Persuasive Techniques in Advertising Bandwagon The suggestion that

Persuasive Techniques in Advertising

Bandwagon �The suggestion that you should join the crowd or be on the winning side by using a product. The ad persuades you by making you believe you might get left behind or be the only person without the product if you don’t purchase it. �Examples: �Pepsi Max “I’m Good” �Pedigree “Adoption Drive”

Glittering Generalities �Emphasizes highly valued beliefs, such as patriotism, peace, family values or freedom with such claims as “All American” or “New and Improved” �Example: �Pedigree “Doggie Dentures” �Chevy

Transfer �Positive words, images, and ideas are used to suggest that the product being sold is also positive. �Example: �Coca Cola “Pinicquot” �Mc. D’s

Testimonial �Uses a celebrity or “everyday people” to endorse a product. �Examples: �Bridgestone “Taters” �Chrysler “Eminem”

Fear �Uses scare tactics to get consumers to purchase a product or take action. �AT&T: http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=92 k. PKb. XHqss &feature=relmfu

Time Crunch �Creating the impression that action is required immediately or the opportunity will be gone forever. �Automax: http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=ptx. Zs 8 ku 63 Y

Card Stacking (Semantic Slanting) Advertisers change the way they say something to make it sound more positive. They may twist their language so that their message is said in a way that puts them in a better light. On this cereal box, Frosted Flakes claims to be a good source of vitamin D, but if you read the label, you might be surprised.

Notice the cereal alone only contains 10% of your daily value of vitamin D. Do you consider Frosted Flakes to be a good source if you are only receiving 10% of your daily intake? If you add ½ cup of vitamin D milk, it raises the value to 25%. What is the “REAL” good source of vitamin D?

Card Stacking (Semantic Slanting) �Another example could be on packaging for foods, when they say "90% fat-free" because that sounds much more appealing than saying, "10% fat", even though they mean the exact same thing. Can you spot semantic slanting in this popular fruit drink?

Determine the Persuasive Technique � Who appears in the ad? �The people who appear in the ad often reflect the target audience or whom they admire. (Testimonials) � Does the ad appeal to emotion or to logic? �Some ads appeal to the audience’s emotions, such as pity, fear, or vanity. (Bandwagon, Fear, Time Crunch) �Some ads appeal to viewers’ emotions of happiness or nostalgia. (Transfer, Glittering Generalities) �Some ads use humor. � What language is used? Every word in an ad counts � words—such as “tasty” and “sensational”—can make a product seem more desirable. (Glittering Generalities) � Does the slogan stick? �The best slogans are memorable and create an “image” of the product.

Guess the Technique!