Advertisements have a huge impact on our perceptions and decisions. In addition, they are intended to elicit our emotions, rationality, and believability. Effective advertising frequently combines ethos, pathos, and logos – persuasive strategies that appeal to ethics, emotions, and reasoning, in that order.
We may obtain significant insights into the methods employed by advertisers to engage and convince their audiences by knowing and analysing these approaches.
This blog article will look at 10 compelling instances of ethos, pathos, and logos in commercials, as well as their influence on customers.
Ethos: Building Trust and Credibility
Ethos is a persuasive tactic that emphasizes trust and credibility. Advertisers use ethos to increase the perceived authority, knowledge, or reputation of their brand or message.
This strategy frequently employs endorsements from respected persons, such as celebrities or industry professionals. Likewise, advertisers hope to influence consumers’ perceptions and establish a favourable image by linking their brand with trustworthy personalities.
Pathos: Eliciting Emotions and Creating Connection
However, Pathos is concerned with appealing to the emotions of the viewer. It seeks to elicit a strong emotional response from viewers by appealing to their wants, anxieties, or goals.
Pathos advertisements use narrative tactics, evocative graphics, or emotive music to elicit certain emotions. For instance, advertisers may create a relationship between the audience and the brand by eliciting emotional responses, leaving a lasting impression.
Logos: Appealing to Reason and Logic
Logos is a persuasive tactic that uses logic and reason. Logo advertisements rely on facts, statistics, and logical reasoning to convey a persuasive case.
This strategy attempts to persuade the audience by presenting a logical argument, utilizing facts to back up assertions, or emphasizing a product’s better advantages. Advertisers want to impact consumers’ decisions by presenting sensible reasons and real facts.
10 Effective Ethos, Pathos, and Logos Examples
Here are 10 effective examples of Ethos, Pathos, and Logos in Advertising
1. Ethos Example: Anheuser-Busch’s “Born the Hard Way” spot.
In this advertisement, Anheuser-Busch uses ethos by highlighting the origin story of its founders and their turbulent immigration from Germany to St. Louis. By emphasizing the value of multiculturalism and immigration, the brand establishes trust with the audience, making the product more convincing and authoritative.
2. Pathos Example: P&G’s “Thank You, Mom” Campaign.
The Thank You, Mom campaign by P&G evokes pathos by focusing on emotions like love and happiness to showcase the dynamics of a parent-child relationship during the Olympics. It tugs at the heartstrings of viewers and creates an emotional connection with the brand.
3. Logos Example: Flex Seal’s “Flex Tape” Ad.
Flex Seal’s ad uses logos effectively by presenting factual information about its product, Flex Tape. The CEO of Flex Seal, Phil Swift, demonstrates the product’s practicality and usefulness, even underwater, which appeals to the audience’s sense of reason and logic.
4. Ethos Example: Laughing Man Coffee’s “Believe in a Better Way” Ad.
In this advertisement, Laughing Man Coffee co-founded by Hugh Jackman showcases ethos by emphasizing the brand’s credibility and its mission to give back to the coffee farming community. By investing profits to improve the lives of coffee farmers in Colombia, the ad gains credibility and trust from the audience.
5. Pathos Example: Heinz’s “Wiener Stampede” Ad.
Heinz’s Wiener Stampede ad appeals to pathos by featuring adorable dachshunds dressed as hot dogs running towards their owners, dressed as Heinz ketchup bottles. This heartwarming and humorous approach triggers emotional responses, creating a positive association with the brand.
6. Logos Example: OxiClean’s “Versatile Stain Remover” Ad.
Billy Mays pitches OxiClean’s stain remover by demonstrating its practicality and effectiveness in cleaning various products. This logical approach uses statistics, performance metrics, and practical utility to convince the audience of the product’s quality.
7. Ethos Example: Infiniti Commercial featuring Steph Curry.
In this advertisement, Infiniti uses Steph Curry, a famous basketball player, to endorse their product. While Curry may not have expertise in vehicles, his celebrity status and credibility as an athlete validate the product, employing ethos to sway the audience.
8. Pathos Example: Emotional Appeal in Chip Advertisement.
A bag of chips can bring the whole family together. This emotionally charged statement appeals to the audience’s emotions, evoking a sense of togetherness and nostalgia, thus utilizing pathos to create a connection with the brand.
9. Logos Example: Logical Appeal in Camera Advertisement.
A pocket-sized, durable camera perfect for adventurers on the go. This advertisement presents a factual argument supported by logical reasoning about the camera’s features and suitability for adventurers, employing logos to persuade potential customers.
10. Ethos Example: Ethos in Advertising with Jennifer Aniston for Glaceau Smart Water.
In this advertisement, Jennifer Aniston, a famous public figure, endorses Glaceau Smart Water, using her credibility to validate the product. Her presence and reputation make the brand more convincing and authoritative, employing ethos to build trust with the audience.
Conclusion
In conclusion, advertisements are meticulously produced in order to engage, convince, and influence customers. Ethos, pathos, and logos are effective tactics for establishing credibility, evoking emotions, and appealing to reason. We may acquire a better grasp of the methods utilized by advertisers to attract our attention and impact our decisions by analyzing advertising through these lenses. Increasing our understanding helps us to make better-educated purchasing decisions and appreciate the art and science of great advertising.
