Key persuasive techniques use in advertising.

1. GCSE - Cross Media

2. Humour
 Humour makes
adverts more
memorable.
 If you can make
people laugh,
you can
persuade them!

3. Repetition
Slogans, images and
brand names can be
repeated and add
creditability to a
campaign.
Slogans remain in
the memory long
after the advertising
campaign has
finished.

4. Shock Tactics
 Benetton and
Barnardo‟s have
used shock tactics to
grab the attention of
the audience

5. Sex Sells
 The most effective
and persuasive
technique.
 If people think the
product will make
them more attractive
to the opposite sex
then they will buy it.

6. Stereotypes
 These are useful in
advertising because
they are easily
identifiable and tend
to bring certain
messages with them
 Example: Indian
Mother in Tilda Rice
Advert 2007

7. Intertextual references
 Using other texts to
create or ad meaning
to an advert

8. Fear
 You must buy this
product or something
bad will happen!

9. Warm & Fuzzy
 Uses sentimental
images to sell
products

10. Beautiful People
 Using good looking
models as if telling us
we will look like them if
we use the product!

11. Reward and Punishment
 Probably the most important persuasive tool
in advertising.
 Physical Rewards are offered like - BOGOF,
or a cream that makes you look younger.
 Rewards can be psychological though -
example Dog food that „gives him a healthy
coat and gums‟. If you don‟t buy the food you
will be punishing your dog

12. Signifier
 What is literally „in
the picture‟, such as
colours
 This is known as
denotation

13. Signified
 The interpretations or
meanings which can be
associated with parts of
the picture.
 This is known as
connotation.
 E.g the colour green has
connotations of envy,
nature and eco -
friendliness

14. Preferred Meaning
 All media texts have
preferred meanings.
 It‟s the way they are
constructed to
encourage you to
see them in a certain
way.
 Example the lighting Nike was attacked by church
or shot angle used for Christ like picture.

15. Anchorage
 When an advert
uses a caption to fix
the meaning of an
image
 Example: WELLA
Shockwaves advert
 “Style like an angel,
play like a devil.”