Where in your daily life
do you experience advertising?
Mrs. Moulton * British Literature



Media surround us – TV,
magazines, radio, the
Internet, billboards – all
packed with advertisements
that scream BUY ME!
Advertisers market their
products in ways to grab
your attention.
They provide appeals and
claims that entice you to buy
what they are selling.
Mrs. Moulton * British Literature


We have so many choices of the same
type of product (shampoo, for example).
These are called parity products, in
which most of the ones available are
nearly identical.
The first rule of parity involves the Alice
in Wonderlandish use of the words
“better” and “best.” In parity claims,
“better” means “best” and “best” means
“equal to.”
Mrs. Moulton * British Literature
Just as
knowing
how to
read is a
vital skill
for making
informed
decisions
in life, so is
understand
• It is important to understand the
ing that
tactics that they are using to lure us in. media that
bombards
us.

Mrs. Moulton * British Literature
What is propaganda?



Spreading of information to help
or to hurt a cause.
Telling only the side you want people
to know.
Propaganda appeals to emotions
rather than intellect
Mrs. Moulton * British Literature
Advertising Techniques

AVANTE GARDE
The suggestion that
using this product puts
the user ahead of the
times e.g. a toy
manufacturer
encourages kids to be
the first on their block to
have a new toy.
Mrs. Moulton * British Literature
Bandwagon

Bandwagon is a form of propaganda
that exploits the desire of most people
to join the crowd or be on the winning
side, and avoid winding up the losing
side. Few of us would want to wear
nerdy clothes, smell differently from
everyone else, or be unpopular. The
popularity of a product is important to
many people. Even if most of us say
we make out own choice when buying
something we often choose welladvertised items -- the popular ones.
Mrs. Moulton * British Literature

Advertising copywriters must be
careful with the bandwagon
propaganda technique because most
of us see ourselves as individuals
who think for ourselves. If a
bandwagon commercial is too
obvious, viewers may reject the
product outright.
Mrs. Moulton * British Literature
Facts and figures

Statistics and objective factual information is
used to prove the superiority of the product
e.g. a car manufacturer quotes the amount of
time it takes the car to get from 0 to 100 mph
Mrs. Moulton * British Literature
Glittering
Generalities

This technique uses
appealing words and
images to sell. The
message this gives,
through indirectly, is
that if you buy the
item, you will be using
a wonderful product,
and it will change your
life. This cosmetic will
make you look
younger, this car will
give you status. Mrs. Moulton * British Literature

HIDDEN FEARS: The suggestion
that this product will protect the
user from some danger e.g. a
laundry detergent suggests that
you will be embarrassed when
strangers see "ring around the
collar" of your shirts or blouses

MAGIC INGREDIENTS: The
suggestion that some almost
miraculous discovery makes the
product exceptionally effective
e.g. a pharmaceutical
manufacturer describes a special
coating that makes their pain
reliever less irritating to the
stomach than a competitor's.
Mrs. Moulton * British Literature
PATRIOTISM: The
suggestion that
purchasing this
product shows
your love of your
country e.g. a

company brags
about its product
being made in
America and
employing
American workers.

PLAIN FOLKS: The suggestion that the
product is a practical product of good value
for ordinary people e.g. a cereal
manufacturer shows an ordinary family
sitting down to breakfast and enjoying their
product.
Mrs. Moulton * British Literature
SNOB APPEAL: The suggestion that the use of the
product makes the customer part of an elite group
with a luxurious and glamorous lifestyle e.g. a
coffee manufacturer shows people dressed in
formal gowns and tuxedos drinking their brand at
an art gallery.
TRANSFER: Words and ideas with
positive connotations are used to suggest
that the positive qualities should be
associated with the product and the user

e.g. a textile manufacturer wanting
people to wear their product to stay cool
during the summer shows people wearing
fashions made from their cloth at a sunny
seaside setting where there is a cool
Mrs. Moulton * British Literature
breeze.

TESTIMONIAL
A famous personality is
used to endorse the
product e.g. a famous
basketball player (Michael
Jordan) recommends a
particular brand of shoes.
Celebrity endorsements are
frequent in Super Bowl
advertisements.
http://cocacolaoldads.blogspot.com/2007/10/mean-joe-green-coca-cola-superbowl-ad.html
Mrs. Moulton * British Literature

WIT AND HUMOR
Customers are attracted to products
that divert the audience by giving
viewers a reason to laugh or to be
entertained by clever use of visuals or
language.
Mrs. Moulton * British Literature






Questions for Analyzing Ads:
To whom (which target
audience) is the advertisement
trying to sell the product? (age,
gender, culture, lifestyle)
Does this ad appeal to your
emotions? If so, which
emotion(s)?
Look beyond any emotional
appeal to find out what the ad
really says (or doesn’t say) about
the product or service. Do you
detect any exaggeration or
suspicious promises? If so,
describe the “hidden message.”
What is the intended use(s) of
the product? Does the
advertiser point out special
features of the product that
distract for the intended use?
What are the signs or symbols in
the ad? What are they saying?
What advertising techniques are
being used to sell the product?Mrs. Moulton * British Literature












Bandwagon
Facts and Figures
Glittering Generalities
Hidden Fears
Magic Ingredients
Patriotism
Plain Folks
Snob Appeal
Transfer
Testimonial
Wit and Humor
What advertising techniques
Mrs. Moulton * British Literature
are being used to sell the product?







Questions for Analyzing Ads:
To whom (which target
audience) is the advertisement
trying to sell the product? (age,
gender, culture, lifestyle)
Does this ad appeal to your
emotions? If so, which
emotion(s)?
Look beyond any emotional
appeal to find out what the ad
really says (or doesn’t say) about
the product or service. Do you
detect any exaggeration or
suspicious promises? If so,
describe the “hidden message.”
What is the intended use(s) of
the product? Does the
advertiser point out special
features of the product that
distract for the intended use?
What are the signs or symbols in
the ad? What are they saying?
What advertising techniques are
being used to sell the product?Mrs. Moulton * British Literature












Bandwagon
Facts and Figures
Glittering Generalities
Hidden Fears
Magic Ingredients
Patriotism
Plain Folks
Snob Appeal
Transfer
Testimonial
Wit and Humor
What advertising techniques
Mrs. Moulton * British Literature
are being used to sell the product?







Questions for Analyzing Ads:
To whom (which target
audience) is the advertisement
trying to sell the product? (age,
gender, culture, lifestyle)
Does this ad appeal to your
emotions? If so, which
emotion(s)?
Look beyond any emotional
appeal to find out what the ad
really says (or doesn’t say) about
the product or service. Do you
detect any exaggeration or
suspicious promises? If so,
describe the “hidden message.”
What is the intended use(s) of
the product? Does the
advertiser point out special
features of the product that
distract for the intended use?
What are the signs or symbols in
the ad? What are they saying?
What advertising techniques are
being used to sell the product?Mrs. Moulton * British Literature












Bandwagon
Facts and Figures
Glittering Generalities
Hidden Fears
Magic Ingredients
Patriotism
Plain Folks
Snob Appeal
Transfer
Testimonial
Wit and Humor
What advertising techniques
Mrs. Moulton * British Literature
are being used to sell the product?

What does this have to do
with Brave New World?



Hypnopedia slogans are very similar to
commercial advertising slogans
“I love new clothes, I love new
clothes... Ending is better than
mending... I’m so glad I’m a Beta... was
and will make me ill; I take a gramme
and only am”
John the Savage, Helmholtz and
Bernard question their Brave New
World’s propaganda
Mrs. Moulton * British Literature


Why is the propaganda in the text not
challenged by most people in the
society?
Which characters do question the
propaganda and what causes their
questioning?
Mrs. Moulton * British Literature
Just for fun …

http://cyco.sulekha.com/blog/post/2006/12/award-winning-advertisements.htm
Mrs. Moulton * British Literature