CDo you want to get inside the head of your audience? Whether you're making a video, selling a product, or giving a speech, you need to know how to win over a crowd with common sense, to make them think. And one of the most successful ways to achieve this is with something that Aristotle called "logos."
Sounds like a good plan, but how? We'll give you a definition of logos, plenty of logo examples, and a solid understanding of heavy concepts. Get ready to produce more compelling content that will convince any audience to do your bidding.
logo resource
Familiarize yourself with the rhetoric of logos
Clearly and concisely convey to your audience why they should logically buy what you are selling. Provide evidence in the form of facts, figures, and statistics. Give customers irrefutable proof that your brand or product is the best.
High order? Of course it is. But the lure of the logos will get you there.
Let's start with a detailed definition of logos.
LOGO DEFINITION
What is logos?
logosIt is the persuasive technique that aims to convince an audience using logic and reason. Also called "logical appeal," examples of logos in advertising include citing statistics, facts, data, charts, and graphs.
In Aristotle's rhetorical triangle, ethos appeals to character, pathos appeals to emotion, and logos appeals to logic and reason. As the “most heady” of the three main rhetorical strategies, logos uses rational discourse and logical argument to get a point across and win over an audience.
Examples of logos in advertisements:
- An iPhone commercial highlighting the latest features and specifications.
- A Dole fruit juice commercial exaggerating the calorie and vitamin statistics.
- Verizon displays a map to show that it has better coverage than AT&T.
But the logos is only one part of Aristotle's rhetorical triangle. It's a good idea to familiarize yourself with all three if your goal is to create powerful video content or ads.
These techniques are also known by other terms: rhetorical appeals, persuasive strategies, and modes of persuasion.
Any definition of logos has a place in Aristotle's "rhetorical triangle"
Ideally, a compelling video, ad, or speech is based on all three strategies. But even when a commercial is firing on all cylinders, the rhetoric of ethos, pathos, or logos stands out as a main draw.
In another post you will find a generalSummary of ethos, pathos and logosBut for now, let's do a quick recap.
distinctive characterconvinces the public by presenting reliability, honesty and credibility. This usually means a respected authority figure or celebrity giving a testimonial or endorsement for a product or brand.
For more, brush yourdefinition of ethosand examples
Ducksaims to persuade viewers by provoking an emotional response. This can be positive, like the happiness you would feel if you bought, say, a new bicycle. It can be negative, like "Wow, I could die if I keep smoking." And the guilt? “Adopt this pup and give him a home.”
For more information, stay tuned todefinition of pathoswith examples
logosappeals to logic and reason using statistics, facts, and figures. Aristotle considered this the most important. He believed that people are rational and appealing to the rational mind with data, research and evidence is the best way to win them over.
In the video below, we can see how ethos, pathos, and logos work together and individually to win over the public.
A clear definition of logos.
Now let's focus on the appeal of logos. We will look specifically at the rhetoric of logos and examples of logos in advertising.
The general idea behind logos rhetoric is to aim for the head, not the heart. Appeal to reason.
Not everyone is reasonable. The appeal of the logo has its limits. But when it works, nothing works better. Logic and valid facts do not lie.
More information Logos Ethos and Pathos
Comparing other techniques
There are many kinds of rhetorical strategies. For a complete look at how they work together, or when to use which rhetorical strategies, explore the full guide below.
ALL ABOUT Rhetorical Appeals
Each of these rhetorical strategies can be effective in its own way. When combined, their potential effects grow exponentially. To fully understand the power of persuasion, these are the tools you need.
logo examples
Examples of logos in advertising
With a logo definition in place, we can move on to some of the best business logo examples.
Verizon heads straight ahead, boom, with the logo announcement below. We hear the voice of a boy, but we don't even see the people. Forget examples of ethos, pathos, and logos working together in a commercial. This little dog here is pure, unadulterated, high-quality logos.
The rhetoric of logos works to great effect in this commercial.
Where is the celebrity? The respected spokesman? Not here. Ethos is nowhere to be found. How about a fluffy chinchilla or a tug at the heart? Wrong ad. If you want pathos, go elsewhere.
But if you're in the mood for a nice hot plate of facts and figures, product specs, and a map with coverage statistics, this logo's appeal is just right.
If you want another really strong example of logos in an ad, look no further than this recent Nissan commercial.
This commercial shows a daughter and a father driving down a highway. The daughter is about to go through some scary construction, but then her father tells her to turn on the "ProPilot" system.
As soon as the daughter does this, we see aStar Warsbattle scene that happens before our eyes, and she gets so distracted that she starts going off the road... but guess what? The "ProPilot" system saves it by automatically correcting the trajectory of the car based on the sensor system.
Here's oneStudioBinder Storyboardfor the announcement You will notice how the angles and the size of the shot change when the "ProPilot" system clicks on:
Example of logos •Archival material included in StudioBinder
So what does this logo look like? Well, the commercial puts the daughter in a relatively common situation and uses machine logic behind an in-car guidance system to keep her distracted children safe.
That is the appeal of the logo. An appeal to logic and reason.
Let's move on to our next example.
We've seen an ad for a cell phone provider before, but now let's look at a similar ad for a cell phone manufacturer—another example of logos in Samsung advertising.
The definition of logos in full screen.
It's beautifully shot, the production value is top notch, the music hits the right "Note" so to speak, but it's the logo appeal that really stands out. The new phone includes a redesigned S Pen. It has a powerful battery for the whole day. It comes with a terabyte of storage and expandable memory options.
Boring product specs? Dry facts and figures? Maybe in a spreadsheet, but here, in a business example of bold logos, they get the job done. This is the big draw of logos once again.
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rhetoric logos
Use logos in combination
The rhetoric of logos does not need to work alone. As mentioned above, a strong video or commercial incorporates all three of these appeals.
We will give examples of ethos, pathos and logos brought together in commercials. What does logos mean? Well, it means so much more if you include elements of pathos and ethos. The rhetorical triangle is most effective when all three points push the viewer as a team.
Consider this Old Navy commercial. Watch and see how he uses a combination of logos, ethos and pathos at the same time.
Examples of ethos, pathos and logos working together
Not bad, right? Let's take a look at what works.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus plays the snooty mom, so she fits the spirit. Her celebrity looks mean the Old Navy brand wins instant points for respect and credibility.
The commercial is funny, relatable and connects on an emotional level. Viewers feel for the child. We've all been there, we've all felt humiliated by our parents. Ducks? Verify.
Finally, the logo button. The cool kids say they buy their clothes at Old Navy. Jeans are $8 and a T-shirt is $4 – facts and figures that are at the heart of the logo's appeal.
Another example of ethos, pathos, and logos working together comes from Microsoft.
This Microsoft commercial exemplifies Logos
Distinctive character? These kids know what they're doing. They may not be celebrities, but they are clearly gamers. They are kind and respectable. So the ethos gets a check.
Ducks, you bet. More than anything else, this ad stirs emotions. It is inspiring, moving and full of what it means to be human.
Finally, the definition of the logos is revealed with the features and specifications of the Xbox Adaptive Controller. What it does, how it works and why it is important. A logos appeal, at home with its ethos and pathos friends.
Set logos for you
Bring logos to your own projects
So what does logos mean? It is an appeal to logic and reason using facts, data, resources, and specifications.
It's called "rational attractiveness" for a reason.
And remember that when we use logo rhetoric, we're looking at the big picture.Examples of ethos, pathos and logosworking together is repeatedly effective, as we showed above.
So memorize the definition of logos, look at these logo examples again, and start using what you've learned.
More information Logos Ethos and Pathos
Comparing other techniques
There are many kinds of rhetorical strategies. For a complete look at how they work together, or when to use which rhetorical strategies, explore the full guide below.
ALL ABOUT Rhetorical Appeals
Each of these rhetorical strategies can be effective in its own way. When combined, their potential effects grow exponentially. To fully understand the power of persuasion, these are the tools you need.
TO BE FOLLOWED
Make a spec commercial
A spec commercial is a sample of work that showcases a filmmaker's style, experience, and most importantly, ambition.
So how can you make a specific commercial stand out? Well, it'll be easier now that you've absorbed these business examples of ethos, pathos, and logos. Then, check out the following article and start creating your videos.
Up next: Submit your commercial specs →
FAQs
How is logos used in commercials? ›
Logos is a persuasive technique in advertising that uses rationality to persuade the public. Some examples in advertising include the reference of numbers, facts, data, tables, and graphs. Furthermore, it's often known as “the logical appeal.”
What are some examples of logos persuasive techniques? ›Logos is the persuasive technique that aims to convince an audience by using logic and reason. Also called “the logical appeal,” logos examples in advertisement include the citation of statistics, facts, charts, and graphs.
What is an example of logos in a commercial? ›Logos examples in ads: An iPhone commercial that highlights the latest features and specs. A Dole fruit juice commercial that hypes vitamin and calorie stats. Verizon shows a map to prove it has better coverage than AT&T.
How can a logo attract customers? ›A well-designed logo can offer substantial benefits to brands. It can help pique the interest of consumers, differentiate brands from competitors, facilitate brand recognition, influence investors' decisions, and convey what a brand is all about.
What are the 3 persuasive techniques? ›You will often hear ethos, pathos, and logos referred to as the three modes of persuasion. These modes of persuasion will probably come quite naturally to you, but having a strong awareness of how to be most convincing to your audience will help you as you write argumentative essays.
What is a good example of logos? ›Logos is an argument that appeals to an audience's sense of logic or reason. For example, when a speaker cites scientific data, methodically walks through the line of reasoning behind their argument, or precisely recounts historical events relevant to their argument, he or she is using logos.
Why is logos not used in advertising? ›Some advertisers use only pathos in advertisements and avoid having to try to convince us with logic (logos) or trustworthy endorsements (ethos). Logos is an appeal to our abilities to use logic and reasoning—or in other words, persuading with logic. Arguments with logos use solid evidence to convince readers.
What 4 things make a good logo? ›What Makes A Good Logo? # A good logo is distinctive, appropriate, practical, graphic and simple in form, and it conveys the owner's intended message. A concept or “meaning” is usually behind an effective logo, and it communicates the intended message.
What are 4 elements of a good logo? ›Logo brand, Style, Colours, and font are the four basic elements of logo design. It is a crucial part of the design process where you must put in a lot of thought and effort to come up with something unique and distinctive.
Why is logos the most effective? ›Logos, or the appeal to logic, means to appeal to the audiences' sense of reason or logic. To use logos, the author makes clear, logical connections between ideas, and includes the use of facts and statistics. Using historical and literal analogies to make a logical argument is another strategy.
What are the 6 shortcuts of persuasion? ›
identified six universal shortcuts: Reciprocation, Consensus, Liking, Consistency, Scarcity and Authority. 1 (See back for details.) After years of study, Cialdini believes understanding six decision-making shortcuts—and taking advantage of them—can help marketers increase their persuasive power.
What is the most powerful persuasive technique? ›Scarcity is one of the most-used persuasion techniques used by salesmen and marketers. People tend to want more of things which are in low supply. If you convince an individual that something is only available for a limited time, or is in limited supply, they're more likely to want it.
What are memorable logos? ›A memorable logo by definition is one that is not forgotten, which makes them timeless. Timelessness describes logos that are able to transcend their current audience and cultural context, and are designed with the future in mind.
What are the 2 common strategies to persuade? ›Positive and negative motivation are common persuasive strategies used by teachers, parents, and public speakers.
What are the 3 key points in advertising frequency? ›As we mentioned earlier, the effective frequency will be different for every campaign you're running. There are three main factors that affect effective frequency: marketing, message, and media.
Who owns the right to a logo? ›Copyright law provides that the designer of the logo is the first owner, unless it's made by an employee in the course of their employment, in which case the copyright will be owned by the employer. If you employ a designer who creates your new logo, you will own the copyright in it.
What not to do with a logo? ›Never alter the wordmark or any visual elements, and do not change the font of the wordmark or accompanying names of colleges or divisions. Never overprint something on top of the logo, and do not use the logo as a background pattern. The minimum recommended size for the standard logo is 1" in height.
What makes a logo timeless? ›There are some general rules when it comes to creating a timeless logo design: keep it simple yet strong. stick with classic fonts. use just 2 to 3 colors.
Which is a key element of a strong logo? ›It's memorable
Most effective logos have one unique feature that makes them memorable and easily stand out to viewers. A good way to determine whether or not your logo is memorable is to ask one of your customers to describe it to you.
So, why is a logo important? Because it grabs attention, makes a strong first impression, is the foundation of your brand identity, is memorable, separates you from competition, fosters brand loyalty, and is expected by your audience.
How is logos used to persuade the audience? ›
Logos, or the appeal to logic, means to appeal to the audiences' sense of reason or logic. To use logos, the author makes clear, logical connections between ideas, and includes the use of facts and statistics. Using historical and literal analogies to make a logical argument is another strategy.
What is the purpose of logos? ›Logos are intended to be the face of a company. They're meant to visually communicate the unique identity of the brand and what it represents. Depending on your design philosophy, simple logos comprised of only essential elements are often the most difficult and also successful.
How do logos help promote products or services? ›A well-designed logo builds trust by validating your professionalism and get's people to stick around. It tells potential clients who you are, what you do, and how that benefits them. It communicates to people with no prior knowledge or experience with your business that you do great work.
What makes a logo stand out? ›What Makes A Good Logo? # A good logo is distinctive, appropriate, practical, graphic and simple in form, and it conveys the owner's intended message. A concept or “meaning” is usually behind an effective logo, and it communicates the intended message.
Who is the target audience for logos? ›Your target audience are the folks who want or need your product or service and have a track record of paying for it. They're a specific demographic of society, determined by age, gender, location, education, profession, income, family status, and other social factors.
What is one example of an argument that uses logos? ›Here's an example of logos in action from our man Aristotle himself: All men are mortal. Socrates is a man. Therefore, Socrates is mortal.