The Ethos, Pathos and Logos of Public Spaces

Our essays are going to emcompass many aspects related to ethos, pathos, and logos. The public space I chose, Starbucks, encompasses each in different ways. Identifying many of the appeals to emotion, character and logic can be noted to promote why the business has been so successful. Starbucks does a great job of catering to each as I will point out below.

Ethos
Starbucks appeals to pathos by transforming many of the themes inside the shop with a replication of it's customers. When you walk in you'll notice that the workers look professional, sometimes wearing dress shirts, polos or button ups. While this may not be noticable to a person who is looking for it, when observing and making inferences it's apparent the effect this would have on the typical customer. Many (but not all) of the customers are professionals and it in most cases unknowlingly gives them a sense of comfort to see fellow professionals making their coffee/beverages/food. If you were to compare this theme to lets say Mcdonalds, would you say that the inside theme, dress of employees reinforces your opinion of professionalism? If anything, Mcdonalds in many cases can lower your self esteem because it's cheap and makes you feel like you're eating at a place beneath you.

Pathos
Like Starbucks appeal to ethos, Starbucks effectively appeals to your emotion by guaranteeing a product. Signs stating "If your drink is not perfect everytime, let us know and we'll make it right". While this may seem like a minor thing, Starbucks targets your emotion by comforting you to know that they'll deliver what you expect. Another minor thing that may go unnoticed (that I picked up through observation) was that when you order lets say a Mocha Frap, the employee will ask your name, write it on the cup and call you by name later. A comparable example is at a Mcdonalds when waiting for your order they'll refer to you and your order by your receipt number. In Starbucks they make it a personal experience by treating you like a person. It is also very common to find business accessories in Starbucks such as the Wall Street Journal or a local business paper. They cater to professionals and promote this theme to further their image.

Logos
Starbucks appeals to logic are quite obvious. Something simple like their logo (a circle with a green inside and white character with a star on its head) is a cultural icon and lets you know from the outside the quality they deliver. When you see a generic "Coffee shop" you may ponder to yourself "I wonder if their coffee is any good". When noticing this icon/logo you know their success in business speaks for theirselves and are famous for making great coffee.