Persuasive Techniques in Commercials
Bandwagon- Telling the audience that everyone is buying it, using it, or doing it, so they should join the crowd! For example: “Are you the only one in the neighborhood who doesn’t have a Wii?”
Testimonial- Using a famous person to promote products. For example: Michael Jordan says, “Do you know what helps me win? Two glasses of Yoo Hoo every morning!”
Transfer: Taking your positive feelings about something and transferring it to the product: For example: “If you like Harry Potter, you will love the Harry Potter candy bar.”
Repetition: Saying something again and again so people will remember it. For Example: “It’s hot, hot, hot!” “It’s free! No charges to your credit card.”
Name-calling: Putting down your competition’s product to make your own product seem better. For Example, “Other brands like to pile sugar into their juices, Ocean Spray is different…”
People Just Like You: Using an ordinary person to sell a product or service, implying that you are alike, and if this person would buy or use this you should too. For example, “If you are an allergy sufferer like me, use Afrin nasal spray. Spray it and breathe in. You’ll be back to yourself in no time. If it helps me, it’ll help you.”
Call for Action: Making you feel that you have to do something immediately or the opportunity will be lost forever. For Example, “Friday night only! Better hurry! Only a limited supply is available.”
Facts and Figures – When facts and statistics are used to enhance your product’s credibility.
Heart Strings – are ads that draw you into a story and make you feel good, like the McDonalds commercial where the dad and his son are shoveling their driveway and the son treats his poor old dad to lunch at McDonalds when they are done.
Sounds Good – Music and other sound effects add to the excitement of commercials, especially commercials aimed at kids. Those little jingles, that you just can’t get out of your head, are another type of music used to make you think of a product. Have you ever noticed that the volume of commercials is higher than the sound for the program that follows?
Exaggeration- Representing something to be larger, greater, better, or worse than it really is. “Simply the best tasting cup of coffee you’ll EVER have.”
Humor – If you make them laugh, viewers will remember the commercial and have positive feelings about the product. What’s the last commercial that made you laugh? SEE! You remembered the product!
