Propaganda and Persuasive Techniques

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly Truth about the Way We Persuade

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Friday, March 23, 2012

Propaganda Techniques

1. Bandwagon—convincing people to follow the crowd; to do something because “everybody is doing it” or because “the popular people are doing it” (peer pressure)**When a credit card company quotes how many million people use their card

Gap Leather CommercialWendy’s Hole Commercial

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9m_X1Lm7dqo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Qd5UEfs4W8Friday, March 23, 2012

Propaganda Techniques

2. Emotional appeal—using descriptive words/images to appeal to your emotions (comfort, fear, happiness, pity, humor, etc.)

**All-State Insurance company persuades you to buy their insurance because “you’re in good hands with All-State”

Drugs Commercial Squirrel Commercial

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40kPEjZpM8Mhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nl5gBJGnaXs

Friday, March 23, 2012

Propaganda Techniques

3. Repetition—repeating an idea or the name of a product many times (can be spoken or written)

Meow Mix CommercialSafe Auto Commercial http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDIkpY6QsQUhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TW4JDi4hht4

Friday, March 23, 2012

Propaganda Techniques

4. Testimonial—when a famous person or public figure is used to promote or endorse a product

Cover Girl Commercial Queen LatifahChris Brown gum commercial

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XE_MPoFPbghttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enJbXlb4zqo

Friday, March 23, 2012

Propaganda Techniques

5. Name calling—criticizing or insulting a person, a product, or an idea, sometimes with no supporting evidence.

**When Prego spaghetti sauce says it’s thicker and more tasty than Ragu.

Quiznos CommercialMitt Romney GOP adhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c78vKtCsRR0&feature=relatedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZKejP1UOLo&feature=related

Friday, March 23, 2012

6. Bribery—gaining support for an idea or product by offering incentives (discounts, free items, etc.) **When an infomercial offers to sell you

not one HandyVac but TWO if you call within the next 10 minutes!

JC Penney Commercial McDonald’s dollar menu commercial

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0A9FeHnHpqQhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pwdht0iS2vQ 7

Propaganda Techniques

Friday, March 23, 2012

Propaganda Techniques

7. Faulty Cause & Effect—when you are led to believe that one event caused another even though there is no logical evidence **When a diet pill claims you can take the

pill and lose tons of weight. It takes more than a pill to lose weight!

Super Bowl Amp CommercialRed Bull commercial

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baunKIwqJuAhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxOSwl1p5RQ

Friday, March 23, 2012

8. Plain Folks—showing how a product (or person) easily relates to the common, everyday individual

Nissan CommercialObama Campaign Ad--Middle Class http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAXdDz98R8Ehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONM7148cTyc

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Propaganda Techniques

Friday, March 23, 2012

Persuasive Techniques

9. Logical appeal—using facts and evidence to appeal to your mind and logic (common sense)

**You want to buy a Swiffer Sweeper Vac because it fits into smaller spaces than a big vacuum cleaner

Ford F150 CommercialTruGreen commercial

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apeeFHBCyyo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2dlt67OSXs

Friday, March 23, 2012

10. Expert opinion—using an expert (professional) to promote an idea or product **When a doctor promotes a diet pill

or exercise machine or when a dentist promotes a mouthwash

Trident Commercial Restasis Commercial

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gf_Jk1zLisg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=852M2oUIvkQ 11

Persuasive Techniques

Friday, March 23, 2012

11. Rhetorical question—asking question you don’t expect to be answered because the audience already knows the answer.

Geico Elmer Fudd commercialCZ-USA commercial http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pBM6qhMnsw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgmSw6c587A

Persuasive Techniques

Friday, March 23, 2012

12. Allusion—using a reference to a famous person/character/idea from literature, art, mythology, movies, history, or TV

**Pepto Bismol’s commercial that features giant-sized figures of Paul Bunyan, Godzilla, and a Greek goddessIHop Lorax commercialMuppets Master Card commercial

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xe95nSs94ds&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PL886C6030A5E2D220http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GA1KpwnZF0 13

Persuasive Techniques

Friday, March 23, 2012

13. Statistics—using factual numbers, fractions, or percentages to emphasize the positive or negative aspects of a product, item, or idea

**A commercial to stop drunk driving lists how many people were killed by drunk drivers last year

Autism PSANo Child Hungry PSA 14

Persuasive Techniques

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WL9I8vcRaIg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RUYkzJio24

Friday, March 23, 2012