Advertising – Definitions and Techniques

What is Advertising? The act or practice of calling public attention to one's product, service, need, etc.

Where do you find advertising? Mass Media – Tools that deliver messages to lots of people TV Radio Magazines Internet Newspapers Others?

Targeted media – Tools that reach certain specific people Mailings Email In-store announcements Billboards Buses Websites

Advertising at Work Advertising has four jobs: Attention : grabbing the public’s attention Image : it must establish a unique image. Personality creating associations, needs, and desires for this product Reassure : reassure consumers who’ve already bought the product to maintain customer loyalty Persuade : persuade new customers to buy the product

1) Bandwagon Everyone is doing it The ad creates a positive connection by showing that the product/service/idea is widely used and widely accepted Bandwagon Example

2) Plain Folks The ad uses simple, common language, images, and content to appeal to the average person

3) Testimonial The ad uses a celebrity or expert that endorses the product or service, either directly or indirectly Testimonial Example

4) Science/Statistics The ad uses science, scientific language, or statistics to prove their product is good

5) Transfer The ad couples the product with something desirable – sex appeal, humor, patriotism, sports, video games, whatever – so a positive feeling is created for the product

Transfer Examples

6) Emotional Appeal (Hidden Fears) the advertiser tries to play up on the emotions of the audience, often in lieu of information that might appeal to an audience rationally. Emotional Appeal Example

7) Repetition The constant statement of an idea to fix the image of a product in the audience’s mind. Could be Audio Audio Visual

8) IDEAL Family/Kids Represent the ideal family or kids that you want or want to be Ideal Family/Kids

9) Weasel Words The use of vague terms to mislead the viewer into thinking the product is better than it really is. Weasel Words

Weasel Words Examples "Helps control dandruff symptoms with regular use." The weasels include "helps control," and possibly even "symptoms" and "regular use." The claim is not "stops dandruff." "Leaves dishes virtually spotless." We have seen so many ad claims that we have learned to tune out weasels. You are supposed to think "spotless," rather than "virtually" spotless. "Only half the price of many color sets." "Many" is the weasel. The claim is supposed to give the impression that the set is inexpensive. "Lots of things have changed, but Hershey's goodness hasn't." This claim does not say that Hershey's chocolate hasn't changed.

10) Excitement (Music) music and other sound effects add to the excitement of commercials, especially commercials aimed at kids. Excitement

What’s the big deal? Advertising affects all of us, whether we realize it or not. It affects… What we spend our money on What we find to be “cool” What we find attractive How we view genders, races, and other stereotypes Our health, happiness, and well-being How we think people should act Our culture in general

How Should We Handle Advertising? If you understand how an ad is supposed to work, you won’t be “tricked” into buying or believing things you don’t want to. We will practice analyzing ads – we will try to figure out how they work and how they can affect you so you can make conscious choices.