Modern Advertisement Ad Based on Motivational research people behave emotionally. At a time of increasing mass production, under consumption is considered a danger. There are no logical reasons to prefer one brand over the other. To exploit the non-logical causes which underlie consumer decisions.

Modern Advertising A certain brand could thus create an image of power, masculinity, thrift, or whatever, by its presentation of the product and its advertising message. Marlboro became the leading cigarette brand by causing smokers to identify with the masculine cowboy.

Psychological Tricks “They laughed when I sat down at the piano-But when I started to play!..” Ad promised to teach piano playing quickly “No laborious scales– no heartless exercises– no tiresome practicing”.

Ads often are deceptive False implication: Stating something that is (usually) true while implying something that is false. “Washed with live steam”. Margarine: “Made from 100% Corn Oil”. Is it made from 100% Corn Oil and nothing else or that main ingredient is 100% Corn Oil (instead of partly soybean oil).

Ads often are deceptive Weasel words: Virtually, helps, fights. “Helps control dandruff with regular use”. “No one sells for less” means others sell for the same price.

Puffery is legal “By legal definition, puffery is advertising or other sales representations which praise the item to be sold with subjective opinions, superlatives, or exaggerations, vaguely and generally, stating no specific facts. It appears in best known slogans.

Puffery is legal Puffery is legal: “The world’s greatest newspaper”. “You can be sure if it’s Westinghouse”. “Toshiba; in touch with tomorrow”. “Come to where flavor is” (Marlboro).

Packard’s Criticism of Modern Advertising It encourages non-rational, impulsive spending. It plays on the weakness of the public. It manipulates people including children and encourages waste by instigating needless consumption.

Packard’s Criticism of Modern Advertising Manipulative advertising sub-ordinate truth to desire, playing on hidden psychological motivation, which is obtained by means that intrude on the depth of the human psyche and which are largely unrecognized even by those who are subject to them.

Packard’s Criticism of Modern Advertising Many women have been shown to prefer skin cream to soap, not because it makes them any cleaner, but because it offers a promise of beauty. Various types of car are designed, not for different kinds of use, but to enable owners to acquire, according to taste, self-images of aggression, affluence, pride, stability or youth.

Inform or Persuade: Some Theoretical Issues People are likely to be more contented if their psychological needs are met as well as their more rational ones. Increasing consumption is good for the economy, since it increases gross domestic product and employment.