Persuasive Techniques

Persuasive TechniquesHow the Advertisers

Hook You

Bandwagon• Stresses popularity of

the product

• Viewers buy because they want to fit in

• If everyone’s buying it, it must be good

“…everyone wants to be a pepper,

too”

Testimonial or Celebrity Endorsement

• Picture or statement from a famous person

• Viewers associate the product with the celebrity

• Viewers like the product because they like the celebrity

Tiger says, “Buy it from Nike!”

Transfer• Associating love, respect or

admiration we have for a person or symbol, and transferring it to a product.

• Viewers transfer the feeling for the symbol to the product

• Viewers think if they buy the product, they’ll get the feelings associated with it

Transfer examples

• Put a picture of a flag on a company logo or package product feel patriotic; buy American and support the troops

• Car ad shows cute girl in the passenger seat buy the car, get the girl, too.

• Soap ad under a waterfall feel cool and fresh

From the official Chevy website

Ad for Super-Chevy magazine subscription

Purr Words…glittering generalities

• Words have no specific meaning, but sound good

• Words make product seem more desirable

• Words appeal to emotion rather than reason

Ad for a dandruff shampoo called Nozoral

Emotional Appeal

• Commercials are designed to trigger certain emotions

• If viewers feel good about the commercial, they’ll feel good about the product

Excerpts from a Hallmark Commercial

Girl is late for music lesson…

knows it’s her grumpy teacher’s birthday, so she writes him a card…

Grumpy teacher can’t stay grumpy when he reads the sweet card….

Girl is happy she made him smile…

Everyone feels good!

Product comparison --cardstacking

• All facts and figures support one product and not the other

• Viewers question the quality of the other product

• Viewers believe the featured product is better

OUR BRAND BRAND X

X FRESH X

X TASTES GREAT X

X WHITENS NO

X BRIGHTENS NO

Name-Calling• Give someone or

something a ‘bad name’ so others will dislike him or it

• Viewers will dislike and distrust the person/product

• Viewers question the value / honesty / worth of the person or product

Plain Folk or Elitism

• Ads appeal to the common man or to the rich/elite

• Viewers think the ad/politician can relate to them because they are like them

• Viewers want to be elite, so they buy the product.

“Pardon me, would you have any Grey Poupon?”

Repetition• Commercial features

words or images that are stated or shown over and over again.

• Viewers will be more likely to remember the product.

Meow, meow, meow, meow, meow, meow, meow, meow…

Meow, meow, meow, meow, meow, meow, meow, meow…

Security (fear)• Draws on viewers

fears by telling them their jobs or lives are in danger

• Makes viewers feel unsafe

• Viewers believe product will protect them.

This could happen to YOU!

Slogan• “A memorable phrase is used in a

campaign, or a series of commercials for a product or company.

• Viewers remember the slogan and associate it with the product.

• Effective slogans can become part of everyday language.

Things go better with Coke!

You deserve a break today, so get up and get away

to McDonald’s…

Be All that You Can Be --- In the Army

One Thou-sand Points of Light…

Just Do It!

got milk?

ReviewPersuasiveTechniques

Bandwagon• Stresses popularity of

the product

• Viewers buy because they want to fit in

• If everyone’s buying it, it must be good

Testimonial or Celebrity Endorsement

• Picture or statement from a famous person

• Viewers associate the product with the celebrity

• Viewers like the product because they like the celebrity

Transfer• Associating love, respect or

admiration we have for a person or symbol, and transferring it to a product.

• Viewers transfer the feeling for the symbol to the product

• Viewers think if they buy the product, they’ll get the feelings associated with it

Purr Words…glittering generalities

• Words have no specific meaning, but sound good

• Words make product seem more desirable

• Words appeal to emotion rather than reason

Emotional Appeal

• Commercials are designed to trigger certain emotions

• If viewers feel good about the commercial, they’ll feel good about the product

Product comparison --cardstacking

• All facts and figures support one product and not the other

• Viewers question the quality of the other product

• Viewers believe the featured product is better

Name-Calling• Give someone or

something a ‘bad name’ so others will dislike him or it

• Viewers will dislike and distrust the person/product

• Viewers question the value / honesty / worth of the person or product

Plain Folk or Elitism

• Ads appeal to the common man or to the rich/elite

• Viewers think the ad/politician can relate to them because they are like them

• Viewers want to be elite, so they buy the product.

Repetition• Commercial features

words or images that are stated or shown over and over again.

• Viewers will be more likely to remember the product.

Security (fear)• Draws on viewers

fears by telling them their jobs or lives are in danger

• Makes viewers feel unsafe

• Viewers believe product will protect them.

Slogan• “A memorable phrase is used in a

campaign, or a series of commercials for a product or company.

• Viewers remember the slogan and associate it with the product.

• Effective slogans can become part of everyday language.

DON’T TAKE THE BAIT!

Don’t let advertisers hook you….

THINK BEFORE YOU SPEND!