Period ______
Names: # of Cuts
__________________________________________ ______
Questions after viewing:
TOOLS OF PERSUASION
The Language of Persuasion Media makers use many different methods to persuade you to believe or do something. The people who make advertisements are especially good at doing this. When you learn "the language of persuasion", you begin to notice how media messages try to influence us. Look for these techniques in any piece of media -- a TV show, a magazine ad, a movie.
11.Name Calling. To cut down others is not ok, but ads do it all of the time. We also see it in movies, on TV and in political advertising. Guess what? We may not think we like to hear it, but we listen and will fall for the idea that “the other guy” is better than the one who was called names. “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.” Is that right? Do names hurt?
12.Flattery is using nice words or actions to make someone feel that they need to use or buy a product because they are so smart or so beautiful that they deserve the thing being sold.
13.Bribery makes you think you will get something for nothing! Two for the price of one??? Or are you really paying for two things, one would be only half of the price you are paying.
14.Diversion. Advertisers or especially political campaigns need to talk about serious problems. Then, the advertisers stick something in (like a puppy being petted or they film their ad by a beautiful lake with sail boats on it). They do this to take your thoughts away from the main subject. Your thinking has been diverted and you might have trouble thinking about the real value of the product!
15.Denial gives you the chance to avoid being connected to anything unpopular. For example, an ad for GAP jeans might show a girl wearing very nice pants and saying, “I would NEVER be caught dead hanging out with them” as she looks over toward a couple of girls wearing thick glasses and older clothes. She would then turn and walk away with the GAP label showing at the corner of the screen.
16.Card Stacking. This is when the advertiser only picks out some of the information about a product to talk about, and ignores other facts that make their product seem less valuable. When they talk about only the good things, it makes their product sound extra-special and great!
17.Bandwagon makes you believe that everyone is using or buying a product and for you to fit in and be part of the crowd, you have to do or buy it too.
18.Simple solutions. Make the use of a product seem to fix all sorts of problems. “You’ll get better grades, be more popular, look great, lose weight and have tons of friends if only you'll drink Diet Coke!”
19.Scientific evidence uses charts, graphs, doctor’s statements or pictures of re- painted vehicles to make the product look better than it really is (even if it is made up).
20.Group dynamics uses how groups work together and how the lonely person feels.
21.Rhetorical questions...The salesperson will try to get you or whoever is the target to nod their heads and agree with what is being said, THEN they will try to sell you whatever is being advertised!
22.Nostalgia. Even though you are young, I bet you remember very fun and special times you have had. Advertisers will help you to remember the good things that happened to you and try to attach their product to those wonderful memories, so you will think that buying their product will make you feel that good again! “Emotions rub off of one idea onto others.”
23.Timing The advertiser will pick very special times to try to sell you their product. For example, they might pick during cartoons or right after school when you will be watching television to try to sell you cereal or toys. They sell chips and beer during sports events. When do you think would be a good time to sell candy?
24.Beautiful people. Using good-looking models in ads to suggest we’ll look like the models if we buy the product. (How many times have you seen this one used?)
What would your reaction be if you were....
...The CEO (President) of Chevrolet, the maker of the car.
....THE FCC (The Federal Communications Commission - those in charge of what goes on TV)
.... A Parent
... A Highway Safety Agency/Police Dept.
... yourself
Would you personally ban this commercial?
Names: # of Cuts
__________________________________________ ______
Questions after viewing:
- After watching the commercial a second time, how many cuts do you believe there were in this 60 second commercial? List the number above next to your name.
- After going frame by frame (use pause & the arrow keys) , how many did you discover there actually were? _________
- Who paid for the media? Why?
- Who is being targeted? Age? Ethnicity? Wealth? Profession? Interests?
- What text, images or sounds lead you to this conclusion?
- What is the subtext (unstated or underlying message)?
- What kind of lifestyle is presented? Is it glamorized? How?
- What values are expressed?
- What tools or techniques of persuasion are used? (See next pages)
- In what ways is this a healthy and/or unhealthy media message?
- What related stories are NOT told by this media example?
TOOLS OF PERSUASION
The Language of Persuasion Media makers use many different methods to persuade you to believe or do something. The people who make advertisements are especially good at doing this. When you learn "the language of persuasion", you begin to notice how media messages try to influence us. Look for these techniques in any piece of media -- a TV show, a magazine ad, a movie.
- Symbols can be pictures or music about things that make us have strong feelings. They make us feel happy, sad, scared or safe. Sometimes they make our hearts go fast.
- Hyperbole is exaggerating something. Making it bigger and better sounding than it really is.
- Fear makes us afraid that if we don’t buy what is being sold, something really bad will happen to us or to our families or friends.
- Humor. It is easiest to sell something if people are laughing and happy with what they see and hear.
- (Big) lie. We believe whatever we see or are told; especially if what we are told is something we really want to believe. Advertisers are willing to fool us so that we will think we are getting what we want, even if we aren’t.
- Maybe. This puts together hyperbole and lies, but begins with “could”, “maybe”, “might”. We are more willing to believe the advertisers are being honest if they don’t use positive words.
- Testimonial. If we see or hear one of our favorite athletes or musicians (like Michael Jordan) say they like a product, we will want it too.
- Repetition. How often can you repeat the words or music from an ad, without even realizing that you knew it? This is because you have heard the ad so often that the words are stuck in your head, even if you don’t want them to be. Then, when you go to the store to get a hat, for example, and you see Nike on one, you automatically think “Winners wear Nike products, so that is what I should have!”
- Plain folks makes you think that girls and boys just like you, from towns just like yours and who have friends and parents like yours, will buy what is being sold, no matter what the cost.
11.Name Calling. To cut down others is not ok, but ads do it all of the time. We also see it in movies, on TV and in political advertising. Guess what? We may not think we like to hear it, but we listen and will fall for the idea that “the other guy” is better than the one who was called names. “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.” Is that right? Do names hurt?
12.Flattery is using nice words or actions to make someone feel that they need to use or buy a product because they are so smart or so beautiful that they deserve the thing being sold.
13.Bribery makes you think you will get something for nothing! Two for the price of one??? Or are you really paying for two things, one would be only half of the price you are paying.
14.Diversion. Advertisers or especially political campaigns need to talk about serious problems. Then, the advertisers stick something in (like a puppy being petted or they film their ad by a beautiful lake with sail boats on it). They do this to take your thoughts away from the main subject. Your thinking has been diverted and you might have trouble thinking about the real value of the product!
15.Denial gives you the chance to avoid being connected to anything unpopular. For example, an ad for GAP jeans might show a girl wearing very nice pants and saying, “I would NEVER be caught dead hanging out with them” as she looks over toward a couple of girls wearing thick glasses and older clothes. She would then turn and walk away with the GAP label showing at the corner of the screen.
16.Card Stacking. This is when the advertiser only picks out some of the information about a product to talk about, and ignores other facts that make their product seem less valuable. When they talk about only the good things, it makes their product sound extra-special and great!
17.Bandwagon makes you believe that everyone is using or buying a product and for you to fit in and be part of the crowd, you have to do or buy it too.
18.Simple solutions. Make the use of a product seem to fix all sorts of problems. “You’ll get better grades, be more popular, look great, lose weight and have tons of friends if only you'll drink Diet Coke!”
19.Scientific evidence uses charts, graphs, doctor’s statements or pictures of re- painted vehicles to make the product look better than it really is (even if it is made up).
20.Group dynamics uses how groups work together and how the lonely person feels.
21.Rhetorical questions...The salesperson will try to get you or whoever is the target to nod their heads and agree with what is being said, THEN they will try to sell you whatever is being advertised!
22.Nostalgia. Even though you are young, I bet you remember very fun and special times you have had. Advertisers will help you to remember the good things that happened to you and try to attach their product to those wonderful memories, so you will think that buying their product will make you feel that good again! “Emotions rub off of one idea onto others.”
23.Timing The advertiser will pick very special times to try to sell you their product. For example, they might pick during cartoons or right after school when you will be watching television to try to sell you cereal or toys. They sell chips and beer during sports events. When do you think would be a good time to sell candy?
24.Beautiful people. Using good-looking models in ads to suggest we’ll look like the models if we buy the product. (How many times have you seen this one used?)
What would your reaction be if you were....
...The CEO (President) of Chevrolet, the maker of the car.
....THE FCC (The Federal Communications Commission - those in charge of what goes on TV)
.... A Parent
... A Highway Safety Agency/Police Dept.
... yourself
Would you personally ban this commercial?