Tecfinique
How lt Works
Example
Facts and Figures
Study results, facts, and statistics are
presented to prove the superiority of
power than another leading brand."
facts and figures really prove
Whot is cleansing power? Does thot
necessorily meon thot Super Soop gets
the product. Ask yourself, "Do these
effectiveness?"
Special lngredients
you cleaner?
A magic ingredient has been added to "Chew Fresh contains the breaththe product. Ask yourself, "What does freshening ingredient Retsyn." Whot
this magic ingredient do? Does it
Retsyn, ond what does it do? Have its
really make the product more
valuable?"
WeaselWords
"Super Soap has 25Vo more cleansing
Sly words are inserted in a claim
is
effects been proven?
to
make it appear substantial when really it
says almost nothing. Common weasel
words include helps, virtuo(ly), con be,
up to, as much os, refreshes, eoses,
comforts, tackles, fights, the look of, the
feel of, looks like, fortified, enriched,
"Leaves clothing virtually stain-free!"
The word virtually, which meons
"olmost," weokens the cloim, but it is
used so often thot you don't really hear
it onymore. The odvertiser soys "virtuolly
stain-free," ond you heor "stoin-free."
improved, and mony.
Sensory Appeal
lmages and words appeal to the five
senses. The advertisement gets you
to
imagine vividly the experience the
product will supposedly bring you.
RESPONDlNG TO TITERATURE
A catalog shows models standing on
beautiful beach with a gentle breeze
a
blowing their hair. You are supposed to
ossociate the peoceful, pleasont sensory
experience the models ore having with
the products.
ELA PRACTICE
67
Name
Class_
Testimonials
Bandwagon
Nostalgia
Cutting Edge
Date
Much-admired, famous people claim
that they use the product and that
therefore, so should you. This
technique works under the
assumption that you want to be like
the celebrity in the ad.
using a particular kind of laptop
computer. Will using o certain kindt
loptop help you ploy boll like MiM
lordon?
The advertisement tries to convince
you that everyone else is using the
"Used by more than three million 'q
people nationwide." If three millkn
product, so you should, too.
people jumped off o cliff, would
The images and language are
designed to make you long for an
idealized, lost past. lmages might
include happy scenes of families eating
together around the dinner table or
gathered around a Christmas tree.
"Lemonade the way your
grandmother made it." Exceptthot1
grandmother didn't buy hers in the
The opposite of the nostalgia ad, this
kind of ad promises that if you use
this producf you will be ahead of
your time, on the cutting edge.
High-tech images combine with
voiceover that asls you to imagine
ordering a pizza from your car without I
having to dial a cell phone, then proni{
that this technology will allow you to
A famous basketball player is seen
,
yoltfl
1
frozen foods department.
a
it.
I
I
&l
These ads ignore the question of whAiA
lost with eoch technolqicol odvoncenwt '
They ossume that more technology is
outomotically better
Patriotism
The ad attempts to convince you,
through words or patriotic symbols
such as flags or eagles, that using this
kind product makes you a more loyal
American.
H
Snob Appeal
lmages and words convey the
A man dressed in a tuxedo steps out
impression that users of this product
the opera hall to make a call on a
are superior to those who don't use it. particular brand of cell phone. Wrl/
using this cell phone sove me enough
money that I can afford his lifestyle?
Compliment the
These ads try to flatter the buyer into
Consumer
choosing a particular product.
Transfer
Similar to sensory appeal, snob
appeal, and nostalgia, this technique
seeks
to make you associate pleasing
images and experiences with the
product being advertised.
Hidden
Fears
The opposite of the transfer
technique, this trick often involves
convincing you that you will be
embarrassed or humiliated in some
way if you don't use the product.
68
"Keep American rolling; buy our cars.' I
This ossumes that spending money is the I
best woy to serve your country During
first two world wors, Americons were urgd
to cut bock ond conserve resources.
ErA PRAcrrcE
RESPONDlNG TO TITTRATURE
d{
"You want the best for your child."
This od makes you feel good obout your
love for your child. lt dodges the
question of whether or not the product
being odvertised really is the best.
An attractive woman reclines
comfortably in a chair, reading her book
and sipping a steaming cup of a
particular brand of coffee. You ore reolly
being sold her expeience-4er reloxotion,
the worm lighting, the beoutiful
surroundings--+other thon the coffee.
A man is turned off when he notices
his date's dandruff problem. This ad
preys on o fear of being rejected.
O EMC