Ads that appeal to our emotions

For many consumers, the biggest problem is not false advertising. Rather, it is legal advertising that influences them to buy things they really don't want, need, or know much about. Many ads try to sell products by appealing to the emotions.

Some ads associate products with popular ideas or symbols, such as family, motherhood, wealth, or sex appeal. These ads try to convince you that purchasing the advertised products will associate you with the same ideas or symbols. Nearly all perfume ads in magazines, for example, include photos of beautiful women. The message to consumers: Use this perfume and you will appear to be as beautiful as the woman in our ad.

The bandwagon approach is a technique that promotes the idea that everybody's using the product. Automotive manufacturers sometimes claim, for example, that their car, truck, or minivan is " best selling in its class in America... three years running." The message: Because others have bought our product, you should, too.

Related to this is celebrity appeal. This technique involves having famous athletes or movie stars advertise the product. The best-known celebrity ads show professionals athletes promoting sports equipment. These people bring glamour and style toads, but this does not necessarily mean the products are of high quality.

Still other ads try to convince consumers by resorting to the claims of authorities, such as doctors, or by citing test results or studies that appear scientific. Ads for certain medicines include the phrase, " recommended by doctors." Of course, smart consumers would want to know which doctors recommended it, and for what symptoms.

A common television technique is based on the notion that seeing is believing. A popular television ad shows a housekeeper cleaning two areas of bathroom tile, one with the recommended product and the other with the product of a leading competitor. After one quick stroke, one area of tile sparkles, and the other is still dirty. Consumers tend to remember this picture when thinking about cleaning products.

Some ads appeal to emotion simply by trying to make us laugh or feel good. One airline ran an ad frequently in winter months showing a tanned, rested couple lounging on a warm, sunny beach. The idea was to make customers feel good and think of that airline first for travel to warm vacation spots in the winter.

Other ads include catchy musical jingles. One cola company contracted with a famous rhythm-and-blues performer to play the piano and sing in its ads. Con­sumers remembered both the jingle and the product.

Some advertisers have been successful in getting consumers to connect one brand name with a certain product. For example, consumers often say jello when they may mean gelatin and kleenex when they may mean tissue. The people who make the ads for these products know that many shoppers select nationally advertised brands even though local or store brands may cost less and be of equal quality.

Whatever technique advertisers use, you should learn to separate the product from the characters and images in its ads.

1. Answer the questions:

1. What is the biggest problem for many consumers with advertising? Is it the same with you?

2. What advertising techniques are mentioned in the text? Explain the meaning of each of them. Give your own examples.

3. Which technique influences you most? Why?

4. Can you separate the product from the characters and images in its ads?

5. Which ad do you find the best? The worst? Why?

6. How would you advertise your product?