Tuesday, November 16

Hi everyone,

Today we will continue analyzing advertisements for persuasive techniques. Rather than looking at ethos, logos, and pathos, though, I have posted a list of more specific techniques companies use to persuade consumers. They use anything from the bandwagon technique (making you feel like everyone else is buying the product) to product comparison (comparing their product to an inferior product) to humor (focusing on making the audience laugh). I have tried to provide a variety of commercials that meet several of these techniques. Please choose four commercials to view and analyze. Much like yesterday, you will focus on the message, the target audience, the persuasive techniques used (from the list), and the effectiveness of the ad. For your commercial product, you will be required to use at least two of these techniques, so try to familiarize yourself with them now. I also want you to consider the implications of target audience. Yesterday, we looked at demographics, and today I want you to consider if advertisements are ever stereotypical in choosing their target audience. What are the implications of such stereotyping?

Persuasive Techniques in Advertising

Persuasive Technique	How It Is Used	Intended Effect
Bandwagon	Uses the argument that a person should believe or do something because “everybody else” does	Consumers buy the product because they want to fit in. Consumers assume that if others buy it, the product must be good.
Bait and Switch	Dishonest tactic in which a salesperson lures customers into a store with the promise of a bargain	Consumers are persuaded to buy a more expensive item.
Celebrity Spokesperson	Uses a celebrity or famous person to endorse a product	Consumers transfer admiration or respect for the celebrity to the product.
Emotional Appeals	Make viewers feel certain emotions, such as excitement sadness, or fear	Audience transfers that feeling to the product.
Glittering Generalities	Emphasizes highly valued beliefs, such as patriotism, sadness, or fear	Consumers accept this information, often without enough real evidence to support the claim.
Humor	Used to make audiences laugh, but provides little information about the product or service	Consumers remember the ad and associate positive feelings with the product.
Individuality	Appeals to consumers’ desire to be different from everyone else; the opposite of the bandwagon appeal	Consumers celebrate their own style, or rebel against what others are doing. Consumers perceive the product as unique, stylish, or cool.
Loaded Language	Uses words with positive or negative connotations to describe a product or that of the competitor – such as purr, snarl, or weasel words	The words appeal to consumers’ emotions, rather than their reason. Purr words, such as “fresh” or “juicy,” make a product seem more desirable.
Name-calling	Attacks people or groups to discredit their ideas	Consumers focus on the attack rather than the issues
Plain Folk	Shows ordinary people using or supporting a product or candidate	Consumers trust the product because it’s good enough for regular folks.
Product Comparison	Compares a product with the “inferior” competition	Consumers believe the feature product is superior.

Commercials:

AT&T: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QddkHo1X5qY

Snickers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rauK4fBjkI

Venus: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpOo26i7fgc

Old Spice: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owGykVbfgUE

Bounty: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rajbw2f2Rqg&feature=related

Publix: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgymlJ4mbgg

Doritos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rsEnwKrsvc