the audience. Ethos is crucial for creating the positive attitude of the audience and making them trust the message they hear. In this particular case, the message is delivered by the Gillette brand that has made its name on the global market as a major manufacturer of personal hygiene products, including shaving supplies for both men and women. Such a widely recognized brand possesses a certain degree of status and the customers’ trust and respect; thus, the audience is more likely to listen to what their favorite brand has to say. In the given commercial, the global recognition of the brand plays an essential role, as men all over the world are influenced by its “The best a man can get” motto and associate its products with masculinity and success. Thus, the male audience is most likely to perceive and accept the message of the brand they like and appreciate.
To conclude, the analyzed commercial was created in accordance with the fundamental rhetorical elements of logos, ethos, and pathos. They helped shape this social commercial’s persuasive message through the emotional presentation of a well-reasoned, logically formulated issue conducted by a widely recognized brand. The targeted audience was estimated to be a group of young people falling into the category of those who most certainly may be influenced by the expressed message. Thus, after completing the presented rhetorical analysis, it is safe to say that creating a text with a strong message means balancing the rhetorical triangle elements and targeting the appropriate groups of people. It is especially crucial when we deal with commercials or advertising, requiring the audience’s effective persuasion.
Reference
“We Believe: The Best Men Can Be | Gillette (Short Film).” YouTube, uploaded by Gillette. 2019, Web.