Persuasion Techniques Essential Question: How do advertisers shape my ideas about a product? How can I be an informed consumer? Learning Goals: Evaluate an argument, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and evidence is relevant (ELAGSE9-10RI8) Recognize irrelevant evidence (ELAGSE9-10RI8) Analyze the purpose of information presented in diverse media formats and evaluate motives (ELAGSE9-10L2) Real-Life application: I will understand how I am being persuaded. I will be able to differentiate between logos, ethos, and pathos in persuasive claims. Interactive Notebook: Be sure that you are taking notes in your IN. Use your colored pencils to set apart certain key words and phrases, as well as to make connections.
Rhetorical Strategies
Four qualities that make a good ad: 1. Attracts attention: attractive COLORS, BOLD HEADINGS, and pictures 2. Arouses interest: good word choice 3. Creates desire: uses propaganda techniques to make you believe you want it or need it 4. Causes action: gets results. Sells the product to the targeted audience.
Repetition Repeating a thought, idea, jingle, or image Audience can generally recite the jingle because they have heard it so often What is mLife?
Pathos: Snob Appeal A play on our desire for fancy things and the "good life". Jewelry, expensive cars, perfumes, designer clothing and accessories are often marketed using snob appeal. De Beers: A Diamond is Forever
Pathos: Emotional Appeal Images or words that appeal to the audience’s emotion Can play on the audience’s emotions of guilt and anger—propelling them to take action Can also create a memorable commercial with humor
Pathos: Bandwagon Winning Crowd The “In Crowd” Being Left Out People’s desire to be associated with a winner Winner must appeal to target audience The “In Crowd” Makes you feel like part of the elite Being Left Out Power of peer pressure Emphasis is on negative emotion Undesirable Traits Focus on what the target audience finds undesirable Young vs. Old
Pathos: Transfer Use of symbols and images to link one product to something that the audience either loves/respects or fears/hates Used often in politics
Ethos: Testimony Celebrity endorses a product Sponsorships are dependent on celebrity actions—Michael Vick Can also apply to commercials that use a popular celebrity that people will recognize and associate with their product
Ethos: Plain Folks Shows that a product can be used by ‘plain folks’ Suggests that the product is a practical product of good value for ordinary people Target audience: often moms
Logos: Logical Appeal Smarten up! Appeals to a person’s sense of logic—it just makes sense to do this/buy this. Often used in conjunction with plain folks “If you are smart, you’ll …”
Write the type of persuasion technique used. Explain your answer. Try the new Whopper at Burger King. The new Whopper is everything a burger should be. The new Whopper can make you so happy. Try the new Whopper today. By giving just $5 a day, you can feed a starving, miserable family in Africa for a week. Michael Jordan wears Nike and he says that they are the best shoe for athletic performance. Ford is introducing a new car to its customers. They state that all the people in Europe are driving these cars and love them! The end of the commercial asks, “Have you driven a Ford lately?” Donate $5000 to the food bank and gain entry to the most exclusive New Year’s party, with all the rich and famous people in the city. testimony, emotional appeal, bandwagon, transfer, snob appeal, repetition