Basics of Propaganda

Propaganda

• What is propaganda?

• Why use propaganda?

• Examples

• Rules of follow

What is propaganda?

Propaganda is the material created by an organisation or government to promote a specific message. This material can be:

• Visual (Seen)

• Verbal (Heard)

• Written (Read)

You will be focusing on either Visual or Verbal propaganda

Visual Propaganda

Click icon to add picture

Why use visual propaganda?

• Easily accessible message – do not even have to be able to read to understand it.• Visual• Eye-catching• Simple

• Powerful message – you want to influence the viewer.• Bold• Clear• Memorable

Rules of Visual Propaganda

• Simple colour scheme has more impact – limit to four main colours at most

• Clear images focus the viewers attention – what is most important is biggest

• Clear and simple text, if any. It must be memorable – single words, phrases or short slogans

Lenin Poster

This poster does have more than four colours, but it only has two main colours black and red.

Here, Lenin stands looking left to right towards the bright white light of Soviet Russia’s future symbolised by its red flag.

Symbolically, we are being told that Lenin will continue to lead Russia into a bright future.

The slogan reads “Lenin was, Lenin is, Lenin will live!”

Cultural Revolution Poster

The simple graphic style of this poster with only three main colours and an eye catching design make it especially effective.

Mao is clearly the centre of attention being the source not only of his “thought” symbolised by the red book and repeated in the slogan “Long live Mao Zedong thought!” but also of enlightenment generally shown by him being placed at the centre of a huge sunburst.

Here he is a separate and special being not a whole human body but a huge smiling benevolent head.

Verbal Propaganda

Click icon to add picture

Why use verbal propaganda?

• Can convince through the speaker• Confidence of speaker making the speech• Body language and hand gestures• Direct interaction – responding to the mood of the

audience changing pitch tone and volume to be heard or for emphasis.

• Physical presence and body language play a role

• More persuasive - through the use of Rhetoric. (see the next slide)• Logos – appeal to logic and reason• Ethos – appeal to morality• Pathos – appeal to emotion

Rhetoric

Using these three techniques together ensures a good use of rhetoric and a persuasive argument.

• Logically (Logos)• Make a logical and reasoned argument which appeals to

the audience’s reason and makes sense

• Emotionally (Pathos)• Make a passionate and emotional appeal to the audience’s

feelings (this is often the most persuasive) because people tend to feel more strongly than they reason.

• Morally (Ethos)• Make an appeal to the audience’s sense of justice and

fairness

Rules Of Verbal Propaganda

• Be confident – confidence of the speaker will be reciprocated.

• Learn the speech.

• Be clear and vary pitch tone and volume – makes the message easier to understand and more interesting to listen to.

• Make a clear argument for your position –pick three main points and express them simply

• Repeat the points for emphasis.

Task

Using the question:

“What would the world be like under your rule?”

Imagine you are trying to introduce a new revolutionary government.

“How will you convince us to support this vision?”

Using visual or verbal propaganda produce either:

1. Design a poster on the theme of propaganda and present it. Explain the objective of the exercise and the intended outcome of the propaganda.

or

2. Write a speech taking the role of a character from a scene based on a movie, a book read or a fictional leader you have invented that is trying to persuade or convince the audience through feelings and emotion.