Commercials

Assign a different advertisement to each group member. Watch individually and identify the
choices that create each rhetorical appeal (ethos, pathos, logos). Then, explain the effect of the
appeal on the intended audience. Remember, the appeals are the RESULT of the choices, not the
choices themselves. You don’t use ethos, you create it.

Finally, share your analysis of each commercial and answer the follow-up questions together.

1. “1959 First EVER Barbie commercial High Quality HQ!” 1959

Rhetorical Examples and Explanation
Appeal

Ethos Mattel was clearly running it and knew what they were doing from the
slogan “Mattel is swell”. It was a well-made advertisement.

Logos The price was $5 and thus high quality.

Pathos The ad uses an appeal to beauty and ‘sweetness’. The song in the ad is
sweet with a delicate woman singing about how Barbie ‘looks so neat’,
and ‘at a party she will cast a spell’. The song says how ‘I’ll make believe
that I am you”. The song makes the audience calm and shows how angelic
Barbie is, and how people will want to become Barbie. The bride Barbie
confirms expectations that girls would become a bride.

2. “1971 COLOR Malibu Barbie Commercial HQ!” 1971

Rhetorical Examples and Explanation
Appeal

Ethos A female voice said ‘She’s Mattel’s new sun-tan Barbie’ with authority
because of how well Barbie products have done in the past.

Logos There is an ecstatic voice that says that Barbie comes with ‘Malibu
friends!’, her own beach towel, and sunglasses, which makes the audience
feel like they are getting a good deal for their money.

Pathos The music is very upbeat and makes the audience excited. The song talks
 about her ‘suntanned skin’ and ‘golden hair’ that appeals to people that
like the beach and surfing. They said that Barbie, Ken, Midge, and Skipper
are the ‘sun set’, implying good quality.

3. “1983 Great Shape Barbie Commercial” 1983

Rhetorical Examples and Explanation
Appeal

Ethos The branding of Mattel at the end of the show gives authority to the
quality of the doll.

Logos The variety of different clothes and accessories show that the audience is
getting a good deal.

Pathos The idea of Barbie being in good shape made the little girl in this want to
emulate the beauty standard. The girls want to be in ‘great shape’ like
Barbie.

4. “Barbie Totally Hair commercial 90s" 1992

Rhetorical Examples and Explanation
Appeal

Ethos The girls are playing with Barbies and enjoy the toy and show that the
consumers enjoy the toy.

Logos Long-hair gives options for hours of fun.

Pathos You can do anything with the hair and that demonstrates that the girls are
excited.

5. "Imagine the Possibilities" 2015

Rhetorical Examples and Explanation
Appeal

Ethos Establishes credibility by saying that when you play with Barbie, you can
‘be anything’ (branding).

Logos Women fill many roles in society, and the girls playing with dolls should
 have dolls that reflect their opportunities.

Pathos It puts the viewers into a good mood and inspires the children to grow up
into everything that they want.

6. “Barbie - A Doll Can Help Change The World” 2021

Rhetorical Examples and Explanation
Appeal

Ethos A doll can help change the world “Barbie, you can be anything” slogan.

Logos Playing with dolls can help children develop more empathy and positive
attributes in a child.

Pathos Empathy, generosity, patience, inclusivity and understanding are

attributes that everyone wants their children to have.

Follow-up Questions

1. Which rhetorical appeal do you feel was used the most and why?
Pathos was used the most because the ads were focused on children, who are mainly
emotion based. The ads also used music and features that focused the audience on the
attributes that they wanted kids to have instead of appealing to authority or logic.

2. Take a look at these slides showing the evolution of Barbie over the years. With the
advertisements in mind, what can you say about the evolution of the brand?

The evolution of the Barbie has reflected the cultural values of the consumer audience it
has been targeted at. Originally it only focused on slim blondes with blue eyes and surreal
beauty types. Then, they started introducing Barbies of different races and finally, Barbies of
different body types.

3. Which advertisement do you feel could have been the most persuasive for the intended
audience? Why?

The 2015 advertisement would have been the most persuasive for the intended
audience because it showed the girls that play with Barbie dolls can have bright futures
and then proves it.
4. Some believe that advertisements can shape our perceptions of our environment and
of ourselves. How might these Barbie advertisements influence the target audience?

These Barbie advertisements can impose a surreal beauty standard or cultural

aspiration standard. For example, the 1959 Barbie shows how the girls of that time
were expected to become beautiful brides. The 2015 Barbie shows that girls can
become anything.