A further emotional appeal is from the empty white space around the boy that makes it look like he is in some kind of institution, unloved and uncared for. There are no cozy curtains or flowers that a home might have and wherever he is, poor thing, it must be cold because he’s huddled over and hugging himself for warmth.

But this ad’s poor boy image sneakily ties in an unconventional element of orphan life--cereal. Any loving mother would never orphan her kid or allow him to shiver but eat cereal?  Quaker hopes to put a guilt trip on parents who feed their kids cereal.   The ad suggests, "Cereal? That’s what shivering orphan boys eat, surely you can do better."

Besides pathos, the ad uses ethos to pose oatmeal as a feel-good choice over "cold, cold, cold" cereal.

In order to discredit many families default breakfast choice, the ad begins to build a strong association between "cold" and "cereal."  They use wintry language "chilly," "Brrrrr," "cold" (their favorite, used nine times) and shivering words: "c-c-c-cold," "b-b-b-body,l" "k-k-k-kid" to convince that "cold cereal’s cold" and an absurd breakfast choice in winter (which is when this ad was run).

Having vilified cereal, the ad then shows the better choice--oatmeal.  In contrast with cereal, the ad associates oatmeal with warmth. Unlike the cereal, Quaker Oats are "steamy," "hot," and "warm going down."