persuasive techniques in media by: ms. hambleton and mr. sebek
TRANSCRIPT
Persuasive Techniques in Media
By: Ms. Hambleton and Mr. Sebek
Two Main Types… Emotional Techniques – focus on
getting you to WANT something. Plays on your emotions, desires, and ideals – buying with your heart
Rational Techniques – focus on what you NEED. Plays on rational arguments – buying with your mind
Most commercials will use a combination of BOTH techniques.
Emotional Techniques
Purr Words Choosing words that positively
influence the audience of an item or issue.
Voice and tone are positive Example: Is a hamburger juicy or
greasy? Is a government program an investment or a waste?
What other examples can you think of?
Repetition Ideas repeated over and over and
over and over and over and over again!
Can come in form of musical tune (jingle), logo, slogan, or mascot
Getting the idea stuck in your head! Examples: McDonald’s “I’m lovin it!”
“Eat Mor’ Chikin!” Can you think of other examples?
Humor
The use of funny situations, comments or jokes to convince the buyer to purchase the product
Makes it memorable GEICO, cell phone commercials, Jack
in the Box ads Can you think of any other examples?
Celebrity Endorsement The use of a celebrity to sell a
product. The viewer wants to be like the
celebrity and thinks that by buying the product, they will be more like him or her.
Examples: Milk Ads, Air Jordans, Toby Keith and Ford trucks
Can you think of any others?
Expert Testimonials
Because someone is an expert, you are willing to believe what they say
Examples: Golden Globe winners (movies), doctors recommending certain medications
What products are you most likely to buy based on expert testimonial?
Individual Testimonial/Anecdote
Anecdote – plain people say it is good, so it must be good
Uses REAL people, not actors! Examples: Diet commercials,
Church’s Chicken “I know what good is”.
What others do you know?
Emotional Appeal
An appeal to fear or anger to sway the audience. May also add climax or excitement (negative emotions)
Uses images and dramatic situation Examples: Starving children in Africa
commercials, Pet adoption commercials
What else can you come up with it?
Snob Appeal
Plays on the idea of individuality, being better than everyone else
Examples: Lexus ads, Gucci, Rolex What other ideas can you come up
with?
Bandwagon
PEER PRESSURE – everybody wants to do it, so you should too!
Peer Pressure can be POSITIVE!! Examples: anti-drug commercials,
clothing lines/brands, new show hype Where do you see bandwagon used in
advertising?
Word of Mouth
“grapevine” talk; gossip Advertising something through talking
with friends, etc. Example: gossip magazines, movies,
clothing, food What is the latest word on The Jonas
Brothers?
Rational Techniques
Factual
The use of facts to sell a product or idea
Facts cannot be disputed but may not tell the whole story
Audience is overwhelmed with information
Example: car commercials, anti-drug commercials, medicines
Statistics Statistics—deals with collection,
analysis and presentation of masses of numerical data
Use of statistics to persuade audience to buy product or idea
Use of NUMBERS to sell an item (percentages, ratios, etc.)
Sometimes one-sided Example: drug ads, toothpaste ads
Bargaining Creating situations where the viewer
feels he must make a decision quickly Attempting to create an impulse buy,
creating a “good deal” “But Wait! There’s More!” “Order within the next 10 minutes
and…” Examples: Infomercials, CD
collections, coupons, sales papers
Group Activity In groups of three: use magazines
and/or newspapers to find examples of both EMOTIONAL and RATIONAL techniques
Cut out:3 examples of emotional techniques2 examples of rational techniques
Paste onto chart paper and label the techniques being used.