Name _________________ Date DuScav Humanities

Types of Propaganda

BANDWAGON: The basic idea behind the bandwagon approach is just that, "getting on the bandwagon." The propagandist puts forth the idea that everyone is doing this, or everyone supports this person/cause, so should you. The bandwagon approach appeals to the conformist in all of us: No one wants to be left out of what is perceived to be a popular trend.

1. Identifies a need 2. Offers a recommendation to address the need 3. The audience must believe that the

recommendation will be effective in addressing the need

4. The audience must believe that they are capable of performing the recommended behavior

FEAR: This technique is very popular among political parties and PACs (Political Action Committees) in the U.S. The idea is to present a dreaded circumstance and usually follow it up with the kind of behavior needed to avoid that horrible event.

1. A threat 2. Offers a specific recommendation about how the

audience should behave 3. The audience must believe that the recommendation

will be effective in addressing the threat 4. The audience must believe that they are capable of

performing the recommended behavior

Name _________________ Date DuScav Humanities

TESTIMONIAL: This is the celebrity endorsement of a philosophy, movement or candidate. In advertising, for example, athletes are often paid millions of dollars to promote sports shoes, equipment and fast food. In political circles, movie stars, television stars, rock stars and athletes lend a great deal of credibility and power to a political cause or candidate. Just a photograph of a movie star at political rally can generate more interest in that issue/candidate or cause thousands, sometimes millions, of people to become supporters.

1. Testimonial propaganda is used when a celebrity or someone with an official position encourages everyone to support a product or cause.

2. Often the spokesperson’s occupation is not related to the product or cause.

PLAIN FOLKS: Here the candidate or cause is identified with common people from everyday walks of life. The idea is to make the candidate/cause look like a common Russian.

1. Plain Folks propaganda shows a political, religious or business leader mingling among what the audience perceives as “common people.”

2. Or, sometimes the leader is shown participating in an activity associated with common people.

3. This form of propaganda appeals to the audience’s trust of those perceived as “common people.” The audience’s trust allows the leader to further their own cause.

TRANSFER: Transfer employs the use of symbols, quotes or the images of famous people to convey a message not necessarily associated with them. In the use of transfer, the candidate/speaker attempts to persuade us through the indirect use of something we respect, such as a patriotic or religious image, to promote his/her ideas. Religious and patriotic images may be the most commonly used in this propaganda technique but they are not alone. Sometimes even science becomes the means to transfer the message.

1. Transfer propaganda is when a symbol, quote or image of a famous person is used to promote a cause.

2. Encourages everyone to use or support a product or cause through religious or patriotic imagery.

3. Often the image or symbol is not even related to the cause.