Identify appeals to ethos, pathos and logos in advertisements

Key notes :

1. Ethos (Appeal to Credibility or Character):

• Definition: Ethos is an appeal to the credibility or trustworthiness of the speaker, brand, or organization.
• Purpose: Advertisements using ethos aim to persuade the audience by showing that the company or product is reliable, authoritative, or ethical.
• Examples in Ads:
  • A doctor or expert endorsing a product (e.g., toothpaste recommended by dentists).
  • A well-known celebrity or public figure endorsing a product.
  • Brands that emphasize their years of experience or reputation.

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2. Pathos (Appeal to Emotion):

• Definition: Pathos is an appeal to the audience’s emotions, values, and beliefs.
• Purpose: Advertisements using pathos aim to make the audience feel a certain way (e.g., happiness, fear, sadness) to encourage them to buy or support the product.
• Examples in Ads:
  • A commercial showing a heartwarming moment, like a family using a product together.
  • Ads that use sad images of animals or people to create a sense of urgency (e.g., animal shelter commercials).
  • Appeals to happiness, excitement, or nostalgia, such as vacation ads or holiday sales.

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3. Logos (Appeal to Logic and Reason):

• Definition: Logos is an appeal to logic and reason. It involves presenting facts, statistics, or logical arguments to persuade the audience.
• Purpose: Advertisements using logos aim to convince the audience through facts and evidence that the product is practical, effective, or useful.
• Examples in Ads:
  • A commercial listing the scientific benefits of a product (e.g., a medicine with proven health benefits).
  • Ads with statistics showing that a product is the “best-seller” or has the highest customer satisfaction ratings.
  • Ads that present data, such as “80% of users reported improved results.”

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4. Combining the Appeals:

• Many advertisements use a combination of ethos, pathos, and logos to create a more persuasive message.
• Example: An ad for a car might show a famous, trusted celebrity (ethos) driving the car, while showcasing statistics on fuel efficiency (logos), and showing a happy family enjoying a road trip (pathos).

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5. Analysis of Advertisements:

• How to Identify Appeals:
  • Look at the images and text used. Does the ad show a trustworthy person or expert (ethos)?
  • Does it make you feel something (pathos)? Are you moved by the images or the message?
  • Does the ad present logical evidence like facts or statistics (logos)?

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