You're scrolling through your phone at 11:00 PM. You see a pair of sneakers. Suddenly, you're convinced those shoes won't just protect your feet—they'll make you the kind of person who wakes up at 5:00 AM to run marathons. That’s not a coincidence. It’s a calculated strike. Advertisers have been using the same three-pronged attack for about 2,300 years, and honestly, we’re still falling for it every single day.
Aristotle called them the modes of persuasion. Today, we call them advertisements with ethos pathos and logos. If you’re trying to sell a product, or even just an idea, you need all three. Leave one out, and your campaign feels like a tripod missing a leg. It just topples over.
The Secret Sauce of Persuasion
Most people think they’re too smart for ads. We use ad-blockers. We skip the YouTube pre-roll after five seconds. But the truth is, the human brain hasn't evolved nearly as fast as our technology has. We still respond to authority, we still get emotional, and we still—occasionally—want to see the numbers.
Ethos: Why Should I Trust You?
Ethos is all about credibility. It’s the "doctor-recommended" sticker on the side of a toothpaste box. It’s LeBron James telling you which sports drink to guzzle. Basically, it’s the advertiser saying, "I have the right to speak on this topic, and you should listen."
Think about the classic Sensodyne commercials. They don't just show a random person liking the taste; they feature a person in a white lab coat. That coat is a visual shorthand for ethos. It signals expertise. Even if that person is an actor, the brand is leaning on the cultural authority of the medical profession.
Real-world example? Look at Patagonia. Their ethos isn't built on celebrity endorsements, but on a track record of environmental activism. When they ran the "Don't Buy This Jacket" ad in the New York Times, they weren't just being edgy. They were solidifying their status as a brand that actually cares about sustainability more than a quick buck. That is pure ethos. It creates a "reliable" character for the business.
Pathos: Pulling at the Heartstrings (or the Fear)
Pathos is the emotional hook. It’s arguably the most powerful of the three because humans are messy, emotional creatures. We like to think we make decisions based on logic, but neuroscientist Antonio Damasio found that people with damage to the emotional centers of their brains couldn't make even simple decisions—like what to eat.
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You've seen those SPCA commercials with the sad music and the shivering puppies. That is pathos pushed to the absolute limit. It’s designed to make you feel guilty, sad, and eventually, proactive.
But pathos isn't always about sadness. It can be about humor, like the Old Spice "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like" campaign. It can be about nostalgia, like the way Coca-Cola uses "Holidays are coming" to link their soda to family warmth. It’s about creating a feeling that overrides the "do I really need this?" filter in your brain.
Logos: The "Just the Facts" Approach
Logos is the appeal to logic. It’s the data. The statistics. The "99.9% of germs killed" claim on a bottle of Lysol. While pathos gets you to feel, logos gives your brain the excuse it needs to justify the purchase.
"I bought this car because it gets 40 miles per gallon and has a five-star safety rating," you tell your friends. That’s logos talking. You probably actually bought it because it makes you feel powerful (pathos) and the brand is known for quality (ethos), but you use the logos to explain it.
Apple is surprisingly good at this. In their "Pro" product launches, they spend a massive amount of time talking about "teraflops," "nanometers," and "unified memory architecture." Does the average user know what a teraflop is? Kinda. Maybe not really. But the sheer volume of technical data creates a logical argument that this is the most advanced machine available.
Why You Need the Triple Threat
Using advertisements with ethos pathos and logos together is what creates a truly viral or high-converting campaign.
Consider a typical Nike ad.
- Ethos: They show world-class athletes like Serena Williams. (Authority/Expertise)
- Pathos: The "Just Do It" slogan and the cinematic shots of struggle and triumph. (Inspiration/Emotion)
- Logos: They might briefly mention the "Flyknit" technology or the weight of the shoe in the fine print. (Logic/Reason)
Without the ethos, the ad is just a generic motivational video. Without the pathos, it’s a boring technical spec sheet. Without the logos, it feels like all hype and no substance.
The Misconception of "Pure" Logic
A huge mistake many B2B companies make is assuming their customers only care about logos. They think, "We’re selling software to IT managers; they only want the features and the price." Wrong.
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Those IT managers are still humans. They are afraid of making a mistake that gets them fired (pathos). They want to know that your company has been around for 20 years and won't go bankrupt next month (ethos). If you only lead with logos, you’re missing two-thirds of the persuasive power.
How to Spot These in the Wild
Next time you're watching a movie trailer, look for the patterns.
- "From the Academy Award-winning director..." (Ethos)
- The swelling orchestra and the close-up of a character crying. (Pathos)
- "Only in theaters June 12th." (Logos—yes, even logistical facts count as a form of logos).
Or look at a Dyson vacuum ad. James Dyson himself often appears in the ads (ethos). He explains the "cyclonic separation" with 3D animations of airflow (logos). He then shows how much easier your life will be when you aren't tethered to a cord (pathos/convenience). It’s a masterclass in balance.
The Dark Side: When Persuasion Goes Wrong
There’s a fine line between persuasion and manipulation. When ethos is faked—like those "as seen on TV" badges that aren't actually linked to anything—it’s a violation of trust. When pathos is used to exploit fear in a way that’s dishonest, people eventually rebel.
The most successful advertisements with ethos pathos and logos are those where the claims are actually true. If you say 9 out of 10 dentists recommend your product, you better have the survey data to back it up. In 2026, the internet is too fast and too skeptical for brands to get away with fake logos for long.
Actionable Steps for Your Own Content
If you're writing an ad, a blog post, or even a LinkedIn update, run it through the Aristotle filter.
- Check your Ethos: Why should people listen to you? If you don't have a big name, use high-quality design and professional language. Reference your years of experience or a specific project you completed.
- Audit your Pathos: Does your writing spark an emotion? Are you solving a pain point? Don't just say "our vacuum is powerful." Say "stop spending your Sunday afternoons fighting with pet hair."
- Verify your Logos: Do you have a "reason why"? Provide a statistic, a case study, or a clear explanation of how your process works. People need a logical "hook" to hang their hat on.
- Vary the Mix: Not every piece of content needs an equal 33% split. A social media post might be 80% pathos. A technical white paper might be 80% logos. Just make sure the other elements are present in the background.
Honestly, once you start seeing these three categories, you can't unsee them. They are everywhere, from political speeches to the back of a cereal box. Understanding them doesn't just make you a better marketer; it makes you a much more savvy consumer. You start to see the strings. And once you see the strings, you can decide whether or not you actually want to dance.
Moving Forward
Start by reviewing your most recent marketing piece. Identify which of the three pillars is weakest. If you've got plenty of facts but no "soul," inject some pathos through a customer story. If you've got great vibes but no authority, add a testimonial or a certification to boost your ethos. Balance is the goal.
- Identify the primary goal of your next advertisement (Is it trust, emotion, or information?).
- Select a primary mode to lead with based on that goal.
- Layer in the remaining two to support the argument.
- Review the final draft for "human-ness"—does it sound like a person talking to a person, or a robot reciting a script?
Persuasion isn't about trickery. It's about meeting people where they are, using the tools that have worked for thousands of years. Get the balance right, and the results usually follow.