Ethos of the 1960 and 1990 Ads

The source from which the information is from is significant in determining its credibility. The more credible a source is, the more likely one is to buy into its message. In the 1960's Folger's coffee advertisement, the salesman provided information to the woman in the store regarding high-quality coffee. The salesman was more creditable than a saleswoman due to the sexism of the time period, which dictated that a male is intrinsically more credible. Due to the credibility of a male salesperson, men were more likely to buy the product because they believed the product is high-quality simply because the salesman said so. Females were more likely to buy the product because the husband approved of the coffee, which established the credibility of its taste through the reactions of a male.

In the case of the 1990's Folger's coffee advertisement, the roles of establishing credibility seem to be reversed from those in the 1960's ad. The credibility is established in the commercial by both the husband and the wife, demonstrating a growing equality between the sexes at the time. Before the husband takes the coffee to his wife, he indulges in it; meanwhile, the wife sneaks down the stairs approvingly of her husband's surprise. Both husband and wife in the commercial seem to be a source of credibility for the desirability of Folger's coffee.

-Mariah