Ethos Appeal

Learning Tools

To teach about ocean sustainability, parents and teachers can find resources for kids to learn how they can help keep our oceans healthy for generations to come. For children under the age of 8, there are creative, investigation, and puzzle activities. For children aged 10-15, there are educational videos, fact sheets, stories from fishers, worksheets, and lesson plans for teachers to use in class. This resource uses the ethos appeal by presenting valuable learning information to parents and teachers from credible sources, such as Katie Jones, an education specialist. The MSC earned further credibility when the Geographical National quotes on this page, "A professionally produced topical video with some simple to use lesson plans that ensures anyone (young or old) who watches it begins to understand the concept of ocean sustainability as well as the roles of fishermen ("Teach and Learn," 2021). When the MSC seeks to provide the intended audience with informational resources from credible experts, this works to persuade audience members using the ethos appeal.

The Blue Cookbook

To help environmentally conscious consumers practice eating sustainable seafood, the MSC created “The Blue Cookbook,” a portion of the website dedicated to providing sustainable seafood recipes. Ten chefs from around the world produced this cookbook, including recipes for tuna ceviche, crab cakes, salmon pizza, shrimp cocktail, homemade fish and chips, and more. This cookbook also includes more in-depth information about each chef and the species of fish used within each recipe. Lastly, the cookbook includes a chapter titled "People from the Sea," which informs audience members about the fishers practicing sustainability. Andrew Pascoe, owner of the fishing boat Ajax in Penzance, UK, says, "The harbour was the world to us and all we ever wanted to do was emulate our fathers and friends and go to sea and catch fish" ("The Blue Cookbook," 2021). When consumers gain the opportunity to cook recipes from highly-acclaimed chefs and read stories directly from sustainable fishers, they begin to understand the credibility of sources offered to them by the MSC website.

Why Should Consumers Choose MSC-Certified Seafood Products?

The MSC website includes an article titled “10 Reasons to Choose the Blue Fish Label”, with reasons including:

1: the oceans need to be protected,

2: marine ecosystems are under enormous pressure,

3: the MSC provides a solution,

4: sustainability is based on science,

5: consumers help protect a whole ecosystem,

6: consumers can buy with confidence,

7: there is plenty to choose from,

8: there is a choice for every budget,

9: consumers help create change,

10: and consumers help keep the oceans wild.

Lupton defines the ethical appeal through design as something that “addresses the moral and aesthetic values of an audience; it invokes trust and respect, asking one to identify with a product or idea” (Lupton, p. 14). The MSC uses this article in an attempt to tap into consumer values to persuade them to buy MSC-certified sustainable seafood because they may feel morally obligated to help protect the ocean's ecosystems and the Earth's environment.