WARM-UP

Think about your favorite commercial and answer the

following questions.

1. What company is the commercial for?

2. What is the commercial selling?

3. What makes it your favorite commercial?

ADVERTISING & PERSUASIVE DEVICESHow Are We Persuaded to Buy Things?

WHAT ARE SYNONYMS FOR THE WORD “PERSUADE”?

ConvinceInfluenceUrge CoaxBrainwash?

WHAT DO WRITERS TRY TO PERSUADE US TO DO?

Buy/not buy something Try/ not try something Go/ not go somewhere Stop/start doing something Vote for someone Step to action Believe or stop believing something Think or stop thinking a certain way

HOW ARE THINGS ADVERTISED TO US?

Commercials (TV and Radio) Print Advertisements Billboards On the sides of buses or tops of

taxis Posters

Can you think of any others?

1. WHAT IS BANDWAGON?

Making it seem like EVERYONE ELSE is buying or using a product.

Making you feel like you may be left out if you don’t use this product.

“Everybody is doing it. You should do it too.”

EXAMPLES OF BANDWAGON

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzln22voxVM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaXOttV2VJ0http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWUPMe9I_gQ&feature=related

2. WHAT IS FEAR? Scaring you into buying into an idea or buying a product.

Something bad might happen to you if you don’t buy this product.

EXAMPLES OF FEAR

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwOTJohWark

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOi5FclEh_Q&feature=related

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

cMpKDZDjBWM

3. WHAT ARE REWARDS? Giving you something for free if you buy a product.

EX1: Buy one, get one free!

EX2: Sign up for a one year gym membership and get your first three months free.

EX3: If you purchase this now you will get free shipping and handling.

EXAMPLES OF REWARDS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VogjLauTNOk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOy6KRRp3hg

4. WHAT IS TESTIMONIAL?

When someone speaks about using the product.

When an AD uses a quote by someone about the product.

EX: “Proactive changed my life. I am more confident and happy.”

EX OF TESTIMONIAL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5KrmhxHxuw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTe2fiwSzZw

5. WHAT IS TRANSFER?

Using a celebrity OR a person in power to sell something.

EX1: Jennifer Hudson selling a weight loss plan.

EX2: Katy Perry selling Proactive.

EX3: A doctor selling cough medicine.

EXAMPLES OF TRANSFER

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvZFGdcSlQUhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

QxcerxiSD9ohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

PmrTDZy3f2M

6. WHAT IS AN EUPHEMISM?

For Ex: “passed away” instead of “died” “correctional facility” instead of “jail” “letting someone go” instead of “firing them”

A polite expression used in place of words or phrases that otherwise might be considered harsh or unpleasant to

hear.

EXAMPLES OF EUPHEMISM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxR2MebjM5A

7. WHAT ARE GLITTERING GENERALITIES?

Ex: WONDERFUL OUTSTANDING FOREVER IN LOVE

The use of words that contain good connotations without actually

relaying any significant information.

EXAMPLES OF GLITTERING GENERALITIES

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJ4B6MbVw9U

8. WHAT ARE LOGICAL FALLACIES?

Ex: Because of the possibility of a terrorist hijacking or a mechanical

failure, flying on a plane is too dangerous and should be avoided

altogether.

Ex: Because of the possibility of poisoning of Halloween candy by some people who give it out to trick-or-treaters, communities should ban trick-or-treating.

Definition: refers to the concept of making an error in terms of reasoning.

EXAMPLES OF LOGICAL FALLACIES https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pem_FwggPsM(only show the first TWO commercial clips in this compilation)

9. WHAT IS NAME-CALLING?Abusive or insulting language

referring to a person or group, a verbal abuse.

EX: Referring to a labor union supporter as anti-business

EX: Calling a Policeman a Pig

EXAMPLES OF NAME-CALLING

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WV6mZfR258s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zi9g8HBTABI

10. WHAT IS PLAIN-FOLKS TALK?

Plain folk propaganda tricks people into thinking that a corporation or politician is just like ordinary people. They have noble ideas and goals that will benefit your regular Joe.

EX: if your local governor were to go out to a small college and talk about how he was once taking tests and exams too.

EXAMPLE OF PLAIN-FOLKS TALK

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6E_fYlm54U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBpx3tV78W

WHAT IS THE “PROMISE” OF AN ADVERTISEMENT (AD)?

Every time you look at an ad it is promising you something. The promise is the benefit you will get as a result of buying into what they are selling.

EXAMPLES: Using this perfume will make you feel like a

princess. Using this cologne will make women fall all

over you. Eating this will make you thin.

WHAT IS A TARGET AUDIENCE?

You cannot properly sell something unless you know who you want to sell it to.

A target audience is the SPECIFIC group you are targeting your product/idea towards.

EXAMPLES OF TARGET AUDIENCE

Females between 13-18 Males between 21-28 Teachers Men and women senior citizens

WRITING GROUP WORK

You will choose from 2 bags:Bag #1= product Bag #2 = 2 persuasive devices

Your Goal: Your writing group must write a

commercial SCRIPT (incorporating ALL group members somehow) that sells your product using BOTH persuasive devices. You will perform this script

tomorrow in class.