Why We Sometimes Buy Lame Things that Look Cool on TV

Ms. Tuohy

Advertising Appeals

• Ploys used by companies to try and make consumers buy their product

• Tie the product to a good feeling

List of Appeals

• Image• Bandwagon• Testimonial• Plain folks• Name calling• Fun• Romance

Image

• Buying this product will improve your image• The people in the ad are “cool” because they

use this product

Image Commercial

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsCA43ECe4Y

Bandwagon

• Everyone uses this product, you should too

• Similar to image, but not just “cool” people

• May say it or simply show it

Bandwagon Commercial

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-zG4P2wehE&feature=PlayList&p=4CC0F6415CD51AC4&playnext_from=PL&playnext=1&index=1

Testimonial

• This celebrity/famous person likes this product, so should you

• Endorsements

Testimonial Commercial

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqL9MjPnxBA

Plain Folks

• These people are normal just like you and they use this product

• The opposite of testimonial

Plain Folks Commercial

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYEXzx-TINc&feature=related

Name calling

• Our product is better then the one our competitor makes

• May skew numbers

Name Calling Commercial

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4deRX-V5DM

Fun

• This product will make you have more fun

• Commercials for toys

Fun Commercial

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDd2xiZWUvE

Romance

• This product will make someone love you more

• Popular for teenagers and young adults

Romance Commercial

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgfzdgWgEZ4

Why is this important?

• Knowing the appeals helps identification• May help you see through to the actual

product• May help understand why some products are

so much more expensive then products from competitors

Activity

• Form groups of 2 or 3, each one will get an appeal• You will have a few minutes to come up with a

commercial that will fit the appeal. • After presenting the commercial, you must also

talk about why you chose that product and how it connects to the appeal

• Ex. The Fun appeal may choose a kid’s toy because it will convince the kid that the toy will help them have more fun during playtime.

Homework

• Find a commercial with one of these appeals• Write a one page paper– Describe the commercial– Talk about the appeal– Discuss why that appeal was used