If you’re familiar with Aristotle, then you’ve probably heard of these three persuasive techniques to help build brand loyalty!
Yes, even Aristotle had a few brilliant marketing ideas!
The following modes of persuasion are clever techniques used in advertising to mold consumer perceptions and behavior, in your favor! With this in mind, let’s dive into an introduction of Aristotle’s infamous rhetorical triangle.
What Exactly is Ethos, Pathos, & Logos?
Whether you are aware of it or not, we are influenced by rhetorical appeals every time we view an advertisement.
The key to great persuasive advertising falls in line with each of the three elements; ethos, pathos, & logos. Although each factor is important for a balanced brand message, it is normal for one element to take precedence over the other based on brand goals.
Ethos
The use of ethos in marketing is a powerful tool! And most importantly, it builds trust between your audience and business which boosts brand loyalty.
Ethos is the ability of an advertisement or marketing campaign to generate credibility by using trusted testimonials or endorsements by well known individuals (which makes for a great campaign!)
The end goal is simple, to persuade your customers that what you have to offer is the BEST option on the market!
Setting The Scene
Let’s review the 2019 Pepsi Superbowl commercial “More Than Ok” as an example!
The commercial begins with an interesting predicament – a customer proceeds to ask a waiter for a “Coke” to which he replies “is Pepsi okay” suggesting that the previous beverage is not included on the menu. A variety of celebrities begin to appear, in disbelief that the drink of the day was described as just “okay.” One by one, our favorite personalities start appearing; Steve Carell followed by Lil’ Jon, and Cardi B. to bring excitement to the drink.
If you want a good laugh, I highly recommend watching this commercial, with a Pepsi in hand of course!
YouTube Channel Credit: Ads of Brands
Positive Brand Presence
By adding a sense of humor and excitement from our favorite celebrities, Pepsi appears to be the beverage for anyone looking to have a good time.
"More Than Okay!"
The whole theme of “More Than Just Okay” sparks a message of more than meets the eye. Carell persuades the audience to believe that Pepsi is more than just your average beverage by comparing the drink to positive scenarios that are ultimately more than just “okay!” Although this is correct, the drink is not the only subject meant to be presented in a positive light. The term “okay” alone is redefined as a positive description when it comes to labeling a product.
The inclusion of every celebrity viewed within the campaign further supports this concept. Who knew “okay” could be so exciting!
Credibility & Trust
Affiliating a brand with trusted experts and celebrities guarantees audiences that your brand is the BEST option on the market.
In addition, Pepsi’s inclusion of a wide range of celebrities with a variety of different fan-bases, shows that this special drink is not only targeted to one individual audience. In fact, Pepsi welcomes everyone to join in the celebration!
Pathos
Appeal to your audience’s mindset by using meaningful language, sharing your brand’s story, or by creating a sense of nostalgia.
Pathos targets human emotion and encourages consumers to act based on how they feel. This is a huge concept that comes into play when it comes to video marketing!
Pathos paves the way for an excellent opportunity to connect with your audience by sharing relatable experiences and associating your brand with a specific feeling.
Setting The Scene
Let’s switch it up and bring it around to another beverage competitor! I think we can all agree that a good Coca Cola advertisement can tug at your heartstrings when it is tied to sharing a special moment. This brand is infamous for creating commercials that unites people over a good, chilled Coke! Making this product relatable not only provides a heartwarming scenario for a commercial, but it also encourages its consumers to make their own memories with the brand through sharing an experience with those they care about.
Emotional Appeal
Throughout a multitude of marketing campaigns, Coca-Cola has delivered a strong message of happiness and togetherness. As provided in the example above, Coca-Cola seems to use the brand as a universal message for uniting families, friends, and individuals.
In this commercial, a good bottle of Coke brings a younger brother and older brother closer together. Not only does this story take us through a few humorous sibling scenarios, but pulls our focus towards uniting an entire family within its core message. In one scene, we are presented with a family all sitting around at a dinner table, with one reoccurring element we see throughout the entire commercial.
A big bottle of Coca-Cola!
Shared Experience
When it comes to product placement and creating a relatable experience, Coca-Cola knows how to reach their audience! As gathered from the interpretation above, the brand carefully centers its message around happiness through one common factor; a tall glass of Coke!
Anticipate Reactions
The feelings conveyed throughout a commercial are meant to be reflected by the audience. In the case of Coca-Cola, the product placement in each scene is meant to tie every feeling together with the drink itself.
Logos
It’s all about the facts!
The end goal is simple, to persuade your customers that what you have to offer is the best option on the market!
Setting The Scene
We’ve all heard the memorable phrase, “Hi, Billy Mays here!” If you remember Mays’s commercials, then you would probably recall his advertisements were filled with facts and figures with a touch of humor! Let’s take a peak on how Mays’ advertisement of the “crocodile cutter” was a perfect example of the last of the three appeals; logos.
YouTube Channel Credit: blenheimears
Facts & Figures
Logos is considered the most important appeal for multiple marketing campaigns. Why? Using facts and figures to back up your campaign not only makes your business more marketable, but also provides credibility to a claim. To boost trustworthiness in the brand, the viewer also catches a glimpse of the product in action.
And in this case, all for $19.99!
Logic & Reasoning
Following facts & figures comes another stage of the consumer buying process; logic and reasoning. More importantly, a product holds more value when it addresses a solution to a universal problem. Not only does the simplicity of the tool intrigue audiences to make an investment, but the display of versatility in the product itself makes it a great option for various situations.
All of the Statistics!
The idea of logos is meant to provide audiences with a wealth of information to back up a business’s claim. Mays does an excellent job of executing this concept when he relays each fact back to the phrase, “The Perfect Cut Every Time.”
Wrapping it Up!
Understanding the idea of Aristotle’s three appeals is important to developing the ideal brand strategy to target the right audience.
It is always the right time to build brand presence!
If you are continuously looking for new ways to boost brand engagement, or spread brand awareness, our team at Pearl would be more than happy to help! Give us a call at 603.732.9070 or fill out the contact form on our website to get started on bringing your brand to life!
