PROPAGANDA TECHNIQUES

Critical Thinking

Propaganda: The art of persuasion

It is the spreading of ideas, information or rumor

for the purpose of helping or injuring an

institution, a cause or a person.

Propaganda is intended to make us accept or

approve something without looking closely at the

evidence.

Most of the propaganda devices utilize emotion

and avoid critical thinking.

Types of Propaganda

Testimonial

Glittering Generalities

Transfer

Plain Folks

Bandwagon

Name Calling

Card Stacking

Hidden Fears

Snob Appeal

Facts and Figures

Repetition

Weasel Words

Unfinished Comparisons

Water is Wet Claim

Compliment the Consumer

Rhetorical Question

Why Study Propaganda?

Save you lots of money.

Assist you in making better political

decisions.

Help you distinguish between fact and

opinion.

Aid you in persuading others.

Card Stacking

The strategy of showing the product’s best features,

telling half-truths, and omitting or lying about its

potential problems.

Example:

Drug companies do this frequently in ads in which they

skim over the possible harmful side effects of their

products. Facts are Selected and presented which

most effectively strengthen and authenticate the point

of view of the company.

Testimonial

The use of well-known, respected people to endorse a product or service.

Examples:

Oscar Meyer created an ad for its food products using George Foreman, a recognizable boxer, as the celebrity providing a testimonial for the product.

Michael Jordan is the most commonly used sports figure for testimonials.

Tiger Woods lends his name to Nike.

Glittering Generalities

The act of referring to words or ideas that evoke a positive emotional response from an audience. Virtue words are often used.

Examples: Food products will quickly label their foods as low fat hinting

that they are more healthy, when, in fact, the product might be high in calories.

Advertisers will sometimes give an incomplete comparison like “better tasting.” Better tasting than what? Spam? Dirt?

Cascade claims that their detergent will leave your dishes virtually spotless. In other words, there will be some spots.

Politicians will associate themselves with concepts which have positive connotations. For example, George W. Bush claimed to have a compassionate conservatism as opposed to more negative reference to the conservative right.

Transfer

The act of relating something or someone we like or respect with a product. Symbols are constantly used in this form of propaganda.

Examples: On TV commercials, actors in white lab coats tell

us that Brand X cold medicine is better that Brand Y.

During the 2000 campaign, Gov. George Bush used the American flag as part of his logo.

During the 2000 campaign, Vice President Al Gore used the colors, stars and stripes of the flag for his logo.

Plain Folks

The use of everyday people to sell a product or service. Speakers and ads appear to make the person to be “one of the people.”

Examples:

America’s recent presidents have all been millionaires, but they have gone to great lengths to present themselves as ordinary citizens.

Bill Clinton eats at McDonalds.

Ronald Reagan chops wood.

Jimmy Carter was an humble peanut farmer.

Bandwagon

Bandwagon attempts to persuade the target audience to take a course of action "everyone else is taking." "Join the crowd." This technique reinforces people's natural desire to be on the winning side.

Examples:

McDonalds touts that billions have been served.

World War II posters encouraged others to buy bonds by showing how many other people had bought one.

Name Calling

The use of names that evoke fear or hatred in the viewer. The name-calling technique links a person, or idea, to a negative symbol.

Examples:

A poster that is a play on World War II posters. Communism is equated with downloading MP3s.

Bill Gates has also been subject to a little name calling.

Hidden Fears

Suggesting that a person or product will protect you against something unpleasant or dangerous.

Examples:

If you don't want "ring around the collar," use a particular detergent.

This person will protect America against terrorism.

Snob Appeal

Suggesting that association with a person or product can make you special

Examples:

The people who drive this kind of car wear fancy clothes, live in mansions, or go to great places.

Facts and Figures

Using tests, statistics or information that sounds "scientific" to prove that one product or person is better than another.

Examples:

"Four out of five dentists recommend this toothpaste."

"73% of Americans believe this candidate will do a better job - can they all be wrong?"

Unfinished Comparisons

Comparing a product or person to another, without providing the other half of the comparison.

Examples:

"This soap cleans better!" - better than what?

"This politician works harder for America." -harder than whom?

Repetition

Repeating a name, slogan or product over and over in the same advertisement.

Examples:

"Buy it for less at Video Only" repeated at least four times in the same advertisement

"He says he didn't know" repeated over and over about a politician in the same advertisement.

Weasel Words or Empty Phrases

Using broad promises or phrases that don't really mean anything.

Examples: "With this diet, you can loose up to 100

pounds."

"Vote for this politician. He's a real American!“

"Hot Nestlés cocoa is the very best."Remember the "best" and "better" routine.

"Listerine fights bad breath." "Fights," not "stops."

The Unfinished Claim

The unfinished claim is one in which the ad claims the product is better, or has more of something, but does not finish the comparison.

Examples: "Magnavox gives you more." More what?

"Anacin: Twice as much of the pain reliever doctors recommend most." This claim fits in a number of categories but it does not say twice as much of what pain reliever.

"Supergloss does it with more color, more shine, more sizzle, more!"

Water is Wet Claim "Water is wet" claims say something about the

product that is true for any brand in that product category, (for example, "Schrank's water is really wet.") The claim is usually a statement of fact, but not a real advantage over the competition.

Examples: "Mobil: the Detergent Gasoline." Any gasoline acts as

a cleaning agent.

"Great Lash greatly increases the diameter of every lash."

"Rheingold, the natural beer." Made from grains and water as are other beers.

"SKIN smells differently on everyone." As do many perfumes.

Compliment the Consumer

This kind of claim butters up the consumer by some form of flattery.

Examples: "We think a cigar smoker is someone special."

"If what you do is right for you, no matter what others do, then RC Cola is right for you."

"You pride yourself on your good home cooking...."

"The lady has taste."

"You've come a long way, baby."

The Rhetorical Question

This technique demands a response from the audience. A question is asked and the viewer or listener is supposed to answer in such a way as to affirm the product's goodness.

Examples:

"Plymouth--isn't that the kind of car America wants?"

"Shouldn't your family be drinking Hawaiian Punch?"

"What do you want most from coffee? That's what you get most from Hills."

"Touch of Sweden: could your hands use a small miracle?"

Homework – Choose 1: Find 10 examples of propaganda techniques

used in online ads. Print out the ads and show where the technique was used.

Watch TV for an hour and record the time slot, how many commercials there were, what they were advertising, and what techniques they used.

Go through a magazine and record the number of pages total, how many pages have ads, name 10 companies that advertised in them, and tell which methods were used in each of those 10 ads.