Analyzing Mass Media Messages

English 8 – Unit 2

Fall 2009

Advertising:Questions to Ask

an Ad• Who is the target audience?

• What product is the advertiser selling?

• What are they trying to get you to do?

• What propaganda techniques are used and why?

Persuasive Techniques:Name Calling

• Name calling is creating a negative attitude; hinting or implying using slanted or biased language.

Persuasive Techniques:Bandwagon

• The Bandwagon technique creates a desire to join a group satisfied with the idea or product; makes one feel left out if not with the crowd

“Everyone else is doing it!”

Persuasive Techniques:Testimonial

• A testimonial uses a famous person or expert to make the advertisement’s claims seem more believable

“It worked for me!”

Persuasive Techniques:

Appeal to Emotions

• An appeal to emotions draws on the audience’s feelings; their sense of loyalty, pity, fear, love of family, peace, or justice.

Persuasive Techniques:Appeal to Prestige

• In an appeal to prestige the spokesperson makes the product seem attractive to the audience because he/she is a celebrity or appealing person the audience wants to be like.

Persuasive Techniques:Plain Folks

• Plain folks – using a spokesperson like the audience members with whom they can identify

“For people like you”

Persuasive Techniques:Glittering Generalities

• Ads that use glittering generalities tell only part of the truth or make a statement that leaves out all of the facts.