How to Read an AD

1
Advertising The Art of Persuasion Propaganda
2
What is Advertising?
The use of images and/or text to promote or sell
a product, service, image, or idea to a wide
audience. Advertising is a marketing technique
that is designed to persuade an audience.
3
What is Marketing?
The process of moving goods or services from the
producer to the consumer. It includes identifying
consumer wants or needs designing packaging, and
pricing the product and arranging for locations
where the product will be sold. This includes
promoting a product to a target audience.
4
Did you know . . .
Cigarette ads used to make claims such as
Retain your slender figure More doctors smoke
camels Your mouth feels cleaner, your throat
refreshed
5
Did you know . . .
The small print . . . "The thorough test of any
cigarette is steady smoking. Smoke only Camels
for the next thirty days... And see how mild
Camels are, pack after pack... how well they
agree with your throat as you steady smoke. See
if you don't find Camel more enjoyable than any
other cigarette you've ever smoked."
6
Did you know . . .
The small print . . . "The further your cigarette
filters the smoke through fine tobaccos, the
milder that smoke becomes. At the first puff,
PALL MALL's smoke is filtered further than that
of any other leading cigarette....or 17 puffs -
Pall Mall's greater length of fine tobaccos still
travels the smoke further - filters the smoke and
makes it mild."
7
Did you know . . .
The small print . . . "Winston smokers believe
that smoking should be fun. That means real
flavor - full, rich, tobacco flavor - and
Winston's really got it! This filter cigarette
tastes good - like a cigarette should!Along
with Winston's filter flavor, you get a filter
that really does the job. The exclusive Winston
filter works so effectively, yet lets you draw so
easily and enjoy yourself so fully."
8
Advertising Appeals Claims

• Adapted from Understanding Mass Media by
  Jeffery Schrank
• Ads from www.adflip.com and scriptorium.lib.duke.e
  du/adaccess/

9
Advertisers use claims and appeals to convince us
to purchase their products.
Lets take a closer look at each and view some
samples ads.
10
Testimonials (or Celebrity Endorsements)

• Famous persons endorse a product--although they
  are NOT qualified as experts.
• Is Mike Piazza more of an expert on allergies
  than an average allergy sufferer? Is he an expert
  on allergies and the drugs that treat them?

11
Snob/ In Crowd Appeal

• The consumer will join the ranks of the elite by
  using the product
• The ad reads, Extraordinary food for
  extraordinary dogs. A dog will join the ranks
  of the elite by eating this dog food.

12
Sex appeal

• Sex is used to sell the product.
• Images of attractive, sparsely dressed models or
  suggestive images may be used.
• Here a model is used to sell shoes.

13
Appeal to authority

• Similar to testimonials. This selling device
  depends on a television star, an athlete, or
  other public personality to endorse an item.
• Use of the product will make the consumer as
  wealthy, as famous, as talented, or as beautiful
  as the spokesperson.

14
Plain folks appeal

• Reverse snob appeal applies here. In these ads
  the intent is to appeal to the average person.
• This ad is geared toward women with average
  bodies. It wants these women to believe the
  company has created a product with just them in
  mind.

15
Bandwagon appeal

• This appeal works because most of us dont want
  to stand out by being different, and we want what
  others have.
• The ad says that Coke is the most asked-for soft
  drink in the world.

16
Glittering Generalities

• Focus on highly valued concepts and beliefs such
  as patriotism, peace, freedom, glory, and honor.
  
• These ads word to lower the guard of the audience
  so that they will accept information that is not
  adequately supported.

17
Repetition and Emotion

• Advertisers will use repetition to wear down your
  resistance. The barrage of political flyers,
  commercials, and banners is a form of repetition.
  
• Emotional words are used to create a strong
  reaction in readers or viewers.

18
Claims
19
Scientific or statistical

• This kind of ad refers to some sort of scientific
  proof or experiments, to very specific numbers,
  or to an impressive-sounding mystery ingredient.
• Certs contains a sparkling drop of Retsyn.
  What exactly is Retsyn?

20
Scientific or statistical

• What scientific or statistical claim is being
  made here?

21
Complement the consumer

• This claim butters up the consumer with some sort
  of flattery.
• The ad reads, We specialise European
  spelling in the creation of individual cars,
  built to individual requirements, each as
  individual as its owner. Its trying to
  complement the consumer for being an individual.

22
Complement the consumer

• In what way does this ad complement the consumer?

23
Rhetorical question

• This technique poses a question that is worded in
  such a way that the consumers answer affirms the
  products goodness or desirability.
• The ad reads, Are you in? It suggests that
  being in the car is what we should want.

24
Rhetorical question claim

• What rhetorical question does this ad ask?

25
Unfinished claim

• The unfinished claim suggests that a product is
  better or has more, but it does not finish
  the comparison.
• The ad says Plax removes more plaque than
  brushing alone, but it does not tell how much
  more.

26
Weasel word claim
Helps

• Weasel words are used to make products seem
  special or unique.
• Some of the most common weasel words are listed
  to the right.

Up to
Many
Enriched
Can be
Fortified
Natural
Virtually
27
Weasel word claim
Virtually

• The ad says Cascade gets dishes virtually
  spotless. The advertiser hopes we remember the
  word spotless and forget the word virtually.

28
Weasel word claim

• What weasel word is used here?