Can You Be Persuaded?

Smart ConsumersSmart Consumers

Recognize persuasive techniques andRecognize persuasive techniques and

Look for Loaded LanguageLook for Loaded Language

Can you be persuaded? Everywhere you look these days, you see an advertisement Everywhere you look these days, you see an advertisement

for something…for something… BillboardsBillboards MagazinesMagazines NewspapersNewspapers TelevisionTelevision Movie trailersMovie trailers

Don’t think of these things as literature? THEY ARE! Don’t think of these things as literature? THEY ARE! Even a TV commercial had to be written down sometime!Even a TV commercial had to be written down sometime! And all of these ads have the same purposeAnd all of these ads have the same purpose

Did you know?

Advertisers spend about $200 billion a year on Advertisers spend about $200 billion a year on TV advertising TV advertising

The average cost for Super Bowl ads is $2.6 The average cost for Super Bowl ads is $2.6 million per 30 second spotmillion per 30 second spot

The average American watches about 24,000 TV The average American watches about 24,000 TV commercials a year commercials a year

http://television-commercial.net/http://television-commercial.net/

How do they do it?

Propaganda – Propaganda – information, ideas, or information, ideas, or rumors deliberately  rumors deliberately  spread widely to spread widely to help or harm a person,help or harm a person,group, movement,  group, movement,  institution, nation,etc.institution, nation,etc.

Loaded Language Words that are Words that are

emotionally “charged” to emotionally “charged” to cause a reaction. cause a reaction.

Often adjectives – words Often adjectives – words that describe nouns.that describe nouns.

Tell us which one, what Tell us which one, what kind, or how many.kind, or how many.

Slogan

SloganSlogan: A memorable : A memorable phrase used in a campaign phrase used in a campaign or a series of commercials. or a series of commercials.

Viewers remember the Viewers remember the slogan and associate it with slogan and associate it with the product. Some become the product. Some become a part of everyday languagea part of everyday language

Advertisers can also Advertisers can also use this negatively, use this negatively, to make you worry to make you worry that you’ll lose that you’ll lose friends if you don’t friends if you don’t use a certain use a certain product.product.

Ex: Join the Pepsi Ex: Join the Pepsi Generation!Generation!

Encourages you to Encourages you to be a part of what be a part of what everybody else is everybody else is supposedly doing.supposedly doing.

Uses our natural Uses our natural attraction to attraction to beautiful people to beautiful people to attract us to the attract us to the product.product.

Consumers want to Consumers want to be beautiful too, so be beautiful too, so shouldn’t we use shouldn’t we use the same products the same products as beautiful people?as beautiful people?

Comparing two Comparing two similar products similar products with one always with one always being superior.being superior.

Ex: Tide laundry Ex: Tide laundry detergent vs. detergent vs. Brand XBrand X

k Appeals to the Appeals to the

general public by general public by saying that the saying that the people in the ads people in the ads are the same as are the same as you.you.

Associates product Associates product with “normal” way with “normal” way of doing things.of doing things.

Ex: Choosy Moms Ex: Choosy Moms choose Jif (Peanut choose Jif (Peanut Butter).Butter).

Click on the Hamburger Helper box to watch a “Common Folk” ad

Escape Getting away Getting away

from it all is very from it all is very appealing.appealing.

Pictures and Pictures and thoughts that thoughts that help you imagine help you imagine adventures you adventures you cannot really cannot really have.have.

littering Generalities Using attractive Using attractive

words without words without mentioning mentioning details. details.

Ex: McDonald’s, Ex: McDonald’s, I’m Lovin’ It!I’m Lovin’ It!

(I’m lovin’ (I’m lovin’ what?)what?)

Nurture Associates products Associates products

with taking care of with taking care of or loving someone or loving someone or something.or something.

Every time you see Every time you see an animal or a an animal or a child, it appeals to child, it appeals to your paternal (dad) your paternal (dad) or maternal (mom) or maternal (mom) instincts.instincts.

Scientific/Statistical Claim

Provides some Provides some sort of scientific sort of scientific proof or proof or experiment, very experiment, very specific specific numbers, or an numbers, or an impressive- impressive- sounding sounding ingredient.ingredient.

Testimonial/ Celebrity Endorsement

Associates product use Associates product use with a well-known with a well-known person or a person who person or a person who seems trustworthy.seems trustworthy.

Consumer led to Consumer led to believe that he/she will believe that he/she will become more like become more like spokesperson.spokesperson.

Will wearing Nikes help Will wearing Nikes help Muster play better b-Muster play better b-ball? Doubtful! ball? Doubtful!

This can also be a testimonial ifhe/she claims touse the product.