Recap on Demographics:
- we can categorize people into groups
- those groups have common elements
- we can manipulate them based upon those common elements
- advertisers use data to figure out how to sell stuff better
Claims and Strategies:
- these are just a few ways that advertisers and producers use to manipulate audience specifically
1. Weasel words
- more, better, best, tastes, fun, improves, helps, new
- these words all have something in common – they are all used in ads and they all don’t mean exactly what we think they do
- More – does more = something good?
- if a product “gives you more” what does this really mean? – could be a bigger package of product, could be more X (cleaning agents, fat, sugar, who knows?) – it’s only good if they tell you what you get more of, and if it’s good
- Better and best – these words only have value if you have a reference to compare with – better at what? You need the specifics – but ads don’t give them
- Tastes and Fun – what’s wrong with these? –
- Mr. Lobb is allergic to green peppers. However, Megan Little loves them. She says they taste good. He says they taste like crap. Who’s right?
- taste is an opinion, and so is fun, and they don’t add value in ads – it’s a trick
- when a product is described as tasting great, this is useless
- Improves and helps, “can be a part of” – these are all misleading because they aren’t the active part of what is being sold
- helps fight cavities – doesn’t actually fight them, just helps
- virtually – Special Weasel Word – there are more like virtual (almost, nearly, can be, may, might, etc)
- all these words mean the same thing – Not, or not really or could be
- we hear the word as meaning something that it really isn’t
- Cool is the same – this is a catch all on kids and their need to fit in. Cruel is better.
In the old days (1940s, cool meant that someone who was addicted to heroin had scored drugs)
2. Science and Numbers
- many ads use scientific terms and phrases to trick the audience into thinking that the product is awesome because it is complex or over their heads – they would even invent words that sounded scientific to do this
- eg – Certs – an old candy that had Retsyn.
- modern example – Gatorade – electrolytes
- what are electrolytes? Salts and sugars and some minerals – like potassium
- who needs electrolytes when they work out?
- Gatorade sells flavour in water – electrolytes aren’t necessary for 95% of athletes or more
- the best sports drink is actually water and having a balanced diet
Three out of four dentists recommend Trident gum
- this makes you feel like it’s healthy and you need it – the person at home feels like the product is not only safe, but important to have
- the dentists and doctors used recommend these products because they are paid – they come in to a panel and are paid –
- The reason why there is one who doesn’t agree is to make it more believable
There is a similar trick done with numbers and percentages –
- Tide has 33% more cleaning power – what does this really mean?
- How do you measure cleaning power?
- It likely really means more Tide and more laundry done – bigger box
- You can’t measure cleaning power, or pain relief, or lots of other stuff that ads try to suggest they can measure
- Some ads have words like maximum, plus, etc that suggest more, or a greater amount of X
- Wherein X is not measurable
Association –
- some ads try to link or associate their product with a famous person or sports star to create an association in the viewer’s head –
- ie I love Michael Jordan and he is the best basketball player in the world and when he is associated with Hanes underwear, some of my love for him transfers to that underwear
- this sounds stupid, but it seems to be true
- the flaw? We don’t necessarily see the link between the celebrity and the product and this can make cynical about the ad
- eg – sport stars and junk food – they really can’t afford to eat that crap, but they shill it
No comments:
Post a Comment