Alexander England

The principles of marketing are founded upon rhetorical analysis. Pathos, Logos, and Ethos work in a trifecta of harmony in order to persuade the world. That begs the question how does this happen? In this paper, these rhetorical tools will be discussed in terms of a Nike ad starring Lebron James. This example will reveal how the use of different rhetorical strategies can work together to serve a purpose, and where this ad is concerned to get people to buy Nike products. The advertisement consists of Lebron in his early years in a press conference discussing his future in a very humble manner. He talks about how he’s just lucky enough to play, and he didnt promise any championships. The ad then ends with the quote “it’s only crazy until you do it” and then the Nike slogan “just do it.” 

The most obvious strategy used in the Nike advertisement is Ethos. Ethos is the level of credibility in relation to the audience. There is nothing like Lebron James that screams ethos when it comes to athleticism. Throughout the advertisement, Lebron is the centerpiece talking about playing in the NBA, and pictures of him holding his trophies after winning title after title. It is no doubt that Nike chose Lebron because of the ethos that he would provide in the advertisement.

While Ethos has a clear presence in the advertisement there is also another rhetorical tool at play, and that tool is Logos. Logos is the logic behind the argument being made, this can include facts, evidence, or even just logical reasoning hence the name Logos is greek for logic or reasoning. It is no secret that Lebron James is a very successful athlete, but the ad displayed him in his early years being a humble presence with little confidence he is the champion he is today. The end of the ad as previously stated says “it’s only crazy until you do it” and then the Nike slogan “just do it.” The logic here is that dreams are not just dreams, they are meant to be fulfilled. Of course, by buying Nike products to get you to that dream is the subliminal part of the Logos in this advertisement. 

The final part of the trifecta is Pathos. Pathos is the emotion to persuasion, it’s the abandoned dog in the cage or the starving children it’s the part of an ad that pulls on your heartstrings. This Pathos part of the trifecta for this ad really depends on the invoked audience. People who do not know Lebron James will not resonate with the pathos presented in the Nike ad. In the ad, the place that hits home is where he talks about feeling the pressure to perform as far back as 10 years old. The Pathos is that this young rising star has worked and worked for this opportunity and as this amazing athlete that the audience knows he will become is humble in his start. That precise composure combined with the knowledge of what Lebron James will become is the Pathos in this advertisement.  

After analyzing the three different strategies or pathos logos and ethos and how they were applied in the Nike advertisement starring Lebron James there is one question that remains. Which strategy works best? To answer this question one must look at Pathos Logos and Ethos together. The primary insight is that Ethos was the most effective because it was the most persuasive as a whole. It brought the incredible career of Lebron James to play which makes the advertisement more credible and provides the entire “plot” of the ad as well. Next in strength is Pathos, which as it seems less vigilant than Ethos in the ad is still very apparent. The story of the rising young player, the underdog, and the humble beginnings of a glorious athlete really tug on your heartstrings. In the weakest slot is Logos. Logos seems lacking in this advertisement, as it does have its place the Logos in this ad requires more digging for the consumer than Pathos or Ethos. It seems that Logos simply lacks in abundance than comparison to its counterparts. 

Overall Pathos, Logos, and Ethos all are very effective in their own way. This example is not a staple for the efficacy of these strategies there is no one size fits all standard. There will be times Pathos and Ethos will be used but Logos will be absent, or other times where it’s the opposite. What is important to recognize is that these strategies are all effective at serving their purpose. They all have a level of rhetoric that has the ability to persuade their audience. Even in this very paper, these strategies themselves were used. It’s funny to think that you can use logos when discussing logos or pathos when discussing pathos, but it shows how embedded these strategies are into the fabric of writing today. 

Works Cited

LeBron James - I Believe! | Nike Commercial (2018). 20 Oct. 2018, www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGl_JVf4Mmw&feature=emb_title.