PROP

AGAN

DA

What is Propaganda?• Information, ideas or rumors deliberately

spread to help or to harm a person, a group, or a movement

• Advertises a cause, organization, or movement and attacks its opponents

• Anything that is meant to convince you to feel or to act in a certain way

• Created to shape public opinion • Targets a specific audience

Common Propaganda Traits

• Truths• Bias• Half-truths• Lies • Selective omissions• Simplification of complex issues or ideas • Play on emotions • Symbols• Images• Words• Music

Name-Calling Uses derogatory language or words

that carry a negative connotation when describing an enemy

Attempts to arouse prejudice among the public by labeling the target something that the public dislikes

Opposite of glittering generalities

Name-Calling

Glittering Generalities• Linking a person or a product to

positive symbols, values or ideals• Opposite of name-calling

• Examples: democracy, family, ideals, peace, freedom, the common good, honor, glory, love, quality

Glittering Generalities

Transfer• Transferring blame or bad feelings

from one group of people to another

• Linking the authority or prestige of something people respect and revere to the thing/idea/person being promoted

Transfer

• Example: “American Flag”– Many Americans respect the

American Flag– Leaders frequently pose in front

of a flag– They are trying to transfer that

respect onto themselves

Testimonial•Quotations or endorsements which attempt to connect a well-known or respectable person with a product or ideal with the intent to better “sell” the product or ideal•When a celebrity, public figure, or expert promotes or endorses a product, idea, or candidate

Testimonial

Plain Folks• An attempt to convince the public

that his or her views reflect those of the “common person”

• Attempting to convince the audience that somebody is “of the people”—that he/she is “just like you”

• The candidate tries to appear to be working for the benefit of the “common person”

Plain Folks• This guy is just a regular guy…• He likes what you like, his life is a lot

like yours…• He’s just a normal person, JUST LIKE

YOU!• YOU SHOULD VOTE FOR HIM!

Snob Appeal• Something that appeals to a sense of

luxury• Rich and proud of it!

• Example: You don’t deserve anything less than NORDSTROM!

Snob Appeal

Bandwagon• An appeal to the subject to follow the

crowd• Tries to convince the subject that one

side is the winning side and that winning is inevitable

• Appeals to a person’s desire to be on the winning side

• Makes the claim that “Everybody else is doing it, and so should you!

Bandwagon

Fear• Playing off of people’s deepest fears• Warning the audience that disaster

will result if you don’t do things this way

Logical Fallacies•An argument that sounds as if it makes sense but the premises given for the conclusion do not provide proper support for the argument•Bad Logic: putting together two or more facts to make a faulty conclusion•Unreasonable Predictions: making HUGE predictions about the future based on only a few facts

Logical Fallacies• Example:• Samantha is a vegetarian.• Samantha plays soccer.• All soccer players are vegetarians.

• Example: o Teenagers‘cell phone use is at an all time

high and growingo If this keeps up, teenagers in America will

not know how to have a normal, in-person conversation with anyone.

Beautiful People / Sex Appeal

• Uses good looking models or sexual tension to attract our attention

• Tries to make you believe that if you use this product, or way of thinking, you are more beautiful and more sensual

• Kia

Bribery / Special Offer• Promises to give us something else

or something in return • Tries to “sweeten” the deal

• Examples: discounts, rebates, coupons, “free gifts,” sales, special offers, contests, sweepstakes

Humor• Uses humor to grab our attention• Makes us feel good• Includes transfer of the “feel good”

to the product

• Evian

Flattery• Persuaders love to flatter their

intended audience.• Flattery works because we like

to be praised and we tend to believe people we like or people that like us.

• Examples: You know a good deal when you see one! You deserve it! You work hard for a living!

Rhetorical Question• Questions designed to get us to

agree with the speaker• The answer is obvious agreement

• Examples: Do you want quick relief from headache pain? Should we leave our nation vulnerable to terrorist attacks?

Slippery Slope• Argues against an idea because it is the first

step down a slippery slope towards something the target audience obviously opposes

• Not that there's anything wrong with A, mind you, but A will lead to B and then C, and before you know it we'll be up to our armpits in Z.

• Example: If we allow politicians to ban sugary drinks in schools then what is to say they won’t ban them for adults, or disband fast food completely!

Urgency• Creates the impression that

you have to act fast• Plays on our emotions and

fears of missing out• Examples: Act now! Supplies

are limited! Everything must go! Order now and receive this free toaster oven!

Happy Family/American Dream

• The idea that the nuclear family is superior

• A national idea of success and happiness

What Kind is It?

What Kind is It?• Vacation

What Kind is It?

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What Kind is It?• National Debt

What Kind is It?

What Kind is It?• “My roommate said her philosophy class was

hard, and the one I’m in is hard, too. All philosophy classes must be hard!”

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• AT&T

What Kind Is It?The pigs take the milk and apples

because “Science” proves that they need them

What Kind Is It?If the pigs don’t get apples and milk,

they won’t be able to think straight, and JONES WILL COME BACK!!!

What Kind Is It?Four legs good! Two legs bad!

What Kind Is It?“Ribbons should be considered clothes,

which are the mark of a human being.”

What Kind Is It?After hearing that “All animals go

naked,”Boxer throws away his straw hat…