Identify appeals to ethos, pathos and logos in advertisements

Key notes :

The purpose of advertising is to persuade people to do something. To accomplish this purpose, adverts use three types of persuasive strategies, or appeals.

Appeals to ethos, or character, show the writer or speaker is trustworthy, authoritative, or easy for the audience to relate to. An ad that appeals to ethos might do one of the following:

• say that a brand has been trusted for many years
• include an endorsement from a respected organisation
• feature a testimonial from a “real person” who shares the audience’s values
• use an admired celebrity or athlete as a spokesperson

Appeals to logos, or reason, use logic and verifiable evidence. An ad that appeals to logos might do one of the following:

• use graphs or charts to display information
• cite results of clinical trials or independently conducted studies
• explain the science behind a product or service
• emphasise that the product is a financially wise choice
• anticipate and refute potential counterclaims

Appeals to pathos, or emotion, use feelings rather than facts to persuade the audience. An ad that appeals to pathos might do one of the following:

• trigger a fear, such as the fear of embarrassment
• appeal to a desire, such as the desire to appear attractive
• link the product to a positive feeling, such as adventure, love, or luxury

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