Common persuasion

techniques used in
propaganda and
commercial advertising
Propaganda

 The presentation of biased or

misleading information, used
to promote or publicize a
particular political, religious,
or sociological cause or point
of view.

 Used primarily to influence and

persuade an audience.

 Presents facts selectively

(“Spin”).
 Uses loaded messages and
images to produce an
emotional rather than rational
response.
Propaganda:
Information, esp. of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote or publicize a
particular political, religious, or sociological cause or point of view. Hyper-
partisan content. Extreme “spin” on a topic or information.

from Wikipedia: Propaganda is a form of communication aimed towards

influencing the attitude of the community toward some cause or position.
Propaganda statements may be partly false and partly true. Propaganda is usually
repeated and dispersed over a wide variety of media in order to create the chosen
result in audience attitudes.

As opposed to impartially providing information, propaganda, in its most basic sense,

presents information primarily to influence and persuade an audience. Propaganda
often presents facts selectively (thus possibly lying by omission) to encourage a
particular synthesis, or uses loaded messages to produce an emotional rather than
rational response to the information presented. The desired result is a change of the
attitude toward the subject in the target audience to further a political, religious or
social agenda. Propaganda can be used as a form of ideological warfare…and can
refer to uses that are generally benign or innocuous, such as public health
recommendations, signs encouraging citizens to participate in a census or election,
or messages encouraging persons to report crimes to law enforcement, among
others.
Propaganda methodology:
Propaganda isn’t always so easy to define or identify… it can be hard to pin down, for
a number of reasons. One reason is that since propaganda is inherently biased, it is
based on a particular perspective or point of view, often omitting or avoiding other
perspectives, positions, or facts. If a viewer agrees with this position or perspective,
or their beliefs align with the messaging, they don’t see it as “propaganda”… merely
as truths or facts. From their perspective, the messaging is not biased, manipulative,
or one-sided, it’s just “correct”. Someone with opposing views can see the same
messaging and have a completely different or opposite response. This is natural.
We generally align, ideologically, with what’s familiar to us, with what we know, with
perspectives we recognize and maybe have experienced. People often conflate
“belief” with “truth” and “opinion” with “fact” . These are not the same things.
We have a tendency to think of propaganda as “bad”, or “evil”… most likely because
it’s often associated with conflict can war, and can be a precursor, or, in fact, a
catalyst for dehumanization and eliminationism. Propaganda is used in all wars.
But propaganda is merely the biased presentation of information towards a particular
political, religious, or sociological point of view, with the desired result being a
synthesis of that perspective in the mind of the viewer. The information in
propaganda may not be “bad”, “evil”, or even incorrect… it may be important, life-
saving information. It may be necessary information. The point is that it’s biased,
generally not objective, and specifically designed to persuade an audience, and this
is why it can be dangerous.
Propaganda methodology:
Another reason propaganda is difficult to pin down is that the underlining agenda of
the message may be unclear or opaque. With your choice of contemporary
propaganda for assignment #1, think about the intent and agenda of the message,
and include these ideas in your essay. Intent and agenda, grammatically, are
basically the same thing, but I like to note a difference in the context of propaganda
(and probably all advertising). “Intent”, to me, is the WHAT? and HOW? questions.
What is the message? How is the message expressed? What is the function of the
message? What are they really saying? The answers to these questions can most
often be gleaned from the communication itself… it’s usually transparent and obvious.

“Agenda” is the WHY and WHO? questions. Why does this message exist? Why are
they trying to get us to think this way? Who produced or created this message? Why
are they producing this message? The answers to these questions may also be
somewhat transparent – “who” produced the message, for example, may be
mentioned or labeled clearly in the communication, or it may be the very person or
organization speaking. But often this information is obscured, hidden, or impossible
to truly know for sure. There may be more than one agenda. That may sound
cynical, and it definitely is, but I think there’s some accuracy to that.
Propaganda methodology:

Agenda: Reasons or causes for the content/propaganda that are often

indirect, obscured, or unknown to the general public or audience.
• Why does this message exist?
• Who produced/created/shared this message?

+
Intent: General purpose of the communication. The direct and/or indirect
content and expression of the message.
• What is the message?
• How is the message expressed?
• What is the function of the communication?

=
Result: Change of attitude toward the subject in the target audience to
further a political, religious or social agenda
The difference between “propaganda” and “advertising”:
It can be very difficult to discern the difference between “propaganda” and what is
commonly considered “advertising”, or more accurately, “commercial advertising”. In
truth, with just about every piece of designed communication, there is some level of
manipulation. “What in marketing is “selling”, in school is “teaching”, in the church is
“proselytizing”, in politics is “propagandizing”, and in the military is “indoctrinating”, as
one text succinctly puts it. Keep in mind that propaganda is advertising… it’s the
advertising (or marketing ) of an ideology, as opposed to a commercial product or
service. Both propaganda and commercial advertising can and do utilize the same
persuasion tactics and share similarities in definition and motivation. Not all
persuasive advertising is propaganda, but all propaganda is persuasive advertising..
While there may be little difference in intention between the two, there may be, at
least, a difference in application:
Propaganda is a form of communication aimed towards influencing the attitude of a
person or community toward some political, religious, or sociological cause or
position, a point of view, an idea, a belief. Usually implemented by political,
cultural, and ethnic groups and organizations. Leads to synthesis/integration of an
ideology.
Advertising is, in general, communication used to promote commercial goods
and services, and attempts to influence the attitude of a person or community to
convert an existing general need into a specific want or desire. Used/implemented
by companies and businesses, generally for profit. Leads to an increase in sales.
However, there is plenty of overlap, and, in my opinion, the line between the
two can be blurred, especially when addressing contemporary advertising…
…Much of the commercial communication we are exposed to utilizes the promotion of
not just products and services that we purchase, but more general cultural beliefs,
ideas, and sociological points of view… call it an “ideological umbrella”. The
advertisements’ main focus is to create or establish a “lifestyle” or belief system
associated with the product, or to form a connection to a common and familiar cultural
line of reasoning, often that has no direct connection to the product or service itself…
the superimposition of a particular way of thinking or way of living, usually with positive
connotations. This ‘lifestyle” or belief system is often the impetus for the product itself.
This doesn’t make it propaganda per say. Advertisers may use ideals, political or
sociological causes, or beliefs to get people to purchase their product, but the (end)
goal is really to sell the product. The idea that commercial advertising is fact based,
and only attempts to get you to purchase something is, however, an oversimplification.
One really should wonder about the level of these kinds of (often fabricated) sets of
ideals and beliefs and the standards that they impose, and the way that companies in
turn rely on those standards to sell their products and make a profit. It can very often
be the case that in the advertisements, the ideas or beliefs are highlighted to a far
greater extent and have far greater significance than the practical reasons for
purchasing the product or service.
(See the ads for Whole Foods and Hellmann’s Mayonnaise, and especially the ad for Nike, in the following
slideshow for good examples of commercial advertising that should be considered social propaganda.)
 Common persuasion techniques often used in both propaganda
campaigns and commercial advertising:

1. Loaded words / Loaded images

2. Glittering Generalities
3. Bandwagon
4. Name Calling
5. Fear
6. Transfer
7. Plain Folks
8. Testimonial
9. Card Stacking
10. Emotional Appeal

These techniques can be used individually but are most often used in
combination for greater effect. All the examples in this guide utilize
multiple persuasion tactics.
*students may not select any of the images used in this presentation
as their choice for this assignment
1. LOADED WORDS / LOADED IMAGES
Loaded Words /
Loaded Images:

 Emotionally charged words

or images that will make
you feel strongly about
something or someone.

 Words and images can be

used individually, or, most
often, together.

 Can be positive or negative.

 Almost always present in

propaganda.
Loaded words/images
Loaded words/images
Loaded words/images

Ask yourself these questions:

- What are the loaded words and

images?
- What emotions do they make you
feel?
- Who is the target audience?
- What is the underlying message?
- How do the font styles, colors,
copy (text), subtext, image and
photography choices emphasize
the propaganda technique?
- Is this propaganda effective?
Why or why not?
Loaded words/images
Loaded words/images
2. GLITTERING GENERALITIES
Glittering Generalities:

 Happy, positive, “feel-

good” words or slogans.
Often short, vague,
generalized, and
ambiguous.

 The strength of the

glittering generality often
relies on its ambiguity,
and thus can be
processed and defined
differently by different
people, affecting a larger
audience.
Glittering Generalities

-The glittering generality here is the slogan “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN”, and specifically the
word “great”… a vague, feel-good word that illicites a positive emotion in the viewer.
From Wiki: A glittering generality has two qualities: it is vague and it has positive connotations.
Words and phrases such as “common good”, “courage”, “freedom”, “hope”… are terms on which
people all over the world have powerful associations, and they may have trouble disagreeing with
them. However, these words are highly abstract and ambiguous, and meaningful differences exist
regarding what they actually mean or should mean in the real world.
-The power of glittering generalities lies in their ambiguity. “Great” can mean many different things
to many different people. Since “great” is unspecific, the effectiveness of the propaganda is
dependent on the individual. “Great” is whatever you imagine it to be. Nothing is clearly defined.
Effectively, it makes the viewer do all of the work, and the message reaches a broader audience.
Glittering Generalitiess
Glittering Generalities

“Defy the negative effects of time with the help of South Jersey’s newest, most advanced –
and best – practice in the fields of plastic and reconstructive surgery. We offer state-of-the-art
facilities, the most advanced surgical techniques, superior outcomes and the ultimate in
patient-centered concierge care.”
Glittering Generalities… and good example of the incredibly blurred lines between
sociopolitical propaganda and commercial advertising. This is commercial advertising
(an ad for a product or service), yes…but it’s also social propaganda.
Glittering Generalities
The line between traditional propaganda
and commercial advertising is perhaps at
a point of non-existence. “Conspicuous
Consumption” no longer pertains only to
achieving status and class through the
accumulation of consumer goods, but
status and class in terms of a particular
social or political sentiment or position.

“This practice merges consumer behavior

with political or social goals. Whether
challenging police brutality or questioning
unattainable beauty norms, branding in
our era has extended beyond a business
model: It is now both reliant on and
reflective of our most basic social and
cultural relations… individual consumers
act politically by purchasing particular
brands over others in a competitive
marketplace, where specific brands are
attached to political aims and goals”.
- Sarah Banet-Weiser, “Commodity Activism”
3. BANDWAGON
Bandwagon:

 An appeal to be, or the

security of being, part of a
larger group.

 Conveys a sense of moral

correctness through
comradery and like-
mindedness.

 Conveys a sense of power

by belonging to a
movement, or something
larger than oneself.

 “Everyone is doing it, you

should too.”
Bandwagon
Bandwagon

Ask yourself these questions:

- Who is the target audience?

- What evidence suggests this?
- What is the underlying message?
- What elements are used to
suggest that the audience should
join this bandwagon and accept
the information?
- Do you feel convinced to join or
conform to the group ideology?
- How do the font styles, colors,
copy (text), subtext, image and
photography choices emphasize
the propaganda technique?
- Is this propaganda effective?
Why or why not?
Bandwagon
4. Name Calling
Name Calling:

 Words or images, often

vague, used to incite fears
and arouse prejudices in
the viewers with the idea
that the bad names will
cause people to construct a
negative opinion about a
person, group, or product.

 “Trash-talking”

 Often used in political

advertising. “Mudslinging”.
Name Calling

Classic poor-quality “mudslinging” ad produced by one presidential candidate and

name-calling an opponent. None of the negative words here are specific. Nowhere
does it define what a “Washington Insider” is, or how he can’t be trusted. The
horizontal red slash adds a menacing, threatening tone, as does the washed-out gray
background, and the quizzical expression subliminally adds to the negative
perception of the candidate’s opponent as untrustworthy.
Name Calling

Ask yourself these questions:

- Who is the target audience?

- What evidence suggests this?
- What is the underlying message?
- What is this conflict about, and
what do you think is the position of
the producers of this ad?
- Which specific elements of the
design indicate this as an example
of Name Calling propaganda?
- Is this advertisement effective?
Why or why not?
Name Calling
5. Fear
Fear:

 Words and images that

play on deep-seated fears;
saying disaster will result if
you do not follow a
particular course of action.

 Essentially, like Glittering

Generalities, a sub-
category of “Loaded words
& Loaded images”or
“Emotional Appeal” – with
fear being the specific
motive force.

Glen Grohe
He’s Watching You, 1942
offset lithograph. 14 x 10 in.
U.S. Government Printing Office /
Office of War Information
Fear

-A prime example of hard-

hitting, fear-based propaganda.
The use of loaded words and
images is clear, but it’s the
emotion of fear – not of death,
but of a slow, prolonged painful
suffering - that drives the
message home in the minds of
smokers. “Dying…never
painless…stroke…suffer every
minute…” the copy and
chillingly graphic image are
unambiguous and unflinchingly
realistic.
- note the use of yellow type
against the black background.
Yellow and black is a color
combination that subliminally
communicates danger. Smart
designers use this to their
benefit.
Fear
Fear

Ask yourself these questions:

- Who is the target audience?

- What evidence suggests this?
- What is the underlying message
- What specific elements are used
to produce fear in the mind of the
viewer?
- How do the font styles, colors,
copy (text), subtext, background
colors, props and photography
choices emphasize the
persuasion technique?
- Is this advertisement effective?
Why or why not?
Fear
6. Transfer
Transfer:
 The attempt or appeal to link
(transfer), often through visual
clues, the sentiment or
feelings towards one thing
onto something (a product or
idea) or someone else (or the
viewer).

 Can be used positively or

negatively.

 also called “Association”.

Transfer

-The transfer technique is an

attempt to make the subject view
a certain item in the same way
as they view another item, to link
the two in the subject’s mind.
Transfer evokes an emotional
response, is often highly visual,
and utilizes symbols
superimposed over other visual
images.

-Good example here in the realm

of commercial advertising … the
handsome yet rugged, macho
image of the “Marlboro Man”.
“Smoke Marlboros, and this is
the man you’ll be” is what this
persuasion technique is
suggesting through very specific
and symbolic imagery.
Transfer

Ask yourself these questions:

-Who is the target audience? What

evidence suggests this?
-What is this advertisement
suggesting about the product?
-What is the tone of this image?
Positive? Negative? How can you
tell?
-How does the image choice create
a feeling that can be transferred to
the product?
-How do the font styles, colors, copy
(text), subtext, image and
photography choices emphasize
the propaganda technique?
Transfer

Another ad for a commercial product, so not technically propaganda… but it does skirt the line
between the two - if not cross it, in it’s attempt to transfer feelings of patriotism for America and
establish an idea of what it means to be a “real American”… and thus could be considered a form
of social propaganda. In a positive context, this technique is also called ”virtue by association”.
7. Plain Folks
Plain Folks:
 Convincing the audience that
a person, product, company,
or idea is associated with
normal, everyday people and
activities.

 Messages are often relayed

through the voice of the
“plain folks”, as opposed to a
company or institution.

 Commonly appeals to regular

people and their values such
as health, family and
patriotism.

 “We’re just like you”.

 Often combined with

“Testimonial”.
Plain folks

Plain Folks persuasion targets the general public and often taps into or expresses positive
sentiments about life in general. This is an example of Plain Folks as well as the Testimonial
persuasion tactic, among others. Unfortunately, most of the "plain folks" in ads are actually
paid actors carefully selected because they look like "regular people.” Highly doubtful that this
statement was made by this person.
Plain folks

Ask yourself these questions:

-Who is the target audience? What
evidence suggests this?
-What is the subtext or underlying
message of this ad?
-What kind of lifestyle is presented?
How?
-How do the font styles, colors, copy
(text), subtext, image and
photography choices emphasize the
propaganda technique?
-Do you relate to this message
because you can relate to the
individual?

This is a commercial advertisement, but

one that, like the Whole Foods Ads, can
also be seen as social propaganda in its
attempt to make a statement about healthy
eating, and how we should live.
Plain Folks
8. Testimonial
Testimonial:

 An attempt to persuade
the reader by using a
famous person to
endorse a product or
idea (for instance, the
“celebrity
endorsement”).

 A personal statement or
quote by an individual
included in an ad or
message.
Testimonial

Testimonial persuasion usually features a celebrity endorsing a product, cause, or ideology

(often with a personal statement or story), but more generally they can be any communication
where someone, like a former customer, relates their personal experience in order to help sell
or endorse something or someone. Quotes and signatures are often present but not required.
Testimonial

Ask yourself these questions:

-Who is the target audience?

-What evidence suggests this?
-Who is the famous person?
-How does the endorsement by
this person make the product
seem like it is worth the
purchase?
-Should we regard this person as
an expert or trust their testimony?
Why?
-How do the font styles, colors,
copy (text), subtext, image and
photography choices emphasize
the propaganda technique
-Is there merit to the idea or
product without the testimony?
Testimonial
Testimonial
9. Card Stacking
Card Stacking:

 Deliberately providing a
one-sided context to give
a misleading impression.
“Stacking the deck”:
carefully using only those
facts (often true) that
support one side of the
story.

 Presenting selective
information in order to
achieve a desired result
and omitting any
information or relevant
facts contrary to it.
Card-Stacking
Card-Stacking

Also called “semantic

slanting” or “selective
sharing”, Card-Stacking
persuades the viewer
through meticulously
selective text and imagery.

Nowhere in this ad does it

say how the vaccine works,
or any possible side effects.
There’s not a lot of specific
information in this ad, but
many examples of Card-
Stacking are loaded with
vague, out-of-context “data”
and carefully selected
information and images
in an attempt to support one
side of a story or position.
Card Stacking

Ask yourself these questions:

-Who is the target audience?

-What evidence suggests this?
-Are facts being distorted or
omitted? Is there another side
to the story?
-What other arguments exist to
support an opposing
conclusion?
-How do the font styles, colors,
copy (text), subtext, image
and photography choices
emphasize the propaganda
technique?
-Is this advertisement
effective? Why? Why not?
10. Emotional Appeal
Emotional Appeal:

 Also called “Appeal to

Emotion”. Messages (text
and images) that attempt
to persuade by evoking or
triggering powerful,
emotional feelings
(happiness, anger, fear,
sympathy, etc.) in the
viewer or consumer, rather
than through a rational or
logical appeal. To “tug on
heartstrings”.

 Highly effective in that

almost all people make
decisions based on
emotions, to some degree.
Emotional Appeal

While “Emotional Appeal” is a common

and effective technique, it’s my opinion
that it is an inherently general condition
of almost all propaganda anyway, or any
kind of persuasive advertising or
marketing.
Loaded words and images are
themselves a form of emotional appeal.
So is the use of fear, as fear is an
emotion. So, while we can and should
be able to identify specific examples of
“Emotional Appeal”, it’s often present in
some form in almost all effective
marketing, and that’s especially true for
propaganda.
“The purpose of all advertising is to get
to someone; to move them to act, to
think a certain way, to believe in
something, or to purchase a product or
service. And the way that you do that is
to connect an idea or product to a
powerful human emotion”.
Emotional Appeal

Ask yourself these questions:

-Who is the target audience?

-What is the subtext or
underlying message of this
ad?
-What specific elements or
emotions do you experience
when viewing/reading the
message?
-How do the font styles, colors,
copy (text), subtext, image
and photography choices
emphasize the propaganda
technique?
-Is this advertisement
effective? Why? Why not?
Emotional Appeal
Information Disorder
Information Disorder in the Age of Information:
We live in a world where information is instantaneously accessible, generally
speaking, to everyone, at any time, anywhere. Since the development of the
internet, society has transitioned from a time when there was a highly controlled
system of information production to an era where anyone anywhere can create
content, share that content, and have it reach and affect thousands, hundreds of
thousands, or hundreds of millions of people.
Information Disorder, or “fake news”, is probably a natural product of this transition
from a localized system to an individualized system, of the sheer quantity of
messaging or content that exists, and of the many ways in which that content can be
disseminated. “Information disorder “may not necessarily be what we’d identify as
propaganda in a traditional sense, but since the methods of communication have
changed, our definitions of these things should change as well. “News” is a word we
can’t really use the same way anymore… “opinion" would be more accurate.
“The disinformation in a “post-truth” world is propaganda masquerading as news and
bot armies pushing partisan agendas on social media”. “The biggest problem is that
Twitter and Google, etc., are these giant feedback loops that give people what they
want to hear. And when you use them in a world where your biases are constantly
confirmed, you become susceptible to fake news, propaganda, and demagoguery”.
- Franklin Foer
 Three Categories of Information Disorder (Fake News)

Misinformation:
False content that is unintentionally or unknowingly disseminated.
Unintentional mistakes, inaccurate captions, dates, statistics,
FALSENESS

or translations. When satire is taken seriously.

Disinformation:

INTENT TO HARM
False content that is intentionally disseminated with intent to
harm. Fabricated or deliberately manipulated content.
Intentionally created conspiracy theories or rumors.

Malinformation:
Deliberate publication of private material. Deliberate change
of context, date, or time of genuine content with intent to harm.

Source: Claire Wardle, Information Disorder: An Interdisciplinary Framework for Research and Policy
Information Disorder:
There are many reasons that misinformation and disinformation (and to a lesser
extent, malinformation) exists or is used. Misinformation is generally accidental or
innocuous false content that is not intended to cause harm, although even accidental
misinformation can, indirectly and through the proliferation and spread of these
messages, have unintended consequences, and be highly persuasive.

Disinformation, on the other hand, is false content that is intentionally created,

designed, used and intended to confuse, muddle information, affect or change one’s
perception, persuade towards a particular political, religious or social cause or point
of view, etc., and cause some level of harm… and within these contexts, should be
seen as an application of propaganda.

The goal of all propaganda is control. So as a rule, propaganda predicated on an

idea of authority, or the manipulation of authority. The believing of authority, the
establishing and maintaining of authority… is all part of the indirect agenda – beyond
the direct intent of propaganda. In this way one can establish a cycle of control. And
the controlling of the masses through propaganda enables the abuse of power.
Disinformation and malinformation are methods used to make this happen.

Some of these reasons that information disorder or “fake news” exists may be:
1. To influence voters or public discourse for political gain
2. Clicks = $. News stories created for financial gain
3. Governments want to advance their agenda
4. To make a statement through satire
5. Lowered standards of journalism and ethics
7 Types of Mis- & Disinformation

less harmful more harmful

Source: Claire Wardle, Information Disorder: An Interdisciplinary Framework for Research and Policy
 Satire or Parody:

No intention to cause
harm but has potential to
fool.

Can be hateful, polarizing

and divisive.

As it gets re-shared, more

people lose the
connection to the original
messenger and fail to
understand it as satire.

Claire Wardle, Information Disorder:

An Interdisciplinary Framework for Research and Policy
 False Connection:

“Clickbait”: Sensationalized
language, headlines,
visuals or captions that
don’t support the actual
content.

Designed to achieve
greater visibility. Often
exaggerated or
subjective.

Claire Wardle, Information Disorder:

An Interdisciplinary Framework for Research and Policy
 Misleading Content:

Misleading use of
information to frame an
issue or individual.

Quotes, statistics, or
images reframed or used
out of context in order to
misguide, misdirect, or
deceive an audience.

Claire Wardle, Information Disorder:

An Interdisciplinary Framework for Research and Policy
 False Context:

When genuine or “real”

content is shared with false
contextual information.

Images or information
intentionally used in a
different (often opposing)
context in order to deceive
an audience.

Claire Wardle, Information Disorder:

An Interdisciplinary Framework for Research and Policy
 Imposter Content:

When genuine sources

are impersonated.

False or misleading
content that uses well-
known logos or the news
from established figures
or journalists.

Claire Wardle, Information Disorder:

An Interdisciplinary Framework for Research and Policy
 Manipulated Content:

When genuine information

or imagery is altered or
manipulated to deceive.

Usuallly photos
(photoshopped)
or videos (re-edited).

Claire Wardle, Information Disorder:

An Interdisciplinary Framework for Research and Policy
 Fabricated Content:

New content that is 100%

false, designed to decieve
and do harm.

“Deepfakes”. Could be
produced by individuals
with the help of/by
Artificial Intelligence.

Claire Wardle, Information Disorder:

An Interdisciplinary Framework for Research and Policy