Can You Be Persuaded? Smart Consumers Recognize persuasive techniques and Look for Loaded Language

Can you be persuaded? Everywhere you look these days, you see an advertisement for something… Everywhere you look these days, you see an advertisement for something…  Billboards  Magazines  Newspapers  Television  Movie trailers Don’t think of these things as literature? THEY ARE! Don’t think of these things as literature? THEY ARE! Even a TV commercial had to be written down sometime! Even a TV commercial had to be written down sometime! And all of these ads have the same purpose And all of these ads have the same purpose

Did you know? Advertisers spend about $200 billion a year on TV advertising Advertisers spend about $200 billion a year on TV advertising The average cost for Super Bowl ads is $2.6 million per 30 second spot The average cost for Super Bowl ads is $2.6 million per 30 second spot The average American watches about 24,000 TV commercials a year The average American watches about 24,000 TV commercials a yearhttp://television-commercial.net/

How do they do it? Propaganda – information, ideas, or rumors deliberately spread widely to help or harm a person, group, movement, institution, nation,etc.

Loaded Language Words that are emotionally “charged” to cause a reaction. Often adjectives – words that describe nouns. Tell us which one, what kind, or how many.

Slogan Slogan: A memorable phrase used in a campaign or a series of commercials. Viewers remember the slogan and associate it with the product. Some become a part of everyday language

Advertisers can also use this negatively, to make you worry that you’ll lose friends if you don’t use a certain product. Advertisers can also use this negatively, to make you worry that you’ll lose friends if you don’t use a certain product. Ex: Join the Pepsi Generation! Ex: Join the Pepsi Generation! Encourages you to be a part of what everybody else is supposedly doing.

Uses our natural attraction to beautiful people to attract us to the product. Uses our natural attraction to beautiful people to attract us to the product. Consumers want to be beautiful too, so shouldn’t we use the same products as beautiful people? Consumers want to be beautiful too, so shouldn’t we use the same products as beautiful people?

Comparing two similar products with one always being superior. Ex: Tide laundry detergent vs. Brand X

k Appeals to the general public by saying that the people in the ads are the same as you. Associates product with “normal” way of doing things. Ex: Choosy Moms choose Jif (Peanut Butter). Click on the Hamburger Helper box to watch a “Common Folk” ad

Escape Getting away from it all is very appealing. Pictures and thoughts that help you imagine adventures you cannot really have.

littering Generalities Using attractive words without mentioning details. Using attractive words without mentioning details. Ex: McDonald’s, I’m Lovin’ It! Ex: McDonald’s, I’m Lovin’ It! (I’m lovin’ what?)

Nurture Associates products with taking care of or loving someone or something. Every time you see an animal or a child, it appeals to your paternal (dad) or maternal (mom) instincts.

Scientific/Statistical Claim Provides some sort of scientific proof or experiment, very specific numbers, or an impressive- sounding ingredient.

Testimonial/ Celebrity Endorsement Associates product use with a well-known person or a person who seems trustworthy. Consumer led to believe that he/she will become more like spokesperson. Will wearing Nikes help Muster play better b-ball? Doubtful! This can also be a testimonial if he/she claims to use the product.