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Television Ad 1: Luxury Minimalism 

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhiy04eELAI

Minimalism is a tricky subject to find television ads on due to its entire purpose is to promote having less and simplify your life. I had to get a little creative with my commercials to represent the culture of minimalism. These specific advertisements seem to be promoting the opposite of what a true minimalist would want for their homes and for their lives however, I feel it is important to highlight these certain advertisements to show that even an idea of simplifying our lives and having a "less is more" attitude can still be sold to the masses. 

In the first commercial I found, was selling minimalism as an interior design method known as Luxury Minimalism. This YouTube video walks through 10 living rooms that claim to be part of a minimalist culture by using “minimalism” in the title. The commercial shows the opposite is the purpose by including luxury in the title. Each room was designed with a high dollar amount with monochrome color schemes, high-class comfort, copper accents, and window treatments.

The rhetorical appeal is pathos as it taps into people feelings and emotions when promoting luxury. This video makes the viewer believe that if you could just use these design techniques you will have a life of unending peace and comfort. What the viewer might not see is that the items within the living rooms are expensive and there were a lot of unnecessary items that would not support a minimalist mindset. Specifically, extra décor that looked expensive and took up any empty space the room would have had. Even if a room is monochromatic, it can still be cluttered by adding in extra items that are not a necessity to living.

Television Ad 2: Warm Minimalism

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ju1FXcGZWM

This was a YouTube video about Warm Minimalism - Interior Design. This too seemed to promote minimalism but with a high price tag which is conflicting with a true minimalist mindset. What the video got right is the rhetoric appeal of pathos and putting across a visual feel and emotion of peace and serenity when your home is decorated and designed to look this certain way. The terms that were used were peaceful, serene, quality, clean, and harmony. Each of those words connect with a part of that wants to be comfortable and be relaxed making it a very strong case to redo our homes to look that certain way.

The video promotes using earthy paint tones for walls and furniture, using architecture to create calming lines, and incorporating natural wood to feel connected with nature within your home.

I will admit, when I saw this video, I felt all those same feelings as I was guided throughout a virtual tour of a house that was so beautiful to look while listening to calming music in the background. It goes along with the cultural belief that, “If only I could afford to have a house like that, I would be happy.” I found myself looking around at my own home trying to determine what I could buy, or paint, or build that would make my home feel more beautiful like the one in the video. Even though there is truth to décor being incorporated to the way we feel in our own homes, a minimalist would probably look at that and filter it out. Their homes are not perfectly designed or decorated. Their homes are simply simpler. Money is put toward experiences instead of new paint for the walls.

References

Anderson, Suzie. “Warm Minimalism Interior Design | Our Top 10 Styling Tips for Calm Homes.” YouTube, YouTube, 30 Sept. 2022, www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ju1FXcGZWM.

“Touring 14 Luxuriously Minimalist Living Rooms.” YouTube, YouTube, 25 Nov. 2023, www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhiy04eELAI.