Persuasive Appeals

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Persuasive Appeals

• Techniques for Persuading An Audience

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What is a Persuasive Appeal?

• An argument that a speaker/writer directs toward
  a certain belief/feeling or attitude that his/her
  audience holds
• Allows speaker/writer to tailor his/her argument
  in the best possible way according to his/her
  audiences needs/desires

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Three Types of Persuasive Appeals

• BASED ON ARISTOTLE
• Appeal to ETHOS
• Appeal to PATHOS
• Appeal to LOGOS

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Appeals to ETHOS (ETHICAL)

• -Based on the authority/credibility of the writer
• -Writer must convince the audience of his/her
  good character, good sense, and good motives
• -Created through known experience, expertise,
  credentials/certification, polished presentation
  of material

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Appeals to Pathos (EMOTIONS)

• -uses emotions to persuade
• -attempt to persuade by making reader/listener
  feel guilt, love, security, greed, pity, humor,
  etc.
• -shown through vivid, emotional language, and
  sensory details
• -are sometimes dangerouswhen used as the main
  support for an argument, they may be masking weak
  arguments

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Appeals to Logos (LOGIC)

• -normally considered most effective appeal
• -based on the logic, facts, and evidence, which
  is usually considered to be most important to
  readers/listeners
• -shown through details, statistics, expert
  testimony of a credible source, facts,
  definitions, witness statements

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Persuasive Appeals Gone Bad Logical
Fallacies/Propaganda Techniques

• Sometimes writers use propaganda techniques to
  intentionally mislead their audience in order to
  sell an idea or project.
• A logical fallacy is an invalid argument

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Types of propaganda Techniques/Logical Fallacies
Name Calling Bandwagon Emotional
Appeal Testimonial Repetition Sweeping
Generalization (Stereotyping) Glittering
Generalities Plain Folks Snob Appeal Sex
Appeal Facts and Figures Magic Ingredients Slogans
/Catchwords
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Logical Fallacy/Propaganda Technique 1 Name
Calling

• Name calling attacking a person or product
  instead of an issue
• Used frequently in political campaigns
• Gives a bad name to an opponent or product
  (typically without any proof)

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Logical Fallacy/propaganda Technique 2 Bandwagon

• A bandwagon appeal tries to persuade the reader
  to think, do, or buy something because it is
  popular or because everyone is doing it.
• Examples Four out of five people use Colgate
  Toothpaste. Over 2 Billion Served at
  McDonalds...."

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Logical Fallacy/Propaganda Technique 3
Testimonial

• A testimonial attempts to persuade the reader by
  using a famous person to endorse a product or
  idea
• Also known as celebrity/famous propaganda

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Logical Fallacy/Propaganda Technique 4
Emotional Appeal

• An emotional appeal tries to persuade the reader
  by using words that appeal only to the readers
  emotions instead of to logic or reason.
• Purposely uses words to make you feel strongly
  about something (any range of emotions, including
  humor)
• Appealing to humor is an emotional appeal

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Logical Fallacy/Propaganda Technique 5
Repetition

• Repetition attempts to persuade the reader by
  repeating a message over and over again.
• Repetition CAN be an effective persuasive
  technique when combined with other elements of a
  solid argument, but relying ONLY on repeating an
  idea is never very convincing

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Logical Fallacy/Propaganda Technique 6
Stereotyping

• Stereotyping makes an oversimplified statement
  about a group based on limited information.
• Attacks or makes assumptions about one group of
  people

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Logical Fallacy/Propaganda Technique 7
Glittering Generalities

• Glittering generalities uses vague, sweeping
  statements
• Typically used in politics they appeal to honor,
  glory, love of country, desire for peace,
  freedom, and family values
• They sound great, but you dont always know what
  they mean

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Logical Fallacy/propaganda Technique 8 Plain
Folks

• Plain folks uses images of people "just like
  you.
• Appeals to ordinary people because of the use of
  dress, speech, or action
• Often used in politics and advertising to show
  the leader is simple, just like you

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Logical Fallacy/propaganda Technique 9 Snob
Appeal

• Snob appeal plays on our desire for fancy things
  and the "good life".
• Examples include jewelry, expensive cars,
  perfumes, designer clothing and accessories are
  often marketed using snob appeal.

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Logical Fallacy/propaganda Technique 10 Sex
Appeal

• Sex appeal uses sex to sell a product or idea.
• Examples include beer commercials, car ads, or
  rock videos (to name a few.)

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Logical Fallacy/propaganda Technique 11 Facts
and Figures

• Facts and figures uses statistics and factual
  information is used to prove why the product is
  the best
• Logical approach to advertising and persuasion

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Logical Fallacy/Propaganda Technique 12 Magic
Ingredients

• Magic ingredients makes a suggestion that some
  almost miraculous discovery makes the product
  exceptionally effective
• Ex A pharmaceutical manufacturer describes a
  special coating that makes their pain reliever
  less irritating to the stomach than a
  competitors.

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Logical Fallacy/Propaganda Technique 13Slogans
and Catchphrases

• Slogans are catchwords or phrases that are loaded
  with emotion
• They are often loaded with emotion
• A clever approach to selling a product
• Often use repetition (throughout all their ads
  and commercials for example) and/or they just
  stay with you for a long time