Whose Voice Guides Your Choice?

Propaganda Techniques

What is propaganda? Propaganda is a specific type of message

presentation aimed at serving a particular purpose.

It means to propagate (actively spread) a philosophy or point of view (which may be true but often is not).

The most common use of the term (historically) is in political contexts; in particular to refer to certain efforts sponsored by governments or political groups.

The aim of propaganda is to influence people's opinions actively, rather than to merely communicate the facts about something.

Propaganda always has a bias!

Bandwagon To feel accepted or respected people often want to be a part of something. If everyone is doing it, thinking it or wanting it, you should too!

The bandwagon approach appeals

to the conformist in all of us. No one

wants to be left out of what is

perceived to be a popular trend.

For example:

McDonalds brags they have sold to billions of customers… and so does Coca-Cola.

And so does iTunes… And iPods

http://www.safeshare.tv/v/ss56744d76286b0

Positive TransferIf someone you admire is speaking highly of a product you will think highly of that product too.

This can be done with symbols like a flag,

Uncle Sam, or a cross.

Positive Transfer can also be done by people you trust, like adults,

parents, doctors, teachers or any expert in the field.

For example: On TV commercials, actors in white lab coats tell us that Brand X cold medicine is better than Brand Y.

Or this car mechanic will say that only

Auto Zone can change your tires with

perfection.

One more…

http://safeshare.tv/w/OJVUOogbEu

Another example…

Plain Folks Appeal

Appeals to people like you and me- the average person.

Uses ordinary language and

mannerisms in attempting to

identify the brand or product point

of view with that of the average

person

For example: What about this?

Can this be plain folks?

Or this?

http://www.safeshare.tv/w/BaARlhnxyp

http://safeshare.tv/w/qzcdGfmnoL

Card StackingShows the product’s best features, tells half-truths, and omits or lies about potential problems.

Manipulates audience perception of

an issue by emphasizing one side

and repressing another

For example: Card stacking can

happen by creating media events

that emphasize a certain view,

using one-sided opinions

or by making sure critics are not

heard http://safeshare.tv/w/FcFOxObmVn

Using words OR images that evoke strong feeling for or against something.

Emotional

McDonalds and Emotional Commercials

http://www.safeshare.tv/v/ss56744c7bec778

http://safeshare.tv/w/alkawSqBrn

http://www.safeshare.tv/v/ss56744ab15e1eb

Snob AppealThe idea that only the richest, smartest or most important people are using the product

Snob Appeal Examples:

http://www.safeshare.tv/w/VdmEdOtQKHEmerald Nuts Commercial

http://safeshare.tv/w/nmFKIsHAmkGrey Poupon

http://www.safeshare.tv/v/ss56744e8e30e8fMacy’s Justin Beiber

Hasty Generalization

Jumping to a general conclusion about members of a group based upon just

a few examples that sometimes do not show the majority.

For example: All men are poor drivers

This conclusion is drawn after seeing only a few drivers

Is the example a HASTY generalization? If so, why?

All plumbers are brilliant. I know a plumber who can

calculate Pi to the 289,954th digit.

All plumbers are rich. I just went to the international

plumbers convention and studied 3,000 plumbers

there. They all made over $100,000 a year.

My mom teaches people well. Whenever she explains

something to me, I understand it perfectly.

Some plumbers are brilliant. I'm a

plumber, and I know I'm brilliant.

Everything by Charles Dickens is boring. I have read all his

novels, and they all put me to sleep.

Post Hoc Ergo Propter HocLatin for: “after this, therefore because of

this”

Because one thing follows another, it is claimed that the

first thing is the reason for the second.

For example…

Whenever the republicans get elected

There is a war.

For example…I had been doing pretty poorly this season. Then my girlfriend gave me these neon laces for my spikes and I won my next three races. Those laces must be good luck...if I keep on wearing them I can't help but win!

Joan is scratched by a cat while visiting

her friend. Two days later she comes

down with a fever. Joan concludes that

the cat's scratch must be the cause of her

illness

Jane gets a rather large wart on her

finger. Based on a story her father told

her, she cuts a potato in half, rubs it on

the wart and buries it under the light of

a full moon. Over the next month her

wart shrinks and eventually vanishes.

Jane writes her father to tell him how

right he was about the cure.

Glittering Generalities Uses attractive, but

vague words that make speeches and other forms of communication sound good. Glittering generalities usually say nothing meaningful.

Using alliterations and

metaphors help words into

poetry that flows and rhymes in

hypnotic patterns for the

audience to eat up!.

Use of words that appeal to

values, and powerful

emotions.

Glittering generalities are often times intangible nouns that embody ideals, such as

dignity, freedom, fame, integrity, justice, love and respect.

For example…

“As Americans, we can take enormous pride in the fact that courage has been inspired by our own struggle for freedom, by the tradition of democratic law secured by our forefathers and enshrined in our Constitution. It is a tradition that says all men are created equal under the law and that no one is above it." --- Barack Obama

What glittering generalities do you see here?

http://www.safeshare.tv

/w/OWhOkQOCJQ

How about these?

Testimonial When a transfer is

made by a well known celebrity that claims to have used the product.

For example…

http://www.safesha

re.tv/w/WIrQXUzfnt

Or…

What types of Propaganda do you see in these commercials?

http://www.safeshare.tv/v/ss567450ff02f9c

http://safeshare.tv/w/EpLKppCNth

How should I respond to the purpose of an advertisement?

..questions to ask yourself…

What do the creators of the ad hope to gain by it?

What action do the creators

of the ad hope the viewer,

listener or reader will take?

Why was the form

of the

advertisement

chosen by the

creators to get

their message

across?