Degree Name

MA (Master of Arts)

Program

Brand and Media Strategy

Date of Award

5-2023

Committee Chair or Co-Chairs

Stokes Piercy

Committee Members

Mildred Perreault, Stephen Marshall

Abstract

This paper examines the concept of brand-funded documentaries that center on the issue of climate change and uses Aristotle’s Rhetorical Triangle to better understand how the films use rhetoric in communicating their message. A rhetorical analysis was conducted using four brand films from Amazon, Corona, Patagonia and REI and the results are intended to demonstrate the best methods of persuasion and the most effective rhetoric utilized in brand-funded documentaries. Because brand-funded documentaries not only make an argument about a particular issue, in this case climate change, but also must communicate a particular brand’s values and commitments, examining the rhetoric in these films proves particularly interesting and informative both for advertisers and filmmakers. The research shows that using emotions such as fear, awe, sadness, and joy serves to complement information dissemination in documentaries and allows for stronger engagement with audiences.

Document Type

Thesis - unrestricted

Copyright

Copyright by the authors.

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