Leila Alabed Week 11 - The Art of Great Advertisement
The power of advertisement impacts how we view products and what we decide to spend our money on. Companies meticulously choose words that make their products sound more appealing, trustworthy, and/or important.
A common technique used in advertising is the use of positive adjectives such as “fresh” and “organic” which make products sound high-quality, even if the products are not those things. Many companies often use terms such as “limited-time” and “exclusive” to create a sense of urgency about their products, making people feel more inclined to participate in sales.
Another common way companies increase their clientele is by using vague language in their advertisement. Examples of this can include using phrases such as “scientifically proven,” “better,” and “healthier” to sound more convincing -- even though they often lack specific evidence to back-up these claims. These phrases boost the product without technically committing false advertisement which would involve legal intervention.
Additionally, slogans and mottos are other ways in which companies use the power of language to spread their products. Catchy phrases including “Just Do It” by Nike or “Save Money. Live Better.” by Walmart tend to be remembered by potential customers; thus making these brands memorable. Hearing these slogans over time forms trust in the buyer for the company, as it is now seen as a reliable and credible source. This build up of trust influences future buying decisions.
Advertisements can make us feel happy, sad, perplexed, or reassured in order to persuade us into buying needless products. I believe that recognizing how a company uses words to impact us helps to become a smarter consumer and look out for clever wording meant to promote frivolous purchases!
Hey Leila! Just like you chose to in this blog, I too love watching and critically analyzing all products and advertisements I come across to find out their strategies behind convincing consumers and attracting attention. I really liked how you specifically quoted and included common language techniques used by advertisements to stay memorable and seemingly boost the quality of their product while still avoiding false advertising claims. Often when I watch ads, I also like to explore their use of colors and fonts too when trying to build a brand. I find it quite interesting the subtle yet effective methods used by advertisers for their products, similar to how you spoke about fresh and organic. While I do agree that a lot of advertising is frivolous and falsified, I still find the industry quite entertaining and etched into human psychology, making it an interesting field to think about. This similar thinking process is reflected in your blog too as you comment on the impact each advertising technique has on the consumer’s ideas. I really enjoyed reading about your ideas of building trust with viewers, something that I did not often consider when I talk about advertising was eye-opening and very interesting!
ReplyDeleteHello, Leila! I completely agree with you in the fact that advertising truly has a powerful impact on how we view products and spend our money. The words you mentioned in your post, such as “fresh,” “organic,” and “limited-time,” elaborating on how strategically used to make items seem more appealing even if they never live up to the claims, are something that I have never thought about before. Looking back on it though, it is true! To be perfectly honest, it now makes me even more wary of vague phrases like “scientifically proven” or “healthier,” which sound convincing but often lack evidence. Recognizing these tactics is perhaps the best way to make someone a smarter consumer, especially in helping us pause before impulsively purchasing. Your post was a very insightful and interesting read into something many probably have never given a second glance!
ReplyDeleteHi Leila! I agree that advertisements have great power. Just like what that guy said in the AP MCQ activity, public opinion is an extremely powerful force in society. Advertisements not only sell products, but sell narratives too. I used to wonder why people spend so much money on advertisements because I have never found myself or my parents actually buying a product advertised, but in reality swaying the audience's opinion is just as important and indirectly leads to company profits. I find that a lot of the tactics that you listed are based in rhetorical techniques, which we have been extensively studying. Your specific examples of this persuasion has been very interesting to read.
ReplyDeleteHi Leila! I found your examination of vocabulary used in advertisements to be quite intriguing, as I never really considered why they all seemed to have a similar structure with flashy phrases like “Buy now before the sale ends!” However, I did have an encounter in which I was seriously considering buying something only due to such language. While I was watching television the other day, an ad popped up for window pane installation, and it said that customers would not have to pay anything for the first 18 months after installing the panes, and all of a sudden, I found myself thinking, 'do we need to update our window panes?' When I snapped back into reality a second later, I found it preposterous that I was considering buying something so random, but I am now processing that it is likely because of the way that the advertisement was worded. Your blog was an insightful and unique take on the power that simple words can have over people!
ReplyDeleteHey Leila! I thought your post was very interesting, it got me thinking how much money ads have gotten me to spend over the years. I very much agree that slogans are used to build brand image of companies because it is an easy way for consumers to understand products. I realize the power of advertising just by looking around my room at things I purchased because I saw an ad or two about it. Additionally, with the power of social media today it is even easier to hook consumers in with how widespread a video can go. Moreover, instead of having to use particular words in the ad, simply catering hashtags to a group of audience can bolster a company's outreach to potential new customers. When reading your blog, it made me rethink how ads have changed over the years to cater new audiences. Before there was, like you said, ads that used small phrases to draw consumers in, but now with a growing digitalized world ads have taken a new form. I think it really goes to show that words are not enough to grow, but rather staying up to date with consumer behavior. Overall, I think your blog was a fun read.
ReplyDeleteHi Leila! I thought you blog was very interesting, even the title had me click on it as soon as I read it. I very much agree that slogans are used to build brand credibility and the image of the brand and their slogan might be an easier way for consumers to understand their products. I realized the power of advertising when i truly put into scope how much advertising is really around us. Like it is literally everywhere, which makes it a truly power tool to get consumers to buy it if it is being massively promoted. When reading your blog, it made me rethink how ads have really changed over the years and how much of it is truly being put up. Thank you for sharing your view on the power of great advertisement!
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