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 Very high quality ad made with new fads of the time-mattele, announcer
presenting

Logos Marriage, idealization, talking about price is low, if you play with barbie
you will be barbie

Pathos Marriage, talks about beauty, song

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

Rhetorical Examples and Explanation

Appeal

Ethos Talks about novelty of toy,

Logos The four main barbies come in a package together, marketing

Pathos 70’s songs, talks about fun, shows having fun at beach
3. “1983 Great Shape Barbie Commercial” 1983

Rhetorical Examples and Explanation

Appeal

Ethos The brand, the mattel branding,

Logos It comes with famous accessories in the time

Pathos They say you should work out with barbie, showing athleticism

4. “Barbie Totally Hair commercial 90s" 1992

Rhetorical Examples and Explanation

Appeal

Ethos High quality, has dialogue as barbie, shows off fancy hair

Logos Kids playing with the doll, dancing, has product to put in hair

Pathos Happy, light hearted, shows maturity

5. "Imagine the Possibilities" 2015

Rhetorical Examples and Explanation

Appeal

Ethos In the commercial, they idealided her and tried to convince the e kids that
they can do anything. Theis inspired the kids and they acted if they could
do anything every barbie was presented as doing something differ, a
different preofefsiton, and that inspired the kids

Logos If you play with the different barbies and different professions, you get
inspired to do what you love

Pathos The music and background voices invoke happiness, enjoyment and
idealism which can inspire them to do whatever they want.
 6. “Barbie - A Doll Can Help Change The World” 2021

Rhetorical Examples and Explanation

Appeal

Ethos Barbie brand, importance of jobs, “a barbie can change the world”

Logos If you play with Barbie you will have careers that will change the world for
the better
Gives them more empathy

Pathos Appeals to the adult, teaches social abilities, parents wanted to teach their
kids, feelings of class and education

Follow-up Questions

1. Which rhetorical appeal do you feel was used the most and why?
Pathos because barbie encourages kids to dream and imagine

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?
Has become more diverse, facial structure and head becomes more anatomical. Shows more
and more jobs

3. Which advertisement do you feel could have been the most persuasive for the intended
audience? Why?
I think number 5 is the most persuasive because it appeals to parents and kids, showing that
kids can fuel their own dreams.

4. Some believe that advertisements can shape our perceptions of our environment and
of ourselves. How might these Barbie advertisements influence the target audience?

The target audience is both parents and children because if they can influence the parents to
give it as a gift or when asked by the kid thinking it changes their morals, imagination, or their
sympathy, they are more likely to buy it.

The perception of the environment around us can be shaped if we know we have different
ways of approaching it. Like Barbie’s “imagine the possibilities” campaign showing that they
can do anything.