Propaganda Techniques

Propaganda Techniques

Ten Commandments of Propaganda
1) Divide and Conquer a) More small groups are easier to pit against each other 2) Tell the people what they want a) Pander to the masses 3) The bigger the lie, the more people will believe it a) Make statements grandiose and loud 4) ALWAYS appeal to the lowest common denominator a) It’s O.K. to “dumb it down”

Ten Commandments of Propaganda (cont)
5)Generalize as much as possible a) Paint in broad strokes 6) Use "expert" testimonial a) Have someone known or relatable “pitch” it 7) Refer often to the "authority" of your office a) Remind public of knowledge and power

Ten Commandments of Propaganda (cont)
8) Stack the cards with "information" a) Use as much supportive evidence as possible 9) A confused people are easily led a) More informed means more skeptical 10) Get the "plain folks" onto the "bandwagon" a) Appeal to the common man & he will follow

Keystone Mandated Propaganda Strategies
Name-Calling Bandwagon Red Herring Emotional Appeal/Loaded Words Testimonial Repetition Glittering/Sweeping Generalizations Circular Arguments Appeal to Numbers, Facts, and Statistics

Additional Propaganda Strategies All Citizens Should Understand
Fear Scapegoating Black and White

Slogan

Slogan “Trust Sleepy’s For the ‘rest’ Of your life”
A catchword or phrase loaded with emotion Jingle--A musical phrase the audience will remember Often sells through repetition Clever and easy to remember Stays with you a long time Often a melody you already know “Trust Sleepy’s For the ‘rest’ Of your life”

Whose slogan is: “Maybe she’s born with it, maybe it’s…”

Whose slogan is: “I’m Loving It”

Whose slogan is: “Have it Your Way.”

“Live in your world, play in ours.”
Whose slogan is: “Live in your world, play in ours.”

Whose slogan is: “Challenge Everything.”

Whose slogan is “Good to the last drop.”

Whose slogan is: “Thousands of Possibilities. Get Yours.”

Whose slogan is: “Expect More. Pay Less.”

Whose slogan is: “Breakfast of Champions.”

Whose slogan is: “A Diamond is Forever.”

Slogan Example They’re GRRRRRRREAT!

Name-Calling Know for Keystone

Name-Calling The name-calling technique links a person, or idea, to a negative symbol. A way of smearing an opponent Intent is to damage opponent It also arouses suspicion of opponent Intention is to create an uneasy feeling Used to try to avoid supporting their own opinion with facts. Rather than explain what they believe in, they prefer to try to tear their opponent down. Used by politicians and product companies The most obvious type of name calling involves bad names. For example, consider the following: Communist Fascist Criminal Liar Terrorist Bum

Name Calling: Examples
Candidates for the 2008 Presidential election used name calling in their ads, as in past elections. Barack Obama says that John McCain has “same old politics, same failed policies”. Obama implies that McCain is not the best choice and he doesn’t have the best solutions to America’s problems.

Name-Calling: An attack on a person instead of an issue.

Republicans have begun to emphasis Barack Obama's middle name Hussein in an attempt to spread doubts about his patriotism and raise fears among voters that he is a closet Muslim.

2 Name Calling (negative names or adjectives)

Name-Calling

Name-Calling "The Jew: The inciter of war, the prolonger of war."

Glittering or Sweeping Generalities
Know for Keystone

Glittering Generalities
The Glittering Generality is, in short, Name Calling in reverse. The Glittering Generality device seeks to make us approve and accept without examining the evidence. Uses important-sounding "glad words" little or no real meaning. Used in general statements that cannot be proved or disproved. Words like "good," "honest," "fair," and "best" are examples of "glad" words.

Virtue Words: We believe in, fight for, live by virtue words about which we have deep-set ideas. Civilization Christianity Good Proper Right Democracy Patriotism Motherhood Fatherhood Science Health Love

Glittering Generalities in Text
STATEMENT: “We are at a crossroads for human destiny! We must chose a true leader for our city.” EXPLANATION: The attempt here is to get the audience emotionally connected to the subject through use of words such as “destiny” and “leader.” WHY IT IS PROPAGANDA: The candidate may or may not be a good leader. The text provides no evidence to suggest actual positive qualities.

This propaganda technique provides glowing claims but nothing to back up the claims. For instance, “This is the best car on the road.” A generality is a vague (not very specific) word, phrase, or statement. Examples: better, best, good tasting, awesome, refreshing… A glittering generality is one that has a feel-good quality to it.

Glittering Generalities in Media
STATEMENT: “Change We Can Believe In.” PROPAGANDA: The audience is meant to be lured in by the promise of “change.” The idea is catchy and attractive, but without substance or evidence.

Glittering generalities: Examples
A positive (yet actually vague) word to describe a political stance too. Politicians often use glittering generalities so they do not actually have to discuss how they will solve problems; however, if we elect them, they will solve our problems. …and yes, even the Navy has used them.

Examples: Coca-Cola: It’s “the Real Thing” United Airlines is your ticket to “Friendly Skies” Politicians referring to the “middle class”—it sounds attractive, but nearly everyone considers him or herself to be in the middle class

“A growing body of evidence suggests.” Up to 50 % off! Dove chocolate claims it is an “experience like no other.” Propel Water sells itself as the fitness water. Its current slogan is “Fit has a feeling.” Can you get even emptier and vaguer “Glittering” because it’s falsely attractive Often used by politicians

Glittering generalities are words that are patriotic, attractive, or catchy but don’t really say anything: honor, glory, love of country, and freedom. When examined closely, these words have little meaning and little relationship to what they advertise.

3. Glittering Generality (Good adjectives / names)

"Open the door to freedom! Put a strong man at the helm! Out of the swamp! Forward with the powers of renewal!”

Testimonial Know for Keystone

Testimonial: When "big name" personalities are used to endorse a product. Whenever you see someone famous endorsing a product, ask yourself how much that person knows about the product, and what he or she stands to gain by promoting it.

Testimonial A celebrity or expert who endorse a product, candidate, or idea. Think about all of the commercials with celebrities. The celebrity may not always be qualified to speak on the subject.

Testimonial Statement endorsing an idea/product by a prominent person.
Product can be inside or outside particular field. Musical artists, Sports giants, Actors/actresses A company hires a famous celebrity figure to promote a particular product or topic. This is particularly powerful If a product 8s

Testimonial

Testimonial in Text STATEMENT: “Kobe Bryant only drinks Coke.”
EXPLANATION: The attempt here is to get the audience to consume a certain product because a celebrity uses the product. WHY IT IS PROPAGANDA: While the product may or may not be high quality, there is nothing regarding quality established by the statement that a celebrity consumes it.

An important person or famous figure endorses a product.
Testimonial An important person or famous figure endorses a product. Athletes are popular candidates for testimonial. Tiger Woods is on of the top testimonial figures in sports.

Testimonial Testimonials are quotations or endorsements which connect a famous or respectable person with a product or item.

Testimonial in Media STATEMENT: “I choose milk.”
PROPAGANDA: Taylor Swift’s choice to drink milk is meant to make the audience members believe milk will help them be beautiful and glamorous as well.

Testimonial Appeal to Authority:
Authority is evoked as the last word on an issue. Example: Someone uses the Bible as the basis for his arguments against specific school reform issues. Appeal to the People: Someone attempts to justify a claim on the basis of popularity. Example: Opponents of year-round school claim that students would hate it. Appeal to Emotion: An emotion-laden "sob" story is used as proof for a claim. Example: A politician uses a sad story of a child being killed in a drive-by shooting to gain support for a year-round school measure. Errors of Weak Reference Contradiction: Information is presented that is in direct opposition to other information within the same argument. Example: If someone stated that schools were overstaffed, then later argued for the necessity of more counselors, that person would be guilty of contradiction. Accident: Someone fails to recognize (or conceals the fact) that an argument is based on an exception to the rule. Example: By using selected scholar-athletes as the norm, one could argue that larger sports programs in schools were vital to improving academic performance of all students. False Cause: A temporal order of events is confused with causality; or, someone oversimplifies a complex causal network. Example: Stating that poor performance in schools is caused by poverty; poverty certainly contributes to poor academic performance but it is not the only factor. Begging the Question: A person makes a claim then argues for it by advancing grounds whose meaning is simply equivalent to that of the original claim. This is also called "circular reasoning." Example: Someone argues that schools should continue to have textbooks read from cover to cover because, otherwise, students would not be well-educated. When asked to define what "well-educated" means, the person says, "knowing what is in the textbooks." Evading the Issue: Someone sidesteps and issue by changing the topic. Example: When asked to say whether or not the presence of homosexuals in the army could be a disruptive force, a speaker presents examples of homosexuals winning combat medals for bravery. Arguing from Ignorance: Someone argues that a claim is justified simply because its opposite cannot be proven. Example: A person argues that voucher programs will not harm schools, since no one has ever proven that vouchers have harmed schools. Composition and Division: Composition involves an assertion about a whole that is true of its parts. Division is the opposite: an assertion about all of the parts that is true about the whole. Example: When a school system holds up its above-average scores and claims that its students are superior, it is committing the fallacy of division. Overall scores may be higher but that does not prove all students are performing at that level. Likewise, when the military points to the promiscuous behavior of some homosexuals, it is committing the fallacy of composition: the behavior of some cannot serve as proof of-the behavior of all homosexuals. Recognizing Propaganda Techniques and Errors of Faulty Logic Propaganda Techniques What are Propaganda Techniques? They are the methods and approaches used to spread ideas that further a cause - a political, commercial, religious, or civil cause. Why are they used? To manipulate the readers' or viewers' reason and emotions; to persuade you to believe in something or someone, buy an item, or vote a certain way. What are the most commonly used propaganda techniques? See which of the ten most common types of propaganda techniques you already know. Types: Name calling: This techniques consists of attaching a negative label to a person or a thing. People engage in this type of behavior when they are trying to avoid supporting their own opinion with facts. Rather than explain what they believe in, they prefer to try to tear their opponent down. Glittering Generalities: This technique uses important-sounding "glad words" that have little or no real meaning. These words are used in general statements that cannot be proved or disproved. Words like "good," "honest," "fair," and "best" are examples of "glad" words. Transfer: In this technique, an attempt is made to transfer the prestige of a positive symbol to a person or an idea. For example, using the American flag as a backdrop for a political event makes the implication that the event is patriotic in the best interest of the U.S. False Analogy: In this technique, two things that may or may not really be similar are portrayed as being similar. When examining the comparison, you must ask yourself how similar the items are. In most false analogies, there is simply not enough evidence available to support the comparison. Testimonial: This technique is easy to understand. It is when "big name" personalities are used to endorse a product. Whenever you see someone famous endorsing a product, ask yourself how much that person knows about the product, and what he or she stands to gain by promoting it. Plain Folks: This technique uses a folksy approach to convince us to support someone or something. These ads depict people with ordinary looks doing ordinary activities. Card Stacking: This term comes from stacking a deck of cards in your favor. Card stacking is used to slant a message. Key words or unfavorable statistics may be omitted in an ad or commercial, leading to a series of half-truths. Keep in mind that an advertiser is under no obligation "to give the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth." Bandwagon: The "bandwagon" approach encourages you to think that because everyone else is doing something, you should do it too, or you'll be left out. The technique embodies a "keeping up with the Joneses" philosophy. Either/or fallacy: This technique is also called "black-and-white thinking" because only two choices are given. You are either for something or against it; there is no middle ground or shades of gray. It is used to polarize issues, and negates all attempts to find a common ground. Faulty Cause and Effect: This technique suggests that because B follows A, A must cause B. Remember, just because two events or two sets of data are related does not necessarily mean that one caused the other to happen. It is important to evaluate data carefully before jumping to a wrong conclusion. Errors of Faulty Logic Testimonial Errors of Attack Poisoning the Well: A person is so committed to a position that he/she explains away absolutely everything others offer in opposition. Example: Almost every proponent and opponent on the ban on gays in the military commits this error. Ad Hominem: A person rejects a claim on the basis of derogatory facts (real or alleged) about the person making the claim. Example: Someone rejects President Clinton's reasons for lifting the ban on gays in the military because of Mr. Clinton's draft record. Appealing to Force: Someone uses threats to establish the validity of the claim. Example: Opponents of year-round school threaten to keep their children out of school during the summer months.

Testimonial

Bandwagon Know for Keystone

Bandwagon Hop on the bandwagon or else you don’t fit in. Everyone is doing it, so you should too. This technique is contrived peer pressure – no one wants to be left out or behind. Because everyone else is doing something, you should do it too, or you'll be left out. The technique embodies a "keeping up with the Joneses" philosophy.

Bandwagon: “It had to be good to get where it is” 1926

Bandwagon: Bandwagon: Everyone else is doing it, so I should too.

Bandwagon Technique Everyone is doing it! You should too!!!

Bandwagon in Media STATEMENT: “More people are smoking Camels than ever before.” PROPAGANDA: The attempt is to make the audience want to join a large number of people.

4. Bandwagon (everyone’s doing it)

“Everything and everyone for victory”
Bandwagon “Everything and everyone for victory”

Bandwagon

Bandwagon Everyone listens to the Fuhrer

Red Herring Know for Keystone

Red Herring Propaganda Technique Definition Red Herring
-Distracting with an unrelated point -"winning" an argument by leading attention away from the argument and to another topic.

Red Herring Presenting data or issues that, while compelling, are irrelevant to the argument at hand, and then claiming that it validates the argument. For instance, I will say America is a great country so you should buy my beer.

Red Herring: Propagandists use this diversionary tactic to draw one's attention away from the real subject. Guard against this technique by showing how the argument has gotten off track and bring it back to the issue at hand. Presenting data or issues that, while compelling, are irrelevant to the argument at hand, and then claiming that it validates the argument. Highlighting a minor detail as a way to draw attention from the important issue.

Red Herring A red herring is an attempt to distract the reader with details not relevant to the argument. Example: The lawyer of a young man accused of assaulting his girlfriend described the case as a "very minor matter". The lawyer stated that “ninety people died in Iraq today, most of them kids," making his client’s actions “a very minor matter."

Red Herring Examples Never-ware cookware will look beautiful on your shelf for generations! (No mention of its cooking value is made.) Mentioning that you did well on your math test when your parents are upset about your English score.

Red Herring: Attempts to distract the reader with details not relevant to the argument.

Never-ware cookware will look beautiful on your shelf for generations!
Red Herring Video Games: Collecting inventory items or items of scenery (usually meant to distract or take up time from a quest or goal) Never-ware cookware will look beautiful on your shelf for generations! No mention of its cooking value is made.

Red Herring What is this an advertisement for?

Fear During wartime this technique is used often. It informs people that personal danger is imminent if they do or do not do some specific action.

Fear Our fears are displayed.
Ideas, candidates, or products are shown to put our fears to rest.

Loaded Language or Emotional Words
Know for Keystone

Loaded Languages or Emotional Words
The use of emotional words is meant to stir the audience’s emotions, making little or no use of facts. Words such as love, adore, hate, care, and/or support may be used to attach the audience’s emotions to a product or idea.

Sometimes an author uses words with strongly positive or negative connotations. Ex.: “Start your day with Morning Glory’s refreshing all-natural juice.”

Words that a lot of people have strong feelings about. Some examples are evil, sweet, soul mate, dangerous, murderer, etc. Use “loaded” words like . . . new improved best

Loaded Words Whitening Expressions Refreshing Vanilla Mint Get a cool and inviting brushing experience with Crest Whitening Expressions Refreshing Vanilla Mint.

Loaded WORDS This billboard advertisement uses the word “irresistible” to appeal to our emotions. The visual is also very appealing.

Emotional Words in Text
STATEMENT: “If you love your dog, you’ll buy him Eukanuba.” EXPLANATION: The attempt here is to get the audience to attach the emotion of love to a product. WHY IT IS PROPAGANDA: The true love one may feel for a dog has no actual relationship to the purchase of dog food.

Emotional Words in Media
STATEMENT: “Don’t let your loved ones mourn for you!” PROPAGANDA: The audience is meant to connect its positive emotions for loved ones to the idea of surrendering to the enemy in order to spare its loved ones pain. From a leaflet distributed by the North Korean army, encouraging American soldiers to surrender

Emotional or Loaded Words
Words such as luxury, beautiful, paradise, and economical are used to evoke positive feelings in the viewer. This technique might be used more than any other. Are you less patriotic if you don’t buy American goods? Can a Lexus make you happier than a Honda? Playing to people’s emotions might get them to purchase products or services they might not otherwise buy.

Emotional Appeal An emotional appeal tries to persuade the reader by using words that appeal only to the reader’s emotions instead of to logic or reason. As previously mentioned, emotional appeals are not always bad, they just should not be the SOLE basis of an argument

Emotional Appeal: Tries to persuade the reader’s views based on emotions instead of logic or reason.

Army Strong http://crackle
They connect a feeling with this organization. Army strong

Repetition Know for Keystone

Repetition Propaganda Technique Definition Repetition
-repeating word/jingle over and over and over and over so that it gets stuck in the head or taken as true

Repetition An idea, word, phrase or position repeated in an attempt to elicit an almost automatic response from the audience or to reinforce an audience’s opinion or attitude. Product name is repeated at least four times. Simplicity and Repetition - Keep it simple and say it often enough so people will remember it and believe it

Repetition: Attempts to persuade a reader with a repeated message.

Repetition A good example of this is the claim that Saddam Hussein was responsible for the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. No evidence has been found suggesting collaboration between Iraq and the Al Qaeda network, yet Bush administration officials have repeatedly mentioned the two in tandem. As a result, a recent opinion survey by the Council on Foreign Relations shows that more than 40 percent of the American people believe that some or all of the attackers on 9/11 were Iraqi nationals, when in fact none were.

Repetition What is repeated in this ad?

Repetition Head On Commercial

Repetition How many times can you use the word “Fresh?”
The product name or keyword or phrase is repeated several times. What sort of statements is this ad making? Are there restaurants out there that aren’t “Fresh”? How many times can you use the word “Fresh?”

Appeal to Numbers, Facts, and Statistics
Know for Keystone

Appeal to Number, Facts, & Statistics
Propaganda Technique Definition Appeal to Number, Facts, & Statistics -Using large numbers or misleading facts and statistics to confuse propaganda technique or persuasive tactic in which the reader is persuaded by showing how many people think something is true

Facts and Figures Statistics
In this persuasive technique, numbers, tables, and graphs are used to show statistics of both sides.

Facts and Figures Facts and Figures – statistics to prove superiority.
Magic Ingredients – suggests some miraculous discovery makes product exceptionally effective. Hidden Fears – suggests that user is safe from some danger.

Appeal to Number, Facts, & Statistics -“Coroners have found that 80% of people’s colons are blocked with waste.” -“On average, 6 out of 7 dentists prefer Colgate.”

Misuse of Facts, Figures, and Statistics
Some examples: Average results are reported, but not the amount of variation around the averages. A percent or fraction is presented, but not the sample size as in "9 out of 10 dentists recommend...". Absolute and proportional quantities are mixed as in "3,400 more robberies occurred in our town last year, whereas other cities hand an increase of less than one percent". Graphs are used that, by chopping off part of the scale or using unusual units or no scale, distort the appearance of the result. Results are reported with misleading precision. For example, representing 13 out of 19 students as percent.

Appeal to Numbers, Facts, or Statistics: Using stats to persuade a reader.

Misuse of Statistics When the statistics are based on a falsehood.

Facts and Figures Example
An advertisement might read, “This product kills 99% of your germs.” Surveys may be conducted and the results graphed to show people’s opinions.

This is an ad that riled AT&T

They added their land lines in this map!
AT&T’s replies in an ad that gives their version of the map….. Why the big difference? Hmmmm… They added their land lines in this map!

Circular Argument Know for Keystone

Circular Argument: Very Similar to Logical Fallacies and False Analogies
A circular argument states a conclusion as part of the proof of the argument Also sometimes called “begging the question”

Circular Argument: States a conclusion as part of the proof of the argument.

Scapegoat

Scapegoat A person carrying the blame for others
Retreats to prejudice rather than reason Mostly used in the political arena Wins audience through association or sympathy

Scapegoat Scapegoating is the practice of blaming an individual or group for a real or perceived failure of others. Minorities are often the targets of scapegoating. First, minorities are often isolated within society and are thus an easy target. Those in the majority are more easily convinced about the negative characteristics of a minority with which they have no direct contact. Unemployment, inflation, food shortages, the plague, and crime in the streets are all examples of ills which have been blamed on minority groups.

Scapegoat SCAPEGOAT: This often use with guilt-by-association to deflect scrutiny away from the issues. It transfers blame to one person or group of people without investigating the complexities of the issue. Examples: "Bill Clinton got us into Bosnia", "President Reagan caused the national debt".

Scapegoat: examples The Poisonous Mushroom
Anti-Semitic children’s book which compared Jews to the poisonous mushrooms of society.

Scapegoat: examples According to The Poisonous Mushroom…
“The Jews’ God is money.” Just one example of how the Nazis used scapegoating and other forms of propaganda to try to “recruit” Germans and others to their side. Attempt to manipulate the minds of children. Image from the book, Der Giftpilz (The Poison Mushroom), published in 1938 by Julius Streicher. "The God of the Jews is money. To earn money, he commits the greatest crimes. He will not rest until he can sit on a huge money sack, until he has become the king of money."

That’s right! Even Bugs Bunny!
Scapegoat: examples That’s right! Even Bugs Bunny! During WWII, even American cartoons used scapegoating as a means of “uniting” Americans…by way of hatred. The Japanese are dehumanized in these cartoons and seen as something almost inhuman.

Ethical Society of St. Louis 2007
Scapegoating Appeal to prejudice: using loaded or emotive terms Scapegoating: blaming an individual or group Stereotyping: Name calling or labeling to arouse prejudices. Ethical Society of St. Louis 2007

Anti-Semitism - Scapegoating of minorities
Following the devastating outcome of WWI and the Wall Street of Crash of 1929, Germany was in a precarious economic position, with hundreds of thousands out of work. To explain this, the Nazis blamed the Jews. The Nazi Party accused them of being a parasitic race that attached itself to capitalist nations to destabilize the economy and culture of their ‘host’ nation. Hitler’s own fanatical anti-semitism became even more pronounced in party policy after the Nazi's rise to power in By blaming a minority racial group for all of the country's ills, the Nazis created a set of scapegoats who could be blamed at every opportunity for almost anything. In posters, art, cartoons and film, the Jews were equated with rats and caricatured as hook nosed misers, stealing money from the honest ‘Aryan’ German workers.

Black and White

Black and White Black and White - Presents an issue as having only two choices. If you don’t like one choice, you must choose the other Used to polarize issues, and negates all attempts to find a common ground. You are either for something or against it This technique is also called "black-and-white thinking" because only two choices are given.; there is no middle ground or shades of gray

Ethical Society of St. Louis 2007
Black and White Black and White Fallacy: “If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.” Only two choices are possible. I believe this is Black propaganda. Ethical Society of St. Louis 2007

Black or White Either/or Fallacy – assumes that there are only two alternatives. Either go to college or forget about getting a good job.

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