Advertising – Definitions Advertising – Definitions and Techniquesand Techniques

What is Advertising?What is Advertising?

• The act or practice of The act or practice of calling public calling public attentionattention to one's product, service, need, to one's product, service, need, etc.etc.

• Advertising communication is Advertising communication is one-wayone-way..• Not all advertising is “selling” something Not all advertising is “selling” something

you can purchase – some ads sell ideas you can purchase – some ads sell ideas or viewpointsor viewpoints

Where do you find advertising?Where do you find advertising?

• Mass Media Mass Media – Tools that deliver – Tools that deliver messages to messages to lots of peoplelots of people– TVTV– RadioRadio– MagazinesMagazines– InternetInternet– NewspapersNewspapers– Others?Others?

Where do you find advertising?Where do you find advertising?

• Targeted media Targeted media – Tools that reach – Tools that reach certain certain specificspecific people people– MailingsMailings– EmailEmail– In-store announcementsIn-store announcements– BillboardsBillboards– BusesBuses– Others?Others?

Where do you find advertising?Where do you find advertising?

• Product Placement Product Placement – Products – Products themselves can act as advertisingthemselves can act as advertising– Products in moviesProducts in movies– T-shirt logosT-shirt logos– Vending machinesVending machines– Video GamesVideo Games– Others?Others?

Advertising at WorkAdvertising at Work

• Advertising has four jobs:Advertising has four jobs:– Attention : Attention : grabbing the public’s attentiongrabbing the public’s attention– Image : Image : it must establish a unique image. it must establish a unique image.

Personality creating associations, needs, and Personality creating associations, needs, and desires for this productdesires for this product

– Reassure : Reassure : reassure consumers who’ve reassure consumers who’ve already bought the product to maintain already bought the product to maintain customer loyaltycustomer loyalty

– Persuade : Persuade : persuade new customers to buy persuade new customers to buy the productthe product

How does advertising work?How does advertising work?

• Advertising works Advertising works consciouslyconsciously– You already know you You already know you

need somethingneed something– Ads inform you of a Ads inform you of a

product’s features, product’s features, which you may find which you may find desirabledesirable

– The next time you go The next time you go to buy that item, you to buy that item, you chose the brand you chose the brand you saw advertisedsaw advertised

How does advertising work?How does advertising work?

• Advertising creates a Advertising creates a new neednew need– The ad starts by The ad starts by

convincing you that convincing you that you need something you need something you didn’t know you you didn’t know you needed beforeneeded before

– Then the ad shows Then the ad shows that their product will that their product will fill that needfill that need

How does advertising work?How does advertising work?

• Advertising works Advertising works subconsciouslysubconsciously– By creating a positive By creating a positive

image or association image or association in your brain, in your brain, advertisers get you to advertisers get you to “like” a product“like” a product

– The next time you The next time you shop, you shop, you unconsciously grab unconsciously grab that product because that product because of the positive of the positive associationassociation

Advertising TechniquesAdvertising Techniques

• Advertising uses several different, distinct Advertising uses several different, distinct techniques to create that positive techniques to create that positive associationassociation

• Most ads use several techniques at onceMost ads use several techniques at once

1) Bandwagon1) Bandwagon

• Everyone is doing itEveryone is doing it• The ad creates a positive connection by The ad creates a positive connection by

showing that the product/service/idea is showing that the product/service/idea is widely used and widely acceptedwidely used and widely accepted

• Why would everyone be using it if it wasn’t Why would everyone be using it if it wasn’t the best?the best?

Bandwagon Example

2) Plain Folks2) Plain Folks

• Speak to people in Speak to people in plain and simple plain and simple termsterms

• The ad uses simple, The ad uses simple, common language, common language, images, and content images, and content to appeal to the to appeal to the average personaverage person

• Let me explain this to Let me explain this to you in terms you you in terms you would understand.would understand.

Plain Folks Ad Example

McDonald’s Ad

YouTube Link for McDonald's Ad

3) Testimonial3) Testimonial

• Someone important or famous says you Someone important or famous says you should buy our productshould buy our product

• The ad uses a celebrity or expert that The ad uses a celebrity or expert that endorses the product or service, either endorses the product or service, either directly or indirectlydirectly or indirectly

• You like or trust me, and I think the You like or trust me, and I think the product is great.product is great.

Testimonial Examples

4) Science/Statistics4) Science/Statistics

• These numbers prove These numbers prove you need our productyou need our product

• The ad uses science, The ad uses science, scientific language, or scientific language, or statistics to prove their statistics to prove their product is goodproduct is good

• Even if you don’t Even if you don’t understand what we’re understand what we’re talking about, we sound talking about, we sound really smart and credible.really smart and credible.

Example

Gerber Life College Ad

YouTube Link - Gerber Life College Ad

5) Transfer5) Transfer

• Associating products with something you Associating products with something you like or valuelike or value

• The ad couples the product with The ad couples the product with something desirable – sex appeal, something desirable – sex appeal, humour, patriotism, sports, video games, humour, patriotism, sports, video games, whatever – so a positive feeling is created whatever – so a positive feeling is created for the productfor the product

• You like this, right? Then you’ll like our You like this, right? Then you’ll like our product, too.product, too.

Transfer ExamplesTransfer Examples

6) Emotional Appeal (Hidden 6) Emotional Appeal (Hidden Fears)Fears)

• Emotional appeals Emotional appeals are advertising are advertising techniques in which techniques in which the advertiser tries to the advertiser tries to play up on the play up on the emotions of the emotions of the audience, often in lieu audience, often in lieu of information that of information that might appeal to an might appeal to an audience rationally.audience rationally.

Emotional Appeal Example

7) Repetition7) Repetition

• The constant The constant statement of an idea statement of an idea to fix the image of a to fix the image of a product in the product in the audience’s mind.audience’s mind.

• Could be Could be – AudioAudio– Or Audio-VisualOr Audio-Visual

“Call 1-800-241-000,that’s 1-800-241-000.1-800-241-0001-800-241-000”

8) Spin8) Spin

• The attempt to turn negative evidence into The attempt to turn negative evidence into something that the public will perceive positively.something that the public will perceive positively.

• Used a lot in political Ads.Used a lot in political Ads.

9) Weasel Words9) Weasel Words

• The use of vague The use of vague terms to mislead the terms to mislead the viewer into thinking viewer into thinking the product is better the product is better than it really is.than it really is.

Weasel Words ExamplesWeasel Words Examples• ""HelpsHelps controlcontrol dandruff dandruff symptomssymptoms with with

regular useregular use." The weasels include "helps ." The weasels include "helps control," and possibly even "symptoms" and control," and possibly even "symptoms" and "regular use." The claim is not "stops dandruff.“"regular use." The claim is not "stops dandruff.“

• "Leaves dishes "Leaves dishes virtuallyvirtually spotless." We have spotless." We have seen so many ad claims that we have learned to seen so many ad claims that we have learned to tune out weasels. You are supposed to think tune out weasels. You are supposed to think "spotless," rather than "virtually" spotless."spotless," rather than "virtually" spotless.

• "Only half the price of "Only half the price of manymany color sets." "Many" color sets." "Many" is the weasel. The claim is supposed to give the is the weasel. The claim is supposed to give the impression that the set is inexpensive.impression that the set is inexpensive.

• "Listerine "Listerine fightsfights bad breath." "Fights," not bad breath." "Fights," not "stops.“"stops.“

• "Lots of things have changed, but Hershey's "Lots of things have changed, but Hershey's goodnessgoodness hasn't." This claim does not say that hasn't." This claim does not say that Hershey's chocolate hasn't changed.Hershey's chocolate hasn't changed.

10) Excitement (Music)10) Excitement (Music)

• music and other sound music and other sound effects add to the effects add to the excitement of commercials, excitement of commercials, especially commercials especially commercials aimed at kids. Those little aimed at kids. Those little jingles, that you just can't jingles, that you just can't get out of your head, are get out of your head, are another type of music used another type of music used to make you think of a to make you think of a product. Have you ever product. Have you ever noticed that the volume of noticed that the volume of commercials is higher than commercials is higher than the sound for the program the sound for the program that follows? that follows?

What’s the big deal?What’s the big deal?

• Advertising affects all of us, whether we realize Advertising affects all of us, whether we realize it or not. It affects…it or not. It affects…– What we spend our money onWhat we spend our money on– What we find to be “cool”What we find to be “cool”– What we find attractiveWhat we find attractive– How we view genders, races, and other stereotypesHow we view genders, races, and other stereotypes– Our health, happiness, and well-beingOur health, happiness, and well-being– How we think people should actHow we think people should act– Our culture in generalOur culture in general

So, How Should We Handle So, How Should We Handle Advertising?Advertising?

• If you understand how an ad is supposed If you understand how an ad is supposed to work, you won’t be “tricked” into buying to work, you won’t be “tricked” into buying or believing things you don’t want to.or believing things you don’t want to.

• We will practice analyzing ads – we will try We will practice analyzing ads – we will try to figure out how they work and how they to figure out how they work and how they can affect you so you can make conscious can affect you so you can make conscious choices.choices.

How to view How to view advertisementsadvertisements

View the Ad as a whole, consider:View the Ad as a whole, consider:

• Your first impression of the adYour first impression of the ad• its overall lookits overall look• its tone and atmosphereits tone and atmosphere• the storyline (if one exists), is there a the storyline (if one exists), is there a

climax and resolution?climax and resolution?• possible target audiencepossible target audience

Be specific about the audienceBe specific about the audience

• narrow it downnarrow it down• is the ad placed properly to reach the is the ad placed properly to reach the

intended audience?intended audience?

Determine the messageDetermine the message

• What atmosphere does it convey?What atmosphere does it convey?• What people are in the ad?What people are in the ad?• Stereotypes? Body language?Stereotypes? Body language?• Celebrity? Why use this person?Celebrity? Why use this person?• Is a story being told?Is a story being told?• Does the content imply a certain lifestyle?Does the content imply a certain lifestyle?

Examine the language usedExamine the language used

• What message is conveyed?What message is conveyed?• Key words and phrases?Key words and phrases?• Claims?Claims?• What techniques are being used?What techniques are being used?• Connotative and Denotative messages Connotative and Denotative messages

• How effective is the advertisement in How effective is the advertisement in communicating a message?communicating a message?

• What emotional hooks are used?What emotional hooks are used?• Will you remember the product or Will you remember the product or

slogan?slogan?• Social values?Social values?• What social attitudes are indirectly What social attitudes are indirectly

reflected in the ad?reflected in the ad?

Reviewing print Reviewing print advertisementsadvertisements

• What is the focal point/centre of interest?What is the focal point/centre of interest?• How are visuals arranged?How are visuals arranged?• How does the print component contribute to How does the print component contribute to

the ad?the ad?• Does colour affect the message of the ad?Does colour affect the message of the ad?• Does the product appear in ad? Where is it?Does the product appear in ad? Where is it?• The logo...The logo...