Did you know that over 2000 years ago, people were already using smart tricks to get noticed? They used special ways of talking to make people listen and believe them. These are; credibility, emotion, timing, and logic, known as ethos, pathos, kairos, and logos. These age-old strategies are Aristotle’s teachings on effective communication and persuasion.
Now, we can use these same powerful techniques in our digital marketing advertising.
These old tricks in today’s ads will help grab attention and convert.
How Ethos, Pathos, Logos, and Kairos make your Ad Copies better.
Imagine you’re creating an ad to convince people to buy a new skateboard.
How can you make sure your ad grabs their attention and convinces them to actually buy it?
Well, you can use the four secret weapons called ethos, pathos, kairos, and logos.
Let’s see how these can work in your ad:
Ethos: (Credibility)
Show You’re Trustworthy
Ethos is about making your company or product look good and trustworthy.
Ad Example:
Let’s say your ad starts with, “From the company that has been making top-quality skateboards since 1998…”
This tells people that you’ve been around for a while, so you probably know a lot about making skateboards.
It is like saying, “Trust us, we’re experts,” without having to actually say it.
Pathos: (Emotion)
Connect with Feelings
Pathos is all about connecting to the audience by evoking an emotional response
You want them to get excited, happy, or even a little scared of missing out if they don’t buy your skateboard.
Ad Example:
Imagine your ad shows a kid feeling super happy and free while riding the skateboard, with big, bold words that say, “Feel the thrill of freedom!”
It wants you to picture how fun and happy you’d be riding that skateboard.
Logos: (Logic)
Prove It with Facts
Logos means using facts, logic, or numbers to make your point. Create confidence with statistics and facts of your products or services.
Ad Example:
Your ad could say, “Our new skateboard has a double-reinforced deck, making it 30% stronger than any other board on the market.”
This gives a solid reason to believe your skateboard is the best choice because it’s backed up by a fact.
Kairos: (Timing)
Seize the Right Moment
Kairos is about recognising and seizing the moment to deliver your message. It’s the art of perfect timing in your ad copy to resonate with your audience’s current needs or emotions.
Ad Example:
Launching a skateboard ad right before the summer holidays when kids are looking for fun activities can be a perfect use of kairos.
Your ad could say, “Get ready for summer adventures with our new skateboard!”
Conclusion
So, if you’re making an ad for your awesome skateboard, you could combine all four: Ethos, Pathos, Logos, and Kairos.
- Start by mentioning your company’s long history of making quality skateboards (ethos).
- Show a picture or video of someone having the time of their life with your skateboard, maybe even their friends watching in awe (pathos).
- Time your ad launch to coincide with the season or event when people are most likely to buy (kairos).
- Finish by hitting them with a cool fact about how strong your skateboard is (logos).
This mix of trustworthiness, emotional appeal, perfect timing, and solid facts makes your ad much more likely to convince someone to hit that “Buy Now” button.
Let’s keep learning about the best ways to reach out and make sure your ads are targeting the right audience.
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