The Birth of Consumerism Using new techniques and

The Birth of Consumerism • Using new techniques and psychological research, advertisers able to sell more products to more Americans • Ads focused on the desires and fears of Americans more than needs • Advertisers celebrated consumption; be the person you wanted to be just by buying the right product!

Marketing Techniques – Bandwagon – Everyone who is anyone is buying this product; don’t be the only one without it! Don’t be left out! – Testimonial – Important, well-known, and/or apparently “qualified” people testify that they use the product and so should you. – Statistics – Facts and figures are used to impress a consumer, even if the statistics are manipulated and/or have little or no meaning. – Sensory Appeal – Sounds or pictures that appeal to the senses are featured to promote the product.

Marketing Techniques – Humor – People tend to remember an advertisement if it makes them laugh (or feel good) and may purchase a product due to the positive association with it. – Transfer – Pop-culture celebrities, famous athletes, beautiful people and/or other “icons” are linked with products. Advertisers hope consumers will transfer “star” qualities to the product (and to themselves) by purchasing the item. – Nostalgia – Plain-folks, preferring back-to- nature, just the way grandma used to make it, back in the good old days; simple.

Examine the Ads For each advertisement… – What technique(s) are used? – What are the implications? – Why (why not) is the ad effective?