Advertising isn't just about facts and figures. It's about striking an emotional chord, making us feel something powerful that motivates us to act. In commercials, we are constantly trying to draw eyeballs onto the TV and then get people to buy products in stores. That requires using different modes of persuasion. The one we're focusing on today is pathos. Pathos taps into our deepest emotions to create a connection between us and the product or service being advertised. and today, we're going to extrapolate that and how it's used. Let's dive in. Pathos DefinitionPathos is the use of the "pathetic appeal." But not the "pathetic we know." This is appealing to people’s emotions or sense of identity- think "empathy." If you can make consumers feel an emotion, or appeal to their sense of identity, you’re using pathos. This is all about what you evoke in others. Can you make them angry about a cause? Can you get them to feel guilty for not doing something?You're using pathos.Advertisers employing pathos want you to feel something strongly so that feeling influences your decisions about their product or service.Aristotle in AdvertisingMost of the storytelling we deal with harkens back to Aristotle's "Poetics." It was the building block for drama and became a must-read for anyone interested in crafting their own plays, movies, televisions shows, and now advertisements.As advertising leans more and more on storytelling, "Poetics" has become even more important today.In "Poetics," Aristotle said:Of the modes of persuasion furnished by the spoken word...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Thursday, 9 May, 2024