Intro to

Adve

rtising – D

efinitio

ns

and Tech

niques

EMS3O – Mr. R

ichard

s

What is Advertising?

• The act or practice of calling public attention to one's product, service, need, etc.

• Advertising communication is one-way.

• Not all advertising is “selling” something you can purchase – some ads sell ideas or viewpoints

Where do you find advertising?

Mass Media – Tools that deliver messages to lots of people

• TV

• Radio

• Magazine

• Internet

• Newspapers

• Others?

Where do you find advertising?

Targeted media – Tools that reach certain specific people

• Mailings

• E-Mail

• In-store announcements

• Billboards

• Buses

• Others?

Where do you find advertising?

Product Placement – Products themselves can act as advertising Products in movies T-shirt logos Vending machines Video Games Others?

Advertising at Work

Advertising has four jobs: Attention : grabbing the public’s attention Image : it must establish a unique image. Personality creating associations,

needs, and desires for this product Reassure : reassure consumers who’ve already bought the product to maintain

customer loyalty Persuade : persuade new customers to buy the product

How does advertising work?

Advertising works consciously

You already know you need something

Ads inform you of a product’s features, which you may find desirable

The next time you go to buy that item, you chose the brand you saw advertised

How does advertising work?

Advertising creates a new need

The ad starts by convincing you that you need something you didn’t know you needed before

Then the ad shows that their product will fill that need

How does advertising work?

Advertising works subconsciously

By creating a positive image or association in your brain, advertisers get you to “like” a product

The next time you shop, you unconsciously grab that product because of the positive association

Advertising Techniques

Advertising uses several different, distinct techniques to create that positive association

Most ads use several techniques at once

Advertising Techniques, cont.

1) Bandwagon

Everyone is doing it

The ad creates a positive connection by showing that the product/service/idea is widely used and widely accepted

Why would everyone be using it if it wasn’t the best?

Advertising Techniques, cont.

2) Plain Folks

Speak to people in plain and simple terms

The ad uses simple, common language, images, and content to appeal to the average person

Let me explain this to you in terms you would understand.

Advertising Techniques, cont.

3) Testimonial

Someone important or famous says you should buy our product

The ad uses a celebrity or expert that endorses the product or service, either directly or indirectly

You like or trust me, and I think the product is great.

Advertising Techniques, cont.

3) TestimonialOr…

Advertising Techniques, cont.4) Science/Statistics

These numbers prove you need our product

The ad uses science, scientific language, or statistics to prove their product is good

Even if you don’t understand what we’re talking about, we sound really smart and credible.

Advertising Techniques, cont.

5) TransferAssociating products with something you like or value

The ad couples the product with something desirable – sex appeal, humor, patriotism, sports, video games, whatever – so a positive feeling is created for the product

You like this, right? Then you’ll like our product, too.

Transfer Examples

• Emotional appeals are advertising techniques in which the advertiser tries to play up on the emotions of the audience, often in lieu of information that might appeal to an audience rationally.

• Think “The Century Of The Self”

Advertising Techniques, cont.6) Emotional Appeal (Hidden Fears)

The exploitation of an individual’s fears and insecurities.

Deodorant commercials

Diaper commercials

Emotional Appeal (Cont’d)

The attempt to turn negative evidence into something that the public will perceive positively.

Used a lot in political Ads.

Advertising Techniques, cont.

8) Spin

The use of vague terms to mislead the viewer into thinking the product is better than it really is.

Advertising Techniques, cont.

9) Weasel Words

"Helps control dandruff symptoms with regular use." The weasels include "helps control," and possibly even "symptoms" and "regular use." The claim is not "stops dandruff."

"Leaves dishes virtually spotless." We have seen so many ad claims that we have learned to tune out weasels. You are supposed to think "spotless," rather than "virtually" spotless.

"Only half the price of many color sets." "Many" is the weasel. The claim is supposed to give the impression that the set is inexpensive.

"Listerine fights bad breath." "Fights," not "stops."

"Lots of things have changed, but Hershey's goodness hasn't." This claim does not say that Hershey's chocolate hasn't changed.

Weasel Words Examples

• Music and other sound FX add to the excitement of commercials, especially commercials aimed at kids. Those little jingles, that you just can't get out of your head, are another type of music used to make you think of a product.

• Have you ever noticed that the volume of commercials is higher than the sound for the program that follows?

Advertising Techniques, cont. 10) Excitement (Music)

What’s the big deal?

Advertising affects all of us, whether we realize it or not. It affects…

What we spend our money onWhat we find to be “cool”What we find attractiveHow we view genders, races, and other stereotypesOur health, happiness, and well-beingHow we think people should actOur culture in general

So, How Should We Handle Advertising?

If you understand how an ad is supposed to work, you won’t be “tricked” into buying or believing things you don’t want to.

Throughout this unit, we will practice analyzing ads – we will try to figure out how they work and how they can affect you so you can make conscious choices.

HOW TO VIEW ADVERTISEMENTS – TIPS!

View the Ad as a whole, consider: Your first impression of the ad

Its overall look

The target audience

Determine the messageWhat atmosphere does it convey?

What people are in the ad?

Stereotypes? Body language?

Celebrity? Why use this person?

Is a story being told?

Does the content imply a certain lifestyle?

Determine the messageMessage - what the ad communicates about the product, our culture, men,

women, class, race, etc. This message can have several characteristics such as:

implicit – implied or strongly suggested though not plainly expressed

explicit – expressly stated or conveyed, leaving nothing implied – this part of the message is definite and clear

Examine the language used

Key words and phrases?

Claims?

What techniques are being used?

What emotional hooks are used?

Will you remember the product or slogan?

Social values?

What social attitudes are indirectly reflected in the ad?

OVERALL – ASK THESE QUESTIONS

Print advertising – Exercise

Go through the magazines provided by Mr. Richards and identify the following elements:

• Who is the target audience? How do you know?

• What is the message? Discuss both the messages that are explicit or directly stated, and also the messages that are implicit – not directly stated.

• Finally – identify the type of advertising technique being used. Explain how the technique is being used and finally, whether you think it’s effective or not.

• You’ll be presenting to the class next period – so make sure you have detailed notes and that you are prepared!

• /5 understanding /5 clarity of speech, presentation technique