Aaron's Ethos

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In Aaron Carter's music video "I Want Candy," a rhetorical appeal to ethos is made through use of the rhetorical strategy of compare and contrast. This appeal is developed throughout the video in the comparisons of Aaron and Candy verses Aaron's three friends. On multiple occasions throughout the video, this appeal to ethos creates an appearance for Aaron and Candy that causes them to appear more mature than Aaron's friends. This is achieved by the places that each of them is placed within the video, and the behaviors shown being performed by each in those places. For example, at the movie theater, Aaron and Candy are sitting next to one another with no one around them. By their actions (i.e. smiles, touch, and conversational appearance) it is obvious that they are on a date. This is a very mature thing to be doing for Aaron and Candy's age of people. Conversely and comparatively, Aaron's friends are also at the movie; however, they appear to be less mature. They are sitting together but they happen to be all boys; therefore, they are not on a date. Furthermore, they are laughing, talking loudly, and throwing popcorn at Aaron and his date. This is very rude behavior and their lack of dates and practicing proper theater etiquette lead to a decreased appearance of their maturity and an increased appearance of Aaron and Candy's maturity through comparison of their actions.
Another time when this comparison leading to an ethotic appeal occurs while Aaron and Candy are again on a date, but this time they are in a restaurant eating. Aaron's friends are in the booth behind them. During dinner, while Aaron and Candy appear to be maturely having a conversation, his friends are laughing, making noise, and interrupting their date immaturely. The grimace or look of disgust on Candy's face makes the statement that this is not proper behavior or display of maturity and the comparison between the two groups once again builds an appeal to ethos.