Advertising and Persuasive Techniques

History of Advertising

• The word “advertise” originally meant “to announce.”

• Common “advertisements” prior to the industrial revolution included:– Price lists– Printed local announcements

History of Advertising

• Before Industrial Revolution:– Limited competition among competitors– Supply and demand were in balance

• After Industrial Revolution:– Supply is greater than demand, which means

companies need a way to get rid of their supply– This results in advertising to try to get consumers

to buy stuff.

Persuasive Techniques

• If companies have to get rid of all their supply, how do they get YOUR attention and YOUR money???

Persuasive Techniques

1. BANDWAGON: “Everyone is doing it” or “all the cool people are doing it.” This technique is designed to make you feel left out or uncool if you do not own the product.

Persuasive Techniques

BANDWAGON: How many people even live on Earth…?

Persuasive Techniques

2. PLAIN FOLKS: The suggestion that the product is a practical product for ordinary people, OR “ordinary” people are giving testimonials for this product.

Persuasive Techniques

PLAIN FOLKS: Jared was a “regular” guy who decided to eat Subway everyday!

Persuasive Techniques

3. CELEBRITIES: Famous people endorsing a product usually works to get the audience’s attention!

Persuasive Techniques

4. BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE: This technique uses good-looking models (who may also be celebrities) to attract our attention. This leads consumers to believe that if we use the product, we will look like the people in the advertisement.

Persuasive Techniques

BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE

Persuasive Techniques

5. EXPERTS: Scientists, doctors, professors, and other professionals who give credibility to the product being sold.

Persuasive Techniques

6. WEASEL WORDS: Words that suggest a positive meaning without actually making any guarantee.

Examples: A soap leaves dishes virtually spotless. Only half the price of many HD televisions.

Persuasive Techniques

WEASEL WORDS

Persuasive Techniques

WEASEL WORDS

Persuasive Techniques

7. BRIBERY: This technique offers you something “extra,” like buy one get one free, or getting a coupon or discount with a purchase.

Persuasive Techniques

8. ASSOCIATION: Advertisement that creates a strong emotional response and then associates that feeling with a brand.

Persuasive Techniques

9. RHETORICAL QUESTION: Questions designed to get the audience to agree with the speaker. These questions are used to build trust before the ad gives a sales pitch.

Persuasive Techniques

RHETORICAL QUESTION

Persuasive Techniques

• What are some other ways that companies try to get you to buy their products?

Persuasive Techniques

What technique is being used in this ad?

Persuasive Techniques

• What technique is being used in this ad?

Persuasive Techniques

• What technique is being used in this ad?

Persuasive Techniques

• Which of these techniques do you think is the most effective? Which is the least? Why?