POWER OF
PERSUASION
War of the Worlds
by H. G. Wells
Radio broadcast
October 30, 1938
Persuasive Devices
Persuasive Device
a technique deliberately used to influence
others, to convince the audience of the
validity of an argument.
(also known as propaganda techniques)
Persuasive Devices
are used in
• product advertisements
• political campaigns
• everyday situations
Common Devices
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Bandwagon
Testimonial
Transfer
Trial Balloon
Exigency
Repetition
Card-stacking
Name-calling
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•
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Plain Folks
Snob Appeal
Glittering Generalities
Oversimplifying
Innuendo
Faulty Cause/Effect
Out of Context
Scare Tactic
Bandwagon
• an appeal to follow the crowd;
everybody’s doing it.
Bandwagon Clues
• peer pressure
• 2 out of 4 dentists recommend
• Over 4 million sold
Testimonial
• quotation or endorsement, which
attempts to connect a respectable
person with a product or idea.
Testimonial Clues
•
•
•
•
direct quotation
actual person with identification
courtroom
religious conviction
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
hyET522rKMA
Transfer
• Using a famous person or thing
to sell an idea or a product by
attempting to connect the two.
Transfer Clues
• endorsements
• celebrities
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUC
yJjZ_QUY
Find and collect
examples of bandwagon,
testimonial, and
transfer.
Trial Balloon
• Offering something free
or at a discount
Trial Balloon Clues
• coupons
• 2 for price of 1
• buy one get one
free
Exigency
• Offer will expire
Exigency Clues
•
•
•
•
expiration date
limited time only
sales
within next 10 minutes
Find and collect
examples of trial balloon
and exigency.
Repetition
• repeating again and again
Repetition Clues
• parents “nagging”
• children “begging”
• pop-ups
Card-stacking
• naming all of the positive reasons to
choose something, selective omission;
can also be used for negative
influence.
Card-stacking Clues
• listing
• numbering
Find and collect
examples of repetition
and card-stacking.
Name-calling
• links a person or idea to a
negative symbol or name
Name-calling Clues
• used towards an opponent or
competitor
• negative connotation
Plain Folks
• speaker presents him or
herself as a common person
Plain Folks Clues
• Average Joe
• speaker “understands”
the reader/listener
Snob Appeal
• convinces consumers that they
are worthy of a product or
service because it is the best.
Snob Appeal Clues
• You’ll be popular if…
• Better than the rest
Glittering Generalities
• Emotionally appeal to positive
and highly-valued concepts and
beliefs
Glittering Generalities
Clues
• Vague
• positive connotations
• ‘Strength,’ ‘freedom,’
‘patriotism’
Find and collect
examples of namecalling, plain folks, snob
appeal, and glittering
generalities.
Innuendo
• Hinting or suggesting that
something or someone might
be negative
Innuendo Clues
• Usually derogatory
Innuendo Example
Faulty Cause/Effect
• suggests that because B
follows A, A must cause B
Faulty Cause/Effect
Clues
• Example:
Eating ice cream causes murder
• More murders occur in the summer
• More ice cream is eaten in the summer
• However, ice cream does not cause
murder
Out of Context
• Selective editing of quotes
which can change meanings
Out of Context Clues
• Political campaigns
• celebrities
Out of Context Examples
• Obama on Taxes
Find and collect
examples of innuendo,
faulty cause/effect, and
out of context
quotations.
Oversimplifying
• Favorable generalities
are used to provide
simple answers to
complex problems
Oversimplifying Clues
• Statements are
positive and firm
• qualifying words are
never used
Scare Tactic
• Play on consumers’
fears if they do not
purchase
Scare Tactic Clues
• What will happen if you
chose the other
brand/product?
Find and collect
examples of
oversimplifying and
scare tactics.
Now you will complete several
tasks to create a business
advertisement and you will use
persuasive techniques to
convince consumers to buy
your product or service.
Power of Identity
Business Name
Power of Image/Symbol
Logo/Icon
Power of Persuasion
Slogan
Theme Song