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Chapter TwelveDesire and Illusion: Analyzing Advertising

Wanda Teays Second Thoughts,4thd ed.

McGraw-Hill Higher Ed.

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© 2010. Wanda Teays. All reserved

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AssumptionsContemporary ads bear little resemblance to ads

of the past. Those today are more subtle, sophisticated, and at an artistic level rarely achieved in earlier decades.

They assume a language of discourse and engage the audience in ways that were previously unimaginable.

And they routinely make assumptions about consumers’ needs, desires, fears, and prejudices.

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The Use of Fallacies to Persuade

1. Ad Populum (Appeal to the Masses/Patriotism):This fallacy occurs when there is an appeal to the masses, patriotism, or elitism (snob appeal) in order to sell a product. For example:

“America’s Number One Pizza.” (Pizza Hut)

2. Ad Verecundiam (Improper Appeal to Authority):This fallacy occurs when the testimony of a public figure or celebrity (unqualified as an expert on the subject) is used to as a tool of persuasion, rather than citing relevant evidence. For example:

“Cindy Crawford. Choices.” (Omega watch ad)

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Key Fallacies con.3. Accent: This fallacy occurs when the emphasis of

word or phrase is emphasized (verbally or visually) in such a way as to distort the meaning of a passage, leading to an incorrect conclusion being drawn. For example:

“FREE GIFT of a travel-size mascara when you purchase $50 worth of cosmetics.”

4. Bifurcation: This fallacy occurs when there is an attempt to persuade by presenting only two choices when, in fact, there are other options that could be taken into the decision-making. For example:

“Read this or die.” (Ad for nutritional research booklet)

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Key Fallacies con.

5. Equivocation: This fallacy occurs when an ambiguity is created by the double meaning or a word or phrase, resulting in an incorrect conclusion being drawn.

For example: 

“Shake up Your Night.” (Baccardi rum ad)

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Four Tricks of Effective Advertising

Shame You’ve got a problem!

OptimismYour problem can be solved.

Solution You need this product.

Rationale You have a right to solve your problem, whatever

the cost.

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Example of the Fab Four in Action

How to Sell “Delirious” Perfume to a Skunk:

1. ShameYou have body odor!

2. OptimismPerfume helps!

3. SolutionDelirious perfume works wonders!

4. RationaleYou have the right to smell nice!

 

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ADVERTISING CHECKLISTValues: What values and beliefs does the ad

convey? According to the ad, what's the best use of our time and money?  

Story: If you think of the ad as telling a story, what story does it tell? 

Verbal Message: Study the verbal message. What exactly is being said in the ad? 

Visual Message: Study the visual message. What images and symbols do you see? How do the visual components work together? What is the visual impact of the ad?

Fallacies: Watch for the fallacy of accent, ad verecundiam. Equivocation, and ad populum. These are commonly used in ads.

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ADVERTISING CHECKLIST con.  Exaggeration: Watch for false promises and exaggerated

claims. What exactly does the ad claim the product will do? Do you see any puffery?

 Stereotypes: Watch for stereotypes around gender, race, age, nationality, religion, economic class, and so on.

Diversity: Who populates the ad? Does the ad reflect the society we live in? Note how gender, race, age, and economic class are represented and whether they typify the world we live in. 

Power and Class: Watch for assumptions around power, class, and patterns of consumption. What is the economic class of those inhabiting the ad? Who are the targeted users of the product?

Political Agenda: Be aware of political or social messages. See if there’s a hidden agenda in the advertisement

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Advertising Checklist…still more

 

Prescriptions: Look at the lifestyle presented. Ask yourself: Do I live (or want to live) like this; if so, at what cost? And what is the societal impact of this lifestyle?

Sexuality: Look at the ways that sexuality, sexual orientation, sexual violence, and intimacy are handled, including using sexuality to sell the product.

What Is Left Unsaid: What is missing from this ad? Will using the product transform my life, as the ad suggests? Look at the ways ads overlook any number of societal or personal problems that may bear on buying or using the product.

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EXAMPLES OF AD SLOGANS

 “I can't believe I ate the whole thing!” (AlkaSelzer)

“Our office is your office.” (FedEx Kinko’s)

“Don’t leave home without it.” (American Express)

“Fly the friendly skies of United.” (United airlines)

“Reach out and touch someone.” (ATT)

“The skin you love to touch” (Woodbury soap)

“Even your best friends won't tell you.” (Listerine Mouthwash)

“Got milk?” (California Milk Processor Board)

“Be all that you can be.” (US Army)

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Goldman’s Assumptions in Advertising

First Assumption: You should think this about that:

Ads always have some political agenda.

Second Assumption: $$ = Buy, buy:

Ads assume people are paid for their labor.

Third Assumption: Poverty doesn’t exist:

Ads hide class differences.

Fourth Assumption: Need it? Buy it and find happiness:

Ads imply we can purchase happiness, a meaningful life, and an ideal world.

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Assessing the Verbal MessageWATCH FOR:

Characteristics or qualities of the product

Consequences of owning the product

Benefits of this product over rival products

Comments about the lifestyle that goes with the product

Use of humor, diversionary tactics, or insults

Social commentary that may or may not relate to the product

Use of statistics or statistical claims touting the benefits of the product

The testimony of ordinary people, so-called experts, or celebrities

Use of pseudo-scientific terms to give weight to the ad’s claims

Fallacies of reasoning or questionable claims

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The Visual MessageThe Visual Message

We are a visual culture. We judge, buy, consume, or desire all sorts of things in terms of their visual appeal.

Advertisers know this. We do not normally want to see things that are ugly or unpleasant, unless it is done with humor.

We want to see beauty and images of happiness, intimacy, and satisfaction. We like to see images of success, things working correctly, and problems being solved.

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The Cast of CharactersOne aspect of the visual message is the use of

characters identified with the product.

EXAMPLES: The Energizer Bunny, the Blue Man group, the Pillsbury Doughboy, Mr. Clean, Joe Camel, Jolly Green Giant, Mr. Peanut and Aunt Jemima).

Over time the characters take on mythic status and become cultural markers.

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Product Placement—Embedded Ads

Whereas ads of twenty or thirty years ago raved about the product,

Recent ads are more contextual, with the product embedded within the lifestyle being presented.

The product itself usually appears in the ad (say, in the hand of a smiling person), but is not dealt with directly.

It is not given a hard sell.

The ad is more indirect, with a causal link drawn between the product and what presumably is part of the deal—such as a desired lifestyle.