Advertising Advertising “Tricks of the “Tricks of the Trade”Trade”

IntroductionIntroduction

Advertisers use many different methods Advertisers use many different methods to get consumers to buy their products. to get consumers to buy their products. Often, what they try to sell is less the Often, what they try to sell is less the product itself, and more a lifestyle or product itself, and more a lifestyle or image.image.

Here are some advertising “tricks of the Here are some advertising “tricks of the trade” trade”

Ideal KidsIdeal Kids

Ideal Kids (or families): These children Ideal Kids (or families): These children always seem perfect. The kids are really always seem perfect. The kids are really cool, with the hottest fashions, haircuts cool, with the hottest fashions, haircuts and toys. Ideal families are all attractive and toys. Ideal families are all attractive and pleasant looking – and everyone and pleasant looking – and everyone seems to get along! Ideal kids and seems to get along! Ideal kids and families represent the types of people families represent the types of people that kids watching the ad would like that kids watching the ad would like themselves or their families to be.themselves or their families to be.

Examples of Ideal Kids:Examples of Ideal Kids:

Family FunFamily Fun

A product is shown as something that A product is shown as something that brings families together, or helps them brings families together, or helps them have fun together; all it takes is for Mom have fun together; all it takes is for Mom or Dad to bring home the “right” food, and or Dad to bring home the “right” food, and a boring dinner turns into a family partya boring dinner turns into a family party

ExcitementExcitement

Who could ever have imagined that food Who could ever have imagined that food could be so much fun? One bite of a could be so much fun? One bite of a snack food and you’re boredom is snack food and you’re boredom is banished!banished!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vib1Uhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vib1UKheCWMKheCWM

Star PowerStar Power

Your favourite sports star or celebrity is Your favourite sports star or celebrity is telling you that their product is the best! telling you that their product is the best! Kids listen, not realizing that the star is Kids listen, not realizing that the star is being paid to promote the productbeing paid to promote the product

Star Star Power:Power:

ScaleScale

Scale is when advertisers make a Scale is when advertisers make a product look bigger or smaller than it product look bigger or smaller than it actually is.actually is.

Example of ScaleExample of Scale

Put DownsPut Downs

When you put down your competition’s When you put down your competition’s product to make your own product seem product to make your own product seem betterbetter

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5z0Iahttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5z0Ia5jDt45jDt4

Facts and FiguresFacts and Figures

When an ad uses facts and statistics to When an ad uses facts and statistics to help enhance their product’s credibilityhelp enhance their product’s credibility

An example is, “Four out of five An example is, “Four out of five dentists…” dentists…”

Example of Example of Facts and FiguresFacts and Figures

RepetitionRepetition

Advertisers hope that if you see a Advertisers hope that if you see a product, or hear its name over and over product, or hear its name over and over again, you will be more likely to buy it. again, you will be more likely to buy it. Sometimes a word or phrase will be Sometimes a word or phrase will be repeated within the ad or commercial. repeated within the ad or commercial. Sometimes the same commercial will be Sometimes the same commercial will be repeated over and over again.repeated over and over again.

Heart StringsHeart Strings

Ads that draw you into a story and make Ads that draw you into a story and make you feel good, like the McDonalds you feel good, like the McDonalds commercial where the dad and his son commercial where the dad and his son are shoveling their driveway and the son are shoveling their driveway and the son treats his poor old dad to lunch at treats his poor old dad to lunch at McDonalds when they are done.McDonalds when they are done.

Example of Heart strings:Example of Heart strings:

Cartoon CharactersCartoon Characters

Tony the Tiger sells cereal and Nestle’s Tony the Tiger sells cereal and Nestle’s Quick Bunny sells chocolate milk. Quick Bunny sells chocolate milk. Cartoons like these make kids identify Cartoons like these make kids identify with products.with products.

Weasel WordsWeasel Words

By law, advertisers have to tell the truth, By law, advertisers have to tell the truth, but sometimes, they use words that can but sometimes, they use words that can mislead viewers. Look for words in mislead viewers. Look for words in commercials like: “Part of…” “The taste commercials like: “Part of…” “The taste of real…” “Natural…” “New, better of real…” “Natural…” “New, better tasting…” “Because we care…” There tasting…” “Because we care…” There are hundreds of deceptive phrases – how are hundreds of deceptive phrases – how many more can you think of?many more can you think of?

OmissionOmission

This is where advertisers don’t give you This is where advertisers don’t give you the full story about their product. For the full story about their product. For example: When a Pop Tart claims to be example: When a Pop Tart claims to be “part” of a healthy breakfast, it doesn’t “part” of a healthy breakfast, it doesn’t mention that the breakfast might still be mention that the breakfast might still be healthy whether this product is there or healthy whether this product is there or not.not.

Are You Cool Enough?Are You Cool Enough?

This is when advertisers try to convince This is when advertisers try to convince you that if you don’t use their products, you that if you don’t use their products, you are a nerd. Usually advertisers do you are a nerd. Usually advertisers do this by showing people who look uncool this by showing people who look uncool trying a product and then suddenly trying a product and then suddenly becoming hip looking and do cool things.becoming hip looking and do cool things.

Example of Example of Cool enoughCool enough

Friends, Fun and ExcitementFriends, Fun and Excitement

Images of people having lots of fun while Images of people having lots of fun while using a certain product. using a certain product.

For example, images of happy smokers For example, images of happy smokers at parties, in restaurants and even in the at parties, in restaurants and even in the great outdoors reinforce the connection great outdoors reinforce the connection between smoking and good times. between smoking and good times.

HumourHumour

Using tongue-in-cheek humour to attract Using tongue-in-cheek humour to attract customers. customers.

For example, because smoking is For example, because smoking is becoming less acceptable in society, becoming less acceptable in society, humour in tobacco ads frequently pokes humour in tobacco ads frequently pokes fun at non-smokers, or at those who feel fun at non-smokers, or at those who feel that smoking is unhealthy.that smoking is unhealthy.

Example of HumourExample of Humour