Teens Ethos Pathos Logos

Teens & Advertising
Advertising is a form of marketing in which the author uses writing strategies to capture the attention of an audience to persuade them into purchasing what is being promoted. The success of an ad relies on the products ability to reason with readers and appeal based on emotions. Individuals can be distinguished by their proneness to social influence; teenagers in particular differ in regards to their level of susceptibility to advertising. Though teenagers do not typically have as much money as older adults, there are many products that teenagers are still willing to spend their restricted funds on. These advertising agencies who target teens utilize strategies that are meant to make their services and/or products attractive

We, as people like to believe that we re reasonable, rational and think on our own. Thus, we believe that we have a good enough reason for our choices. However, we often buy products because of a strange compulsion, the power of consumerism; when people tend to identify strongly with the products they consume, particularly of brand names and status-enhancing appeal. “Commodities that promise to grant status to anyone who consumes them”(Selling down Pg 89). The use of bandwagon and a little ethos is used to help promote the justification of buying the product. Teens are especially targeted by bandwagon methods; teenagers want to fit in and “be on the winning side”. Teens are at a time in their life where image is important and they believe that other peoples perspective of them will be affected by what they appear to be. Ethos is used in Jason Stanz quote when he includes that these products are “rapper approved signifiers” (pg 89), teens will believe the claim based on what they know about rappers. The shopping indulgences do not technically originate from a manipulation of the commercial advertisements, rather a psychological and biological urge that is planted in every one of us. “Today, the consultants promise marketers that they can use psychological techniques to uncover consumers’ subliminal desires” (Selling down Pg 88). The evidence being: we splurge because of stress, to show off what we have, to have other think of us differently, and to follow the