Propaganda Techniques
Kathryn and Nathan
Slogan
Nike's "Just do it." slogan campaign is short and easy to recognize which has made it the over arching theme of their brand. The simple "just do it" can motivate people to go out and work out, or just stop procrastinating.
- Speaker: Nike
- Audience: athletes buying their products, viewers wanting motivation to get healthy and work out
- Overall purpose: Convince people their product will motivate you to excercise- and buy their products.
The phrase "Just Do It" is motivational and quick to the point. It doesn't allow for a "sort of" or "some of the times", it is a set need to accomplish the task. In Nike's case it targets those who need a push to get out there and workout. In the process of getting in shape, the audience will need workout gear, and who better to supply it than those who offer an easy, eight letter source of motivation.
Bandwagon
Bandwagon tries to appeal to your sense of conformity. In this example, regular citizens are being pulled into volunteering for military because "that's what's right."
- Speaker: government/ recruiting offices
- Target Audience: men who are eligible to be recruited to the military
- Purpose: to make men feel like it's their obligation to join the war.
WWII- All men from every walk of life are joining then military. That is what this advertisement would like you to think. Though this likely isn't the case, it appeals to those who haven't and are meant to feel excluded. In this propaganda shows that all men should feel the need to support their country and that the military is waiting for them to answer the call.
Appeal to fear
This technique makes people feel like if they don't go along with what they're saying, then they will be hurt. Chain emails are an example because despite how stupid they may seem, you still feel like you should still send it.
- Speaker: the original sender
- Audience: naive kids and maybe even adults that will go along and keep the chain the email.
- Purpose: to make you feel guilty or scared to ignore the message you've been sent.
This email is targeting people in order to guilt trip them into sending money because of they don't, they apparently don't have a heart. By using a story that is about a baby girl, you will feel even more compelled to send the email. Appeal to fear is a technique advertisers use and this is just an example of how any one can use this to manipulate people into doing something.