Download propaganda techniques

PROPAGANDA TECHNIQUES
WHAT IS PROPAGANDA?
Propaganda is an organized effort to
spread ideas about a person, product,
or cause.
 It is the spreading of ideas, information,
or rumors for the purpose of persuading
people to be for or against someone or
something.
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IS IT GOOD OR BAD??
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Propaganda may be:
– Beneficial as well as harmful
– True or false
– Reasonable or unreasonable
– Obvious or hidden
WHO USES PROPAGANDA?
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Actors
Preachers
Teachers
Politicians
Editors
Advertisers
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Salesmen
Reformers
Authors
Artists
Parents
Friends
Each of us uses propaganda
methods in order to persuade
others!
WHAT KIND OF
TECHNIQUES?
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Bandwagon
Testimonial
Transfer
Glittering Generality
Name Calling
Emotional Words
Repetition
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Card Stacking
Plain Folks
Faulty Cause and
Effect
Exigency
Innuendo
Snob Appeal
Flag Waving
BANDWAGON
Used to persuade people to buy
something or do something because a
large number of people are buying it or
doing it.
 Used to convince people that everybody
is supporting a certain politician or
political issue.
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BANDWAGON
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Examples:
– Everyone has “climbed on the
bandwagon.”
– “Join the thousands of Houstonians who
are reading the Houston Chronicle.”
– “Vote for Jane Green. Everyone in our
class is voting for her for class president.”
TESTIMONIAL
Uses the success story (exact words) of
a person who is endorsing a product,
cause, or plan of action.
 Often this person is someone famous.
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TESTIMONIAL
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Examples:
– Mary Lou Retton says, “Wheaties gave me
the energy I needed to score a perfect 10.”
– Television star Jed Turner says, “I’m for
Robert Prescott. He’s the best candidate
for governor.”
– Susie Cane says, “I lost fifty pounds on the
Slimdown Diet Plan.”
TRANSFER
This technique associates a product,
person, or idea with someone that has
high prestige.
 May attempt to make you transfer your
feelings about one thing to another.
 A famous person may be shown with a
product, but the person does not make
a statement about the product.
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TRANSFER
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Examples:
– In an advertisement for the Blankenship
Hotel, a famous movie star is shown on the
steps of the hotel.
– A candidate for Congress is photographed
with the President.
GLITTERING GENERALITY
Uses words that sound good but have
little real meaning.
 An over generalization which actually is
meaningless.
 People will accept it without examining
it.
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GLITTERING GENERALITY
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Examples:
– “Reelect Congressman Johnson. He’s the
man for the twenty-first century.”
– “Coke is the real thing.”
NAME CALLING
The use of strongly negative words to
refer to people, products, ideas,
actions, or traits.
 Substitutes the calling of names for
information.
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NAME CALLING
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Examples:
– “Congressman Jones can best be described
as a short-sighted, dim-witted liberal.”
– “You don’t want a polluting, gas-guzzling
car! Buy a Honda motorcycle instead.”
EMOTIONAL WORDS
Uses carefully chosen words to arouse
emotions rather than to inform.
 People respond favorably to words with
positive connotations (love, beautiful,
luxurious, etc.)
 People respond unfavorably to words
with negative connotations (belch, itch,
pain, etc.)
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EMOTIONAL WORDS
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Examples:
– “For a peaches and cream complexion use
Beauty Bound Face Cream.”
– “If your mirror reveals troublesome,
unsightly blemishes, begin using Beauty
Bound Face Cream.”
REPETITION
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The repetition of a word or a phrase to
make people recall a brand or name.
REPETITION
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Examples:
– “Buy Explore. Read Explore. Remember
Explore. Explore.”
– “Beautyrest is the best mattress you can
buy. You will rest well on a Beautyrest.
Remember, get your beauty rest on a
Beautyrest.”
CARD STACKING
Selects and uses facts to give a false or
misleading idea about a product,
person, or position.
 Lists only the favorable qualities of a
product, person, or position.
 Lists only the unfavorable qualities of a
rival product, person, or position.
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CARD STACKING
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Examples:
– A candidate who is for cutting school taxes
would point out how much money the
average family would save, but he wouldn’t
mention that the schools might deteriorate.
– An ad may highlight the many features
that Auto A possesses and Auto B lacks,
neglecting to mention that Auto A uses
25% more gas than Auto B.
PLAIN FOLKS
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Tries to win public confidence on the
basis that someone just like you, who
has problems similar to yours and
understands your life, uses product X,
and you should too.
PLAIN FOLKS
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Examples:
– Politicians are shown in family pictures,
kissing babies, or wearing a “hard hat.”
– Products are shown being bought by
ordinary people.
FAULTY CAUSE AND EFFECT
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Used to persuade others by using false
reasons for actions.
FAULTY CAUSE AND EFFECT
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Examples:
– A student who has just failed a test blames
his failure on a hot classroom instead of his
lack of studying.
– A toothpaste commercial states that you
will be more popular if you use Britesmile
toothpaste.
EXIGENCY
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Creates the impression that your action
is required immediately, or the
opportunity will be lost forever.
EXIGENCY
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Example:
– “Prices have been lowered on Runaway
Vans, but only for 72 hours. Come get the
deal of a lifetime before 8:00 p.m. on
Tuesday.”
INNUENDO
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Hints that there may be something that
is being kept hidden.
INNUENDO
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Example:
– “Only John T. Belt did not voluntarily
disclose his financial position before the
primary.”
SNOB APPEAL
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Tries to persuade by making you feel
that you are one of the elite if you use
a product or vote for a candidate.
SNOB APPEAL
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Example:
– An ad shows a certain make of car parked
in front of a mansion. It leaves the
impression that if you buy this car you will
be viewed as wealthy (elite) by others.
FLAG WAVING
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Connects a product or candidate with
patriotism.
FLAG WAVING
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Examples:
– “Switch to American oil. Let’s end our
dependency on foreign oil.”
– The use of the American flag or another
patriotic symbol.
MORE PROPAGANDA TERMS
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Slogan - short slogan or jingle used to
sell a product.
– “Wheaties, the breakfast of champions.”
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Symbol - the use of cartoon, patriotic,
or historic symbols.
MORE PROPAGANDA TERMS
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Economic Appeal - the use of the idea
of saving money to sell a product.
– “Buy our heat pump and save money on
your utility bills.”
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Scientific Appeal - the use of statistics,
scientific demonstrations or equipment,
people dressed as doctors or scientists
to sell a product.
– “Nine out of ten doctors recommend
Headache Away for their patients.”
MORE PROPAGANDA TERMS
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Romantic Appeal - leads you to believe
that the opposite sex will like you better
if you use a product.
– “Use Close-Up and your breath will be
kissing fresh all day.” (Picture of a beautiful
couple kissing)
MORE PROPAGANDA TERMS
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Either-Or - suggests that there are only
two possible choices when, in fact there
are other alternatives.
– “Vote for Jim Smith, or you are throwing
your vote away.”