What is Ethos — Definition, Examples and How to Use It

Ethos Definition

Understanding ethos

Before we focus on the ethos definition, let’s look at all three major categories of rhetorical appeals put forth by Aristotle. These include ethos, pathos, and logos, otherwise known as the Rhetorical Triangle.

Pathos aims to convince viewers by evoking an emotional response. This can be a positive, such the joy you would feel if you bought, say, a new Buick. It can be a negative, as in, “Ouch, my headache, please make it go away.” And how about guilt? “Send money or this kid will starve.”

Logos appeals to logic and reason by using statistics, facts, and figures. Aristotle considered this the biggie. In the modern day, let’s be honest here, logic has leveled off. The top mode of persuasion is up for grabs.

Now that you’ve got an overview of those two appeals, let’s zero in on ethos. We’ll specifically look at the ethos appeal in advertising. So, what is ethos?

A compelling argument, sales pitch, speech, or commercial ideally uses elements of all three strategies.

See what we did there? An ethos appeal within our article, pitching our wealth of material on the very topic of ethos ads.

Ethos examples pop up everywhere.

A person watching a commercial for Mountain Dew is more likely to buy a six-pack if a famous guy like Kevin Hart is guzzling the product on screen.

Or, a thirsty customer might reach for Pepsi instead of Coke if Kendall Jenner is slingin’ Pepsi. At least that’s the aim, but it has to be executed with the right tone.

Take a trip to ancient Greece. Learn about ethos, pathos, and logos. Learn how to engage the audience. Get ideas in more of our ethos examples in ads, below.

Ethos gives power to commercials, corporate videos, TV shows, and feature films. The list of directors and producers who transition between mediums is a long one. A grasp of Aristotle’s rhetorical strategies will serve you well, no matter what kind of content you’re making.

With ethos appeals, the celebrity or well-known endorser conveys credibility and reliability. This comes across both on behalf of the brand, and also as the brand itself.  

How? What does ethos mean to viewers?

When (*fill-in-the-blank celebrity*) appears in an advertisement or commercial for a product or company, viewers intertwine the clout of the celeb with the prestige of the brand.

By using an ethos appeal in a commercial, brands aim for an audience member to think:

“Oh, Matthew McConaughey is in a Lincoln commercial? Maybe Lincoln cars are more big-league than I’ve considered in the past. You know what? Lincolns are cool. I could drive a Lincoln!”

Moving on, we’ll deep-dive into more ethos advertisement examples.

ETHOS EXAMPLES

Ethos ads in action

When a brand wants to establish credibility, highlighting a well-known personality who either uses the brand’s products, or simply represents the brand in less on-the-nose ways, gets the job done, and fast.

If you want a really strong example of Ethos that also has a pretty funny meta quality to it, check out the shot list for this Heineken spot. See how many times they use foreground elements and OTS shots in this spot:

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. 

Have you ever heard of LeBron James? How about Nike?

Here’s a textbook ethos commercial example with both. In it, notice how deftly the story of LeBron James becomes the story of Nike.

Notice how LeBron’s professional career and Nike shoes interweave and hit the viewer with a powerful one-two punch — all without so much as a mention of the word “Nike.”

You have to look closely to even see any shoes in this ethos commercial.

LeBron James speaks openly and honestly in this ethos ad example. He's one of the most respected, credible, and talented basketball players of all time. Nike’s logo does appear, but its flash is brief and tasteful.

This ethos appeal leaves no doubt that Nike and LeBron are in it to win it, together. Even though it’s subtle.

And doesn’t this ethos commercial make you want to try on a new pair of Nikes as soon as possible? Don’t you want to be like LeBron? If you have to buy basketball shoes, might as well buy the best, right?

From a sports celebrity to a music celebrity, ethos examples in ads come in every shape and size.

Pop singer-songwriter Taylor Swift has won Grammy awards and sold a gajillion albums. Turns out she also likes to watch TV with her cats.

What does ethos mean here? It means fame, fortune, and fun. Taylor Swift in a DirecTV commercial, with talking cats, gives the DirecTV brand immediate credibility.

By associating with a pop star, the brand becomes a pop star — at least in terms of clout and respect.

These two ethos examples come off as planned by the brand and video makers. Call them successes. Truth is, most ethos ads are.

But not all.

Celebrity endorsements do misfire.

Here’s the ethos commercial Pepsi doesn’t want you to see.

Reality star and model Kendall Jenner pitches Pepsi in this ethos advertisement that aims to capture a cultural zeitgeist.

A real-live member of the famous Kardashian/Jenner clan AND social activism? What could be more hip? What could be more appealing?

The intent may have been noble, the endorsement expensive, the production value top-notch — but the result was a disaster for both Pepsi and Jenner. It went off the rails. It made people laugh for all the wrong reasons at best, and it offended viewers at worst.

The ad was pulled. Apologies ensued.

The ethos definition involves character, respect, and prestige. Misfired ethos appeals can damage every party, just as ethos ads can elevate both brand and endorser when done right.

What is ethos in any language? It’s recognition, respect, and practical sense. It cuts through cultural barriers and hits the viewer on a gut level.

“Hey, it’s that guy! Let’s make it Suntory time!”

But how can you do it right? By considering ethos as one component of the full rhetorical triangle of advertising techniques. It’s a delicate balance, and for content creators, the right tone awaits!

Even if you’re on a budget.

Read on.

THE ETHOS APPEAL

Ethos commercials on a budget

LeBron. Taylor Swift. The Kardashians.

Not cheap.

What if you want to make an ethos advertisement but you don’t have the mega budget of Nike or AT&T?

A critical component of the ethos appeal is goodwill and expertise. The endorser or brand representative doesn’t have to be a pop star or celebrity.

A celeb doesn’t hurt, of course. But if you can’t afford Jerry Seinfeld or Drake in your ethos ads, a relevant and credible budget-friendly personality can do the trick.

Who the heck is Bruce Grayson?

Who knows, but he’s a lot cheaper than a Kardashian.

Bruce Grayson turns out to be telegenic, an expert in his field, and a perfect pitch-man for Oil of Olay.

And if you want to promote a shopping mall, who better to hype your place of business than actual shoppers and shop owners?

And this is no laughable fluke. The makers of the above ethos commercial knew exactly what they were doing. They took the budget they had, made the ethos definition work for them, and ran with it.

As these ethical appeal examples show, goodwill and credibility don’t have to come from movie stars and sports legends. Ethos ads can be effective as long as viewers trust and respect the personalities on screen.

Now you’ve got a solid grasp of the ethos meaning in advertising and video production. What is ethos? It’s the ethics and credibility of a spokesperson or brand.

When we define ethos, we do so in the context of Aristotle’s rhetorical triangle, which also includes pathos and logos.

Ethos in and of itself gives power to your productions. But consider it in conjunction with pathos and logos. Fire these three strategies on all cylinders in your next video project to really take your message to the next level.

So memorize the ethos definition, absorb these ethos examples, and use what you’ve learned to enhance your own projects.

UP NEXT

Explore more rhetorical devices

Ethos is a highly effective rhetorical appeal but there is much more to explore, including pathos and logos. Or dive into more rhetorical devices that help construct and support these appeals, including alliteration, hyperbole, and litotes. When you've mastered these techniques, your ability to convince and persuade in your writing will be unmatched.

Up Next: Rhetorical Devices Index →