4. logos and friends

LOGOS RHETORIC

3. Logos and friends

Logos rhetoric doesn’t have to work alone. As mentioned above, a solid video or commercial incorporates all three appeals.

We’ll give you examples of ethos, pathos, and logos coming together in commercials. What does logos mean? Well, it means a lot more if it includes elements of pathos and ethos. The rhetorical triangle is most effective when all three points poke the viewer as a team.

Watch this Old Navy commercial. Afterwards, we’ll check off all the boxes.

Examples of ethos, pathos, and logos working together

Not bad, right? Let’s break down what works.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus plays the hoity-toity mom, so that satisfies ethos. Her celebrity participation means the Old Navy brand gets instant points for respect and credibility.

The commercial is funny, relatable, and connects on an emotional level. Viewers feel for the kid. We’ve all been there, we’ve all felt humiliated by our parents. Pathos? Check.

Finally, logos buttons it up. The cool kids say they got their clothes at Old Navy. The jeans cost $8, the T-shirt $4, and there’s a sale happening now: all kids clothes are 60 percent off. Facts and figures, core of the logos appeal.

Another examples of ethos, pathos, and logos working together comes from Microsoft.

This Microsoft commercial exemplifies Logos

Ethos? These kids know their stuff. Maybe they’re not celebrities, but they’re clearly video game experts. They’re lovable and respectable. So ethos gets a check.

Pathos, you bet. More than anything else, this ad gets the emotions stirring. It’s inspiring, touching, and chock-full of what it means to be human.

Finally, the logos definition reveals itself with features and specs of the Xbox Adaptive Controller. What it does, how it works, and why it’s important. A logos appeal, right at home with its pals ethos and pathos. Playing video games together.

So what does logos mean? It’s an appeal to logic and reason that uses facts, data, features, and specs. It’s called “the rational appeal” for a reason.

And remember that when we use logos rhetoric, we consider the big picture. Examples of ethos, pathos, and logos working together prove effective time and time again, as we’ve shown above.

So commit the logos definition to memory, rewatch these logos examples, and start to use what you’ve learned.