Ethos, pathos and logos are modes of persuasion that form the rhetorical triangle. A compelling argument, sales pitch, speech, or commercial ideally uses elements of all three strategies. We’ll show you how to employ each technique and present some examples along the way.
VIDEO: Ethos, Pathos and Logos Explained
Ethos Pathos Logos Definition
The Rhetorical Triangle
Rhetoric is a type of communication that a writer or speaker uses to persuade, inform or motivate. Aristotle outlined three modes of persuasion – ethos, pathos and logos – in his book Rhetoric. Ethos, pathos, and logos are Greek words – but they're commonly used in countries where English is the most popular language, such as The United States.
Ethos calls upon the ethical appeal of the speaker. Pathos elicits emotions in the audience. And logos puts logic into play by focusing on facts and statistics.
Each category invokes a different appeal between speaker and audience.
Ethos Pathos Logos • The Three Modes of Persuasion
Rhetorical devices on the other hand include irony, metaphor, hyperbole and many other techniques.
We hear rhetoric everywhere — politics, law, advertising, creative writing, and even our everyday conversations.
Learn More Logos Ethos and Pathos
Comparing other techniques
There are many types of rhetorical strategies. To get a full picture on how they work together, or when to use which rhetorical strategies, explore the full guide below.
Explore More Rhetorical Strategies
Each of these rhetorical strategies can be effective in its own way. When combined, their potential effects grow exponentially.
ETHOS DEFINITION
What is ethos?
Ethos is a persuasive technique that appeals to an audience by highlighting credibility. It is derived from the Greek word for "character" and helps structure individual, group, and institutional beliefs.
ETHOS PATHOS LOGOS DEFINITIONS
Ethos writing examples
If you're wondering "what are some ethos writing examples?" look no further than academic literature. We're taught to trust academic writing because of the credibility of its author(s). For example: a peer-reviewed article written by a group of doctors is generally regarded as more credible than a paper written by a middle-schooler.
Ethos Writing Examples • Look to Google Scholar
Academic sources are typically found in libraries or on databases such as JSTOR or Google Scholar. However, it's important to question the credibility of a piece of writing; just because it was written by a reputable scholar doesn't mean it's the "end all be all" for a particular field of study. Most authors acknowledge the limits of their studies at the beginning of their publications in an effort to establish ethos with the reader.
ETHOS PATHOS LOGOS DEFINITIONS
What are some ethos examples?
Ethos examples aim to convince the audience that a speaker is reliable and ethical. It’s easier to make a decision when someone you respect signs off on it, right? This is broadly the function of ethos.
Additionally, when an esteemed public figure endorses a product, it validates it to the consumer. An ethos advertisement plays off the consumer’s respect for a given spokesperson.
Ethos Pathos Logos Examples in Advertising • Jennifer Aniston in a Campaign for Glaceau Smart Water
Through that respect, the spokesperson appears convincing, authoritative and trustworthy enough to listen to. Of the types of persuasive techniques in advertising, ethos is best used to unlock trust.
USE OF ETHOS IN ADVERTISING
How is ethos used in advertising?
So what does ethos mean?
It’s all about credibility. Famous people enjoy a high status in our society. So they’re the ones selling products to us — whether or not they have product-specific expertise.
For example, an Infiniti commercial featured Steph Curry. Even though he’s not known for his taste in vehicles, his stature validates the product.
This is ethos in commercials at work.
Example of Ethos in Commercials • Steph Curry in a Recent Spot for Infiniti
Ethos rhetoric is also invoked to tie a brand to fundamental rights.
Brands build trust with their audience when they stand with an important cause. Anheuser-Busch illustrated this in their “Born the Hard Way” Super Bowl Commercial.
Ethos Pathos Logos Examples • This Ethos Advertisement by Anheuser-Busch Underscores the Value of Multiculturalism
This spot focuses on the origin story of Anheuser-Busch’s founders.
It shows Busch’s turbulent immigration from Germany to St. Louis, and speaks to the importance of immigration and multiculturalism.
This is how ethos rhetoric is used in advertising.
Of the many types of persuasive advertising techniques in advertising, ethos is best for playing up the strength of a brand or spokesperson’s character.
ETHOS EXAMPLES IN COMMERCIALS
Ethos Advert Case Study
If you want a really strong example of ethos that also is one of the funniest commercials out there, check out this Heineken spot.
Ethos Examples • Heineken Commercial
This Heineken commercial shows famous actor Benicio Del Toro at the bar enjoying a Heineken. Benicio chats about how both he, and Heineken, are world famous and instantly recognizable.
Then, a pair of goofy tourists spot him in the bar, and they call out for him to pose for a photo, but... they actually think he's Antonio Banderas.
This commercial not only uses ethos as a way to tie the celebrity of Benicio to the celebrity of Heineken, but it uses humor and the bold faced usage of ethos to make fun of the brand, people, and fame.
THE "PLAIN FOLKS" PERSUASIVE ADVERTISING TECHNIQUE
How is "Plain Folks" used in ads?
Ethos rhetoric often employs imagery of everyday, ordinary people.
This brand content approach is known as the Plain Folks persuasive advertising technique, and it can be used to make a spokesperson or brand appear as an Average Joe.
This approach is very common in political ads. Consider the “Family Strong” ad from Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign.
Logos Pathos Ethos Examples • Hillary Clinton Underscores the “Plain Folks” Definition in Her Campaign Videos
Despite her status and wealth, Clinton draws on imagery of her family and upbringing to make her feel more relatable. In this way, “Plain Folks" is propaganda and also a logical fallacy.
But it’s also an effective and persuasive advertising technique.
Of the types of persuasive techniques in advertising, "Plain Folks" aligns your brand with the values of the everyday consumer.
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PATHOS DEFINITION
What is pathos?
Pathos is a persuasive technique that seeks to convince an audience through emotion. It can be used in any method of communication to raise ideas and feelings in the audience.
ETHOS Pathos LOGOS DEFINITIONS
Pathos examples in literature
Pathos is used by writers to establish emotional stakes. Writer Herman Melville expertly endears us to Ishmael in his seminal novel Moby-Dick.
"Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul; whenever I find myself involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet; and especially whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people's hats off — then, I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can. This is my substitute for pistol and ball. With a philosophical flourish Cato throws himself upon his sword; I quietly take to the ship. There is nothing surprising in this. If they but knew it, almost all men in their degree, some time or other, cherish very nearly the same feelings towards the ocean with me."
— Herman Melville
In this passage, Melville incorporates a myriad of literary devices, such as alliteration when he writes "damp, drizzly," historical allusion when he writes "Cato throws himself upon his sword," and idiom when he writes "grim about the mouth." All of these techniques add nuance to the writing and help aid the pathos.
ETHOS Pathos LOGOS DEFINITIONS
Pathos examples explained
A quick way to appeal to a viewer’s emotions? A cute animal. An inspirational song and dance. A good zinger.
Emotions create responses and, in our increasingly consumer-driven culture, the response is to buy something. Pathos appeals to an audience’s basic emotions like joy, fear, and envy. All are easily triggered in many ways.
So what is pathos?
Well, it's a story of long-lost lovers reuniting after decades apart. Or a frustrated infomercial character desperate for a better remedy.
The many different pathos advertisement examples not only evoke your feelings but anticipate your responses too. If you want to explore pathos in advertising, meaningful language is the best place to start.
Because the words we hear and read trigger specific feelings. Positive words conjure feelings of love, excitement and wonder.
What is Pathos? • Cutting to the Emotional Response
Look at how General Mills and Cheerios achieved this in their “Good Goes Round” campaign.
Example of Pathos • This Cheerios Pathos Advertisement Injects Good Vibes with Positive Words
We see sunshine, smiles and bright colors while we hear the words “good goes around.” It invites positivity and encourages us to associate Cheerios accordingly.
On the other hand, pathos advertisements can also employ unpleasant emotions like fear and worry just as effectively.
Pathos Examples • This Somber Pathos Advertisement Says Don’t Let Heart Disease Happen to You
This ad by the British Heart Foundation underscores the dangers of heart disease. As the spot unfolds, you start to realize that the narrator suddenly died at her sister’s wedding.
Her tragic story encourages you to not let it happen to you.
Pathos Examples • BMW Warns Against Drinking and Driving in this Pathos Advertisement Example
PaTHOS EXAMPLES IN COMMERCIALS
Pathos advert case study
If you want a really strong example of pathos in an advertisement, check out this particularly emotional Zillow spot.
Logos Ethos Pathos Examples • Zillow Commercial
This Zillow commercial shows a father and son who have just suffered the terrible loss of their wife/mother. The father tries to cheer his son up by finding a new home, one preferably near the boy's grandparents.
The son seems disinterested, but then the father finds his son and the family dog looking up at the stars, one of which is particularly bright. The son decides that the star is his mother, looking down on him.
That gives the father an idea: the father searches on Zillow, finds a home, and buys it. We then learn that the home is not only close to the grandparents, but it also has a skylight in the son's room, allowing him to see his Mother's star at night.
This commercial uses the emotions of the father, the son, the grandparents, and of course the viewer to suggest that Zillow is the type of website that can balm grief through its functionality.
USE OF PATHOS IN ADVERTISING
The appeal of pathos in advertising
Sex appeal is of course also hugely successful among the pathos advertising techniques. Open any Cosmopolitan magazine and you’ll find scantily clad models, muscular men, and sexual innuendo.
Although the common expression “sex sells” has been debated, sexually provocative ads do leave a lasting impression. Mr. Clean, for example, spiced up their eponymous mascot for comedic effect.
Ethos Logos Pathos Examples • This Mr. Clean Pathos Advertisement Gave their Mascot a Sexy Upgrade
Their brawny Mr. Clean upgrade wears tight clothes and turns mopping the floor into something more... sensual?
Humor, patriotism and snob appeal are also all common in pathos advertisement examples. The pathos definition even extends to nostalgia and the strategic use of music in ads.
Pathos Examples • The Pathos Definition Extends to Evoking Emotions with Music ... Even *NSYNC
THE BANDWAGON ADVERTISING TECHNIQUE
What is the "bandwagon advertising"?
“Bandwagon advertising” is commonly categorized under pathos advertisement examples. While it may sound unfamiliar, you're probably pretty familiar with it. It creates that impression that using certain product will put you on the “winning team.” It adheres to the pathos definition because it plays off your fear... of being left out.
Old Spice used this in their “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” spot.
Logos Pathos Ethos Examples • To be The Man Your Man Could Smell Like, You Buy Old Spice
In its comical way, it puts pressure on men to smell as good as the Old Spice Guy. Like the “Plain Folks” technique, Bandwagon advertising is a very popular form of propaganda.
Of the persuasive advertising techniques, “Bandwagon” puts your brand on the right side of popular opinion. Remember the "Be like Mike" Ads?
Pathos Examples • Historical and Literal Analogies, Like the 'Be Like Mike' Commercial
Pathos appeals to the heart by stirring up emotion. But logos appeals to the mind by leveraging logic.
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CASTING DIRECTOR DEFINITION
What is logos?
Logos is a persuasive technique that aims to convince an audience by using logic. It is derived from the Greek words for "word" and "reason" and can be used to refer to language or a rational form of discourse.
LOGOS DEFINITION
What is an example of logos?
Ever told someone to “listen to reason” during an argument? It can be an effective strategy to use logos to make somebody see things your way. The author of Rhetoric, Aristotle, likely learned a thing or two from the Socratic Dialogue: which used logic and reason to change the minds of audiences and readers.
Ethos Pathos Logos Examples • The School of Athens Set the Tradition of Logos
The best logos examples typically feature an appeal to logic. These "logical arguments" include credible sources and the citation of statistics, charts, and graphs. Whether the data is sound or not is another story.
René Descartes' first principle of philosophy "I think, therefore I am" is one of many logos examples that rely on reasoning. His supposition that subjective thought actualizes a state of being is foundational to the theory of epistemology.
LOGOS EXAMPLEs IN COMMERCIALS
Logos advert case study
If you want a really strong example of logos in an advertisement, check out this Nissan Commercial.
Logos Pathos Ethos Examples • Nissan ProPilot Commercial
This Nissan commercial shows a daughter and father driving on a highway. The daughter is about to drive past some scary construction, but then the father uses his sage like wisdom to instruct her to turn on the "ProPilot" system that Nissan now features in their cars.
Once the daughter does this, we see a Star Wars battle scene playing out in front of out eyes, and she becomes so distracted that she begin to veer off the road... but guess what? The "ProPilot" system saves her by auto-correcting the trajectory of the car based on the sensor system.
So how is this logos? Well, the commercial places the daughter in a relatively common situation and uses the machine logic behind having a guided system in the car to keep your distracted children safe.
Now... is it logical that this Star Wars homage suggests the daughter reach out to use the force by using a guided machine? Of course not! That's the opposite of what Luke does in the movie. Is it logical for your kid to be scared of driving past construction at 40mph? Of course not!
Is there anything in this spot that is logical? The basic fact that young drivers get distracted, and the Nissan "ProPilot" system might just save their lives one day, well that is how you use logic to sell cars.
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LOGOS TECHNIQUES
How is logos being used in advertising?
Technology advertisements use logos because their goal is to showcase cool new features. Consider the example of logos in Apple’s ad for the iPhone:
A Logos Advertisement Example • In Apple’s iPhone Spot, the Features Pop Out at You
In logos rhetoric, you have to the sell best reasons to buy your product.
How does Apple do that?
They have their new innovative features pop out at you. From durable glass to Face ID software. It effectively asks you why you would choose any phone but iPhone. Logos often use buzzwords to sell the product.
What's a great example of this?
Food companies capitalizing on the rising demand for healthy choices.
Logos Examples • I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter underscore the health benefits
This I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter ad hinges on the health benefits to prove their point. Of the types of persuasive techniques in advertising, logos will build your brand as the most logical, functional and helpful option.
Learn More Logos Ethos and Pathos
Comparing other techniques
There are many types of rhetorical strategies. To get a full picture on how they work together, or when to use which rhetorical strategies, explore the full guide below.
Explore More Rhetorical Strategies
Each of these rhetorical strategies can be effective in its own way. When combined, their potential effects grow exponentially.
Up Next
Explore more rhetorical devices
Ethos, pathos, and logos are highly effective rhetorical appeals but there is much more to explore, including kairos and telos. Or dive into more rhetorical devices that help construct and support these appeals, including metaphor, hyperbole, and metonymy. When you've mastered these techniques, your ability to convince and persuade in your writing will be unmatched.
Up Next: Rhetorical Devices Index →
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