Ethos, Pathos and Logos in Commercials Marketing Essay Example
With the new introduction of the media and its influence, opportunities grew for companies to expand their audience size. Companies looking to capitalize on growth started creating commercials to feature in between shows. Analyzing how it makes the audience feel, how it establishes credibility, and explaining how the product will improve your life was the birth of Pathos, Ethos, and Logos. Both Allstate and Nationwide target different uses of Pathos, Ethos, and Logos to persuade their audience. Nationwide and Allstate both sell Insurance to the general public and both use very different tactics to grow their empire.
Pathos is an appeal to the emotions, the way the commercial makes the target audience
Feel. Pathos is a very strong element of persuasion, it can make the audience feel a connection with a certain brand. With companies learning these techniques, it can be a major boost to their brand. Both Allstate and Nationwide used Pathos to connect with their audience in different ways. The Allstate commercial, “Slow Motion Crash”, targets the fear in their audience. It drives the fear of not being able to control your car and ending up in a dangerous situation, and potentially putting your family at risk. Driving the point of how Allstate is going to take care of you and your family. This is the use of the fear tactic, what can happen if the audience doesn't join with their product. The fear tactics used in the commercial are further proved by using a normal businessman. Allstate also adds a second point to their claim and adds “It's time to make the world a better place to drive”(“Slow Motion Car” 0:24-0:26). Allstate is making the audience feel two things; fear and hope. The insurance company is giving the target audience a chance to help themselves and our economy. Nationwide takes a more comforting and effective approach than Allstate. By Nationwide using a normal family man, it capitalizes on how it can feel to be in danger and have a family counting on you. Nationwide states at the end of their commercial, “Nationwide is on your side” (‘Welcome to Peytonville” 0:27-0:30), leaving the audience with reminding them of their dedication to their customers. Nationwide’s commercial states, “Of course they have backstories” (“Welcome to Peytonville” 0:25-0:28 ) which is expressing that all of their clients are individuals and they will take care of all of them. Using this technique will make the audience remember their brand and the product, therefore pushing the incentive to buy from them. Allstate and Nationwide both used very good scenarios as their selling point, the feelings they evoked are remembered after watching the commercial.
Ethos is the credibility the brand is showing and expressing to the audience, there are a lot of different methods. Most brands use things like celebrity endorsement, their experiences, or statistics to show that they are a serious company. Nationwide and Allstate use very different approaches to Ethos. Nationwide showcases Peyton Manning as a way to back their brand. Peyton is a well-known celebrity, when the audience sees him endorsing Nationwide, they immediately want to purchase the product. It tells the audience that if Peyton Manning uses our product, then so should you. When Peyton Manning is speaking with the other man, he describes “Mrs. Hoffman'' fictional client and then states “Of course they have backstories”(“Welcome to Peytonville” 0:25-0:28). He is describing a basic client to establish credibility, he expresses that he knows all his clients and that they can comfortably take care of them. Nationwide shows that they know what their target audience is and that they understand things in life happen, but they will stay with you and help.
Allstate establishes credibility by specifically saying to the audience that “you are in good hands”(“Slow Motion Car” 0:28-0:30), it creates a sense of safety and connection. It also shows the audience that Allstate is confident in its ability to keep their clients happy. In the advertisement, Allstate also conveys that they recognize that “everything about the automobile is safer, except the driver” (“Slow Motion Car” 0:13-0:15). This is letting the audience subconsciously analyze how they are driving and think of their circumstances and their safety.
Nationwide did a better job at using Ethos to their advantage. Using Peyton Manning to their advantage was a very effective idea. Allstate attempted to connect with the audience, but it wasn't as impactful or memorable as using a celebrity.
Logos is the logic and reasoning behind why their product should be purchased rather than other companies. Companies are always trying to find new ways to convince the audience that they are more reliable, more affordable, and more effective than others. Logos displays facts and reasoning along with statistics to persuade the target audience. During Allstates car crash commercial, towards the end of the advertisement, they include that there is a “Bonus for safe driving” (“Slow motion car” 0:18-0:20). This incentive to drive safely is a very good tactic to bring in business. Companies are constantly providing deals and coupons to motivate the audience to buy from them. For a customer you are having to pay less, for more security compared to other insurance companies therefore making them want to join. Nationwide uses Peyton Manning as a way to express logos in their commercial. The idea is since a celebrity is using their product that so should the audience. In the beginning of the advertisement, they quickly establish and introduce him by saying, “Peyton, what are we doing here?” (“Welcome to Peytonville” 0:02-0:05).
Analyzing the changes in the media can show us how majorly the tactics to reach the target audience have changed over the years. Commercials have become such a huge part of our society, every screen you see is covered with them. “A good advertisement tells us we need something even before we think we do. It offers us a look into the ideal life, the ideal body, the ideal mate, all wrapped in an ideal world”(Rajpal, Monita). Brands try to connect with us as best as they can, this includes creating scenarios that could happen to us. Companies had to get their products on every screen to be able to compete and keep up with others. Nationwide and Allstate, along with billions of other companies, learned the strong points to pull in an audience. Both companies, aiming to sell insurance, sought it out in various ways.
