Introduction
Advertising campaigns, which gained particular popularity at the stage of development of information society, in fact, have an ancient historical foundation. Almost any advertisement of a product, call to action, or propaganda is reduced to the point that evokes in the consumer feelings and emotions or calls to their consciousness. Widely used media technologies are based on rhetorical methods that became relevant in Ancient Greece. This essay is aimed at a rhetorical analysis of the two proposed ads in order to identify the means of Pathos, Ethos, and Logos.
The first advertisement poster consists of two independent vertical parts. While on the left side is a picture of the celebrity, Taylor Swift, which is particularly popular with young audiences, the right side is the main marketing text. In terms of design solutions, the image has a harmonious two-color range, combining purple and cream shades. It is interesting to clarify that in the right part of the poster, there is a direct reference to the name of the singer, interpreted as a verb: “Taylor Swift = Swift Pick.” This advertising poster’s main task is to draw teens’ attention to the importance of drinking milk instead of sugary drinks.
The second advertisement, which was chosen for analysis, has a more pronounced emotional context. The poster depicts two boys in a familiar environment for teenagers — the school gym. Although the hands of one of the characters hold a red ball, the other stands with a machine gun. The text of the advertisement above the heads of children calls for guessing what is forbidden in America. At the bottom of the poster, an unexpected answer is given, as well as a link to the site.
Body by Milk
Pathos
Rhetorical analysis of the advertising image with Taylor Swift can easily detect three Aristotelian elements — Pathos, Logos, and Ethos. First of all, it should be remembered that Pathos implies a direct appeal to the emotions and feelings of the consumer (Hellerman). By engaging in customers’ feelings, marketers can influence their opinion, namely, to make them drink more milk. Often, emotions have a more significant impact on consciousness than logic, therefore, placing famous faces on the poster is crucial. Hence, the choice of celebrity, in this case, is that since teenagers who saw the advertising poster, probably will not pass by. Taylor is a star among young audiences, and marketers are keen to raise interest in customers with just a picture of the singer. Moreover, it should be clarified that the Pathos category for this advertising is not limited to placing a picture of a celebrity on the sheet. If one looks at the text, one can notice that marketers call for quite common problems among teenagers — overweight and muscle mass. In other words, this advertising causes in the minds of consumers, whether they are schoolchildren or their parents, a sense of care about their health, which indeed directs the purchase of milk, not a carbonated drink.
Ethos
In addition, when further analyzing the advertising poster, it can be seen that it contains elements of Ethos. First of all, it should be recalled that, as a rule, the use of this rhetorical category is reduced to representing the authority of a person seeking to convince consumers (Hellerman). Often such references are limited to an indication of the author’s competence, titles, or well-deserved awards. In advertising technology, Ethos refers to the use of well-known persons as sales representatives so that the client has an associative connection between the product and the famous person. From this position, Taylor Swift can be considered as the advertising face of the brand, which is tantamount to the emergence in the minds of consumers of the scheme “Taylor recommends drinking milk,” although, in fact, such statements are absent. Verbal constructions are describing the authority of the information presented in the advertisement. In particular, the first three words of the central part of the marketing text boil down to what some researchers assume about the benefits of milk. Moreover, it is not difficult to notice that there are no direct references or references to research, but this does not prevent marketers from using these words. As a result, customers with a low level of critical thinking will believe these words because “some” experts said so.
Logos
The logo of this poster is less visible but still present. The logo is a reference to numbers, statistics, or direct scientific proof, aiming to reach the mind of the client (Hellerman). If the consumer is told that 9 out of 10 dentists choose toothpaste, it becomes difficult to resist the majority. In this case, the Logos is based on the lowest sentence, which indicates that three servings of milk per day are required. It would seem to be a small part, but in fact, there is a direct reference to the subsequent thought that it is essential to drink three because this is what Taylor, researchers, or marketers say. Either way, there is a number that resonates in the minds of more rational consumers.
Moms Demand Action
Pathos
Pathos is most pronounced in this social advertising because the first idea that is highlighted is the conflict. It is evident that children and assault rifles are incredibly incongruous elements, hence, conscious placement of the rifles in the hands of a child entails philosophical reflection in the consciousness of the consumer on the question of the seriousness. In other words, marketers tend to call people to a sense of dissonance of reality. In addition, the concept of the poster is expressed as a quick game, in which the viewer must determine which of the presented, the ball or rifle is officially prohibited in the U.S. It is extremely likely that a person will first think about weapons, but the inscription on the bottom that the game of dodgeball using the ball is illegal will be a surprise. It is safe to say that marketers turn to a sense of civic justice, patriotism, and love for the country and cultural traditions when they create such a minigame. In addition, it should be noted that for this announcement, there is a serious implication, which marketers have put in the image. In particular, for all Americans, the hot topic is the Columbine, Colorado massacre, where two teenagers (as in the advertisement) with guns in their hands killed their peers. This connection plays a fundamental role in exciting the consumer of information, so it is the ultimate form of Pathos.
Ethos
First of all, it should be noted that there is no direct reference to Ethos in this social advertising. The quick analysis does not allow to find any references to authoritative sources or names. At the same time, if looking at the ad text from a different angle, it is possible to highlight the pronoun “we,” which is presented in the most intriguing part of the ad. In this case, “we” are the Americans, the U.S. government, that has approved such an absurd situation: a ban on playing ball, but a permit for weapons. The viewer watching this poster unknowingly associate themselves with the “we,” believing that they are also involved in this policy. In turn, this makes the citizen responsible for injustice, which can be interpreted as a unique form of Ethos. In other words, authority is the viewer themselves because people tend to trust themselves the most.
Logos
What is true for the application of the Ethos in the announcement is also true for Logos: an initial review does not reveal any significant elements. Nevertheless, the analytical work helps to focus on the sentence that says “we” (Americans) have banned dodgeball because it is too harsh. Although there are no direct statistics here, the logic of the text lies in forming a cultural-historical background in the minds of citizens about the adoption of this ban, the effect of democratic voting, and the importance of peaceful measures. In other words, it is quite possible to assert that the Logos of this social poster lies in causing the viewer to think about adopting such an unfair law.
Conclusion
To sum up, it is essential to note that Aristotelian categories of rhetoric, such as Logos, Pathos, and Ethos, are not in the past, but are widely used in modern advertising technology. The advertising banners presented in this analysis demonstrated a unique and harmonious combination of the three elements: while one work focused on Ethos, the other was more focused on Pathos. Nevertheless, it is on the integration of all categories manages to create a poster that resonates with the soul and consciousness of the consumer and encourages them to particular thoughts, ideas, or actions.
Work Cited
Hellerman, Jason. “Ethos, Pathos, Logos and the 20 Most Effective Ways to Advertise [Infographic].” No Film School, Web.