Advertising inherits rhetoric’s mission to persuade by appealing to mind, will, and emotions. Discover key persuasion tools that impact our subconscious. Advertising, much younger than the science of rhetoric, has taken over the main mission from its predecessors – to persuade the recipient. There’s no miracle here – like rhetoric, advertising appeals to the person: his mind, will, and emotions, so persuasion occurs across all three planes. So why not review what are the main persuasion tools that help advertising creators penetrate our subconscious?
Shower of discounts, price explosion… and other catchy words
Often, advertisements greet us with slogans like exclusive offer, price drop, gift shower, super sale, and other hyperbolic statements that arouse FOMO – the fear of missing out (you can read more about it here). In some cases, highly creative linguistic manipulations are used to give the advertising message additional impact. The catchy words technique is most commonly used when communicating about special offers, promotions, limited edition collections, etc. This is how advertising creators strive to encourage the recipient to satisfy their (real or fictitious) needs and, of course, increase sales. This persuasion tool should not be underestimated, as it is one of the cheapest advertising methods that still maintains its effectiveness.
The technique of ordinary people
We are just like you or otherwise the ordinary people technique – a way to attract the consumer by identifying with them, showing their belonging to a certain social group, for example, seniors, families, athletes, etc. This persuasion tool in advertising is implemented through both textual and visual solutions.
Most likely, we have all heard such statements on the radio or television, emphasising: seniors’ Tuesdays, family day, or with the ‘SPORTS’ code , you will get X% discount. Some advertising creators like to apply this persuasion tool using statistical data. For example, 9 out of 10 users are satisfied with the X service.
In such cases, visual solutions tend to be rather primitive – depicting active seniors, happy families, or well-built athletes. Is the “ordinary people” technique a bad advertising tool? Definitely not. It creates a sense of community, allows the user to feel part of a certain social group, and take advantage of exclusive offers.
(Non)influentials
While authority-based persuasion techniques in advertising are not new, this tool has evolved significantly. Previously, the “influencer” technique was used as follows: a famous, socially recognised person – an actor, a singer, an athlete, etc., was employed in advertising. A well-known individual with a broad smile would comment that he and his family choose product X, which was enough to gain favour with consumers. The principle “if he buys product X, then I will too” would kick in.
Sounds familiar? Yes, nowadays we can call this tool influencer marketing, where almost anyone with a large following on social networks can become such an authority. However, with the increasing number of (non)influencers in the market, trust in the face of advertising is no longer as significant, and influencers have to put in more effort than just a few seconds on screen to showcase the advertised product. Today, well-known individuals leverage additional tools such as storytelling, humour, the Instagram reels feature, and more to create attractive and engaging content. In other words, image alone is not enough.
Expert technique
At first glance, the “expert” technique appears identical to the “authority” technique. However, the question arises – would you rather buy medicine recommended by a model posing on the beach or by an experienced pharmacist? In the latter case, the “expert” technique is employed. Naturally, consumers are more inclined to trust experts in their field. Therefore, choosing someone for whom the advertised product is an integral part of their profession usually pays off.
The recipe for good advertising
Against the backdrop of price wars, you are unlikely to surprise the recipient of the advertisement. Success depends on many factors: attractive visualisation, playful linguistic tools, and strong argumentation may sound like the perfect advertising recipe, but, as always, moderation is key. Be unique, use secret ingredients, but don’t overdo it!
