Ad Techniques and Appeals

Advertisers love to use different techniques and appeals in order to attract the maximum amount of people to their product.  For example, many use the "Avant-Garde" technique, which appeals to the consumer's sense of pride.  This ad technique "encourages kids to be the first on their block to have the newest toy".

There are many other techniques, such as weasel words and magic ingredients.  Weasel words are words with positive connotations, which companies take advantage of and use when describing their product, even if the words have nothing to do with the product itself.  Magic ingredients are when companies talk about a "magic new ingredient" which supposedly makes their product better and puts them above the competition.  

When advertising, companies main goal is to appeal to people's emotions.  As you will see in diaper commercials etc, the companies put cute helpless babies in the ads to appeal to peoples need to nurture.  In many car commercials, companies will talk about how their car is better than the competition and how they are the best car company out, which appeals to peoples need to achieve and dominate.  Companies will also establish a persona and try to appeal to people's need for guidance.  For example, progressive created Flow and she is seen as someone who can guide you through the insurance process.  Vacation companies or travel agencies try to appeal to people's need to escape, so in their commercials they show someone relaxing on a beach to show that "this could be you" if you choose our agency.  

These companies all want to sell their products, and they do this by appealing to peoples emotions and using various ad techniques to get their point across.  In reality, these companies are all selling the same products.

Tune in next week for the next on Aidans Kitchen!