Persuasive Techniques used in Advertising What Consumers Should

Persuasive Techniques used in Advertising What Consumers Should Know

Purpose n To persuade you to: ¨ Buy something ¨ Think something ¨ Do something As a consumer, it is in your best interest to understand the techniques used by advertisers to get you to buy their products

Bandwagon n Comes from the phrase “getting on the bandwagon” which means “going along with the crowd” n Makes the appeal that “everyone else is doing it, and so should you. ” n Used to convince people to join the crowd so they are not left behind

Questions to Ask n What is the ad trying to get me to do? n What is the evidence for and against jumping on the bandwagon? n Even though others are supporting it, why should I?

Bandwagon Examples

Appeal to Emotion n The advertiser tries to play on the emotions of the audience, often in place of information that might appeal to an audience rationally n Can appeal to several emotions including sentiment & fear

Questions to Ask n What is the ad trying to sell? n What emotion does the ad make me feel? n Is it logical for me to purchase the product or is my emotion swaying me?

Appeal to Emotion Examples

Testimonial n A public figure or a celebrity promotes or endorses a product n Effective because you feel like you can trust the words of the celebrity or expert

Questions to Ask n Who is quoted in this testimonial? n Why should I regard this person as an expert or trust this testimony? n Is there merit to the idea or product without the testimony?

Testimonial Examples

Repetition n Using repeated messages or pictures to persuade. The image can be repeated and/or the ad may be run repeatedly. n Effective because you remember things that you have seen more than once

Questions to Ask n What is being repeated? n Why is the image being repeated? n Does the repetition serve a logical purpose other than persuading me to buy the product?

Repetition Examples

Transfer n Using images to evoke positive feelings in order to persuade n Effective because you transfer the feeling you associate with a picture to feelings about a product n Symbols are often used in transfer ads

Questions to Ask n What is the ad trying to sell? n What is the meaning of the symbol used in the ad? n Is there a real connection between the suggestion made by the ad and the product? n Is there merit in the ad by itself (without the transfer technique)?

Transfer Examples