Aristotle in his Principles of Rhetoric explained that persuasive communications are best contructed from three priciples, Ethos, Pathos and Logos.
Ethos consists of giving the audience permission to listen to you. Pathos consists of giving the audience an emotional reason to agree with you. Logos consists of giving the audience points of logic to support their emotionally driven decision.
I saw a billboard in Greenville, South Carolina, this week that combined both Logos and Pathos in what I judged to be a compelling, persuasive way. The board was an ad to be a policeman. The headlne was: “Make a Difference; Wear a Badge.”
I think “Make a Difference” served as the Logos, and that “Wear a Badge” is the real emotional appeal, the Pathos. Had the headline said, “Make a Difference; Be a Cop,” my own judgment is that it would not be as compelling nor as persuasive as “Wear a Badge.”
I cannot think of how a billboard could actually establish Ethos, the third of the three principles. What do you think?
Frank — I got a headache thinking about this one! I looked at this a bit differently. To me;
“Make a difference” serves as the PATHOS. It appeals to me on an emotional level. I might even volunteer! (and it provides the compelling reason to serve…or buy a brand).
“Wear a badge” serves as ETHOS. It provides the position of authority so that the audience — both peace-abiding citizens and potential lawbreakers — listen to you (it might be the reputation of the company earned over many years. Or perhaps it is the spokesperson for a brand — the chap on the Allstate adverts, Mr. Whipple or the Maytag repairman).
Logos is logic. The proof-in-the-pudding. Make a difference. Wear a badge. And the world will be a better place … because crime will drop by 20%, property values and tax receipts will increase by 15% etc. (Yes, the Prius really does save you money…50 mpg!)
Ernst
You may have a point. Somehow here, I suspect this message is working.
This was a fun riddle to ponder. I often find myself critiquing and trying to deconstruct billboard strategies. Here is how I approached it….
The definition of ETHOS states that it a person must be given permission to “listen” to your communications, impliying that the act of seeing or hearing the words does not grant sufficient access.
So, the question to answer is, what makes someone feel as though they have been invited to listen? And the answer is…..targeted messaging that tells the listener that you know who they are and what they’re about.
Targeting can happen implicitly and explicitly. Implicitly, targeting happens through the media plan. Let’s say that the outdoor campaign is targeted towards high school seniors and will appear on billboards near high schools during October and April. Targeting also happens explicitly, through visual content. I don’t know what the image on the billboard was. With a high school senior target, perhaps the image would involve a young man shown different outfits on each side of his body….maybe a graduation cap and gown on one side and an officer’s uniform on the other half of his body. (I’d leave that to the creatives!)
I agree wtih Frank. The emotional appeal, or PATHOS, is “Wear a badge” and the LOGOS is “Make a difference.” The word “badge” carries strong emotional equity in our society. Think “badge of honor.”
So, I would offer that ETHOS is communicated through explicit and implicit targeting that connects with the viewer telling them, “listen up! I’m talking to you”
Marla Cureton
I’m inclined to agree with Frank. Wearing a badge–the evidence of one’s role as protector, placed over the heart, is a symbol that is both personal and emotional (Pathos): receiving a medal for bravery in battle, for instance. The call to “make a difference” is the logical way (Logos)to handle the “issue”, whatever it is.
What might the logical way be? Something that the audience can rally around, or agree with–that will lead them to logic, then to the emotional. Maybe something like, “Communities need heroes.”
Marla,
If you read this, get in touch with me at flane@franklaneltd.com. I like the way you think and would like to know who you are.
You are correct about targeting being a way of expressing ethos. I never thought about that before. Certainly when we introduced Bullfrog to surfers only during the first year, we established ethos (although I never surfed in my life). Then when we expanded into other activities, we always gave the original credit to surfers. “Developed originally for surfers, golfers find it perfect for life on the links.”
Very strong thought you added.
Frank Lane