Identifying Persuasion in Advertising

       Chosen Advertisement : SEAT Altea. Finally a Family Sports Car

  I have choose this advertisement because i think it's the most effective one among them ( the other ones ).

       What is the message ? Explain

  The message of this advertisement is, ''The car named Seat Altea is a sports car made for your family''. A pregnant woman in the advertisement makes me feel like - if i had a wife which is pregnant or have a childs and family etc.- my family going to be okay, protected, safe and comford in the car.

       What persuasive technique is being employed? Explain

  I think there are more than one persuasive tecnique in the ad. I am going to explain the reason why i think like that.

  - First of all i think one of the persuasive techniques we have in this ad is Plain Folk. I think like that because this tecnique is better than the other ones for this ad. The women in the ad isn't a celebrity. She is only a ordinary woman. Which makes the audience think '' She is one of us ''. Even some of the female audiences can see themselves in the ad if they are pregnant or married etc. Thanks why its a Plain Folk

  - The second persuasive technique that i think in the ad is ( maybe in a indirect way but worth to discuss ) Emotional Appeals. I made this statement with thinking like i have a family. After all like fear or sadness, the desire to be protected, protection, to give a save life to my wife and childs is a pretty strong emotion aswell. 

  - The third persuasive technique that i see in the ad is ( this one is pretty indirect but still worth to discuss like Emotional Appeals ) Product Comparison. The reason that i think liek this because; Consider there are a lots of car advertisements on TV. Most of them are showing the power, interior or exterior design or the price of their cars. Then suddenly you see this ad ( Seat Altea one ). This is the only ad that attacks your emotions. And also it is the only ad that showing you a ordinary human beign just like you. On the paper you won't compare the cars with each other, but subliminally you will think '' I guess the Seat Altea is better for my family '' inside your brain. Thats why it's also a Product Comparison in the head :-)

      Who is the target audience? Explain

  Clearly, the target audience is the families, the couples whose thinking to become a family or the couples whose are about to be a family and with a indirect way young adults which are in the middle class :). The slogan is made for this specific audience, the pregnant woman in the ad is put there to aim this specific audience. And after all Seat isn't a very luxury car. If one young aduly wants to buy a sports car and looking for a economical one, maaybe he can think about this car. 

So lets say;

- Families,

- The couples whose thinking to become a family,

- The couples whose about to become a family,

- And some of the young adults ( in a indirect way )


       Is this an effective ad? Why or why not?


  I think it's an effective advertisement in some way and it's not in another way.

The reason that i think it's an effective ad is; 

  It uses great persuasive techniques to impress the audience; Product Comparison, Emotional Appeals and Plain Folks. I am not a customer whose the target of this advertisement in a logic way but indirectly i am as i explained in the target audience section. It makes you think this car is the best one for my family, wife n kids. So it's a powerful advertisement.

The reason that i think it's not an effective ad is;

  Think about the bigger families. If the advertisement's slogan would be like '' Finally, a small family sports car '' this article wouldn't be exist. For example; I am a guy which have a wife and 6 kids. Is the Seat Altea the car which is the best for my family? No i don't think so...

     

Identifying Genres & Persuasion in Political Discourse

                                            Preparation&Procedure

  1) Think on the following questions: Where do we get information? How do we receive media messages about the election campaigns and candidates. 

a) Where do you get news about the election campaign?

-  With Television, street posters, internet advertisement and mobile phones.

b) What are other ways you might receive messages about the campaign?

-  With newspapers, by brochure dispersers, telephone messages.

c) How do your parents get information and news about the campaign?

-  With all of them above

  2) Make sense of political genres. Go over the six different genres. Provide examples of television shows or specific content for each genre.

  a) News; Television talks like 1 on 1 or like 3 journalist questioning the canditates.

For eg; Who; Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

            

             When; 26 May 2014 

             Where; Istanbul

             Why; To gain more votes, to explain his promises to the nation and to answer journalist's questions whose made by the public.

             What; 2014 Presidental Election

  b) Advertisement; Street posters( they are everywhere ), Television adversitements such as election videos and of course election busses.( the ones with really really loud noise )

  c) Opinion; Some journalists and moguls entered TV programs to discuss opinions and different perspectives about the elections. Many people from the public surprised when Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu has gived his step to the elections.

  d) Advocacy; The biggest example for advocacy is meetings. Many big stages has been built for the canditates and with the stage he can speak to the crowd/public- his supporters. Beside meetings, every action that canditates did for to be selected by the nation are included in advocacy.

  e) Entertainment; Comic books such as Leman, Uykusuz, Penguen, Ot etc. made a lots of comics about elections and canditates. Many of them are banned by the current goverment 

  f) Research; The result of the elections, demographic information, voters prefferances and so on...

                         Assignment Goals

  1) Find examples of these genres within Turkey's 2014 presidental election campaigns of the three canditates.

- Television shows, brochures, telephone messages, internet advertisements, street posters, election busses, and talk shows.

  2) You are expected to identify how persuasive appeals are used within each genre.

- News;

   Mostly Logos persuasive appeal is used in this genre. Because most of the news ( 90 % ) are made by someone else whose is different from the canditate. So there isn't an '' I '' word in it so there is no Ethos. And due to it's structure news shouldn't have emotions and feelings in it. It must be objective. So there is no Pathos, only Logos.

  - Advertisement; 

  In this genre the canditates used their authority, charisma and glamor to impress the public. So there of course there is Ethos. But with Ethos there is also Pathos. With Ethos and Pathos, the canditate has impressed and satisfied the public and required for vote.

  - Opinion;

  In this genre mostly Pathos and Logos has been used during the elections. Because while giving opinions about the elections the speakers or writers doesn't use their own specific appeals.

  - Advocacy;

  In this genre every persuasive appeal is used. Ethos, Pathos and Logos. Because literally every action in the election includes in advocacy.

- Entertainment;

  In this genre Ethos and Pathos are mostly used. Because entertainment is all about having fun with something. People doesn't want or search logic or information in entertainment so there is no Logos.

- Research;

  In this genre there is only Logos. Because it isn't a subjective topic. The informations whose in research must be objective on logical.

                            Discussion

  1)  Which genres were represented on the candidates’ campaign? Which ones were missing? Why do you think this is the case?

- All of them beside entertainment widely used by the canditates campaign. They did many actions to gain vote such as i explained at above. Election busses, posters, advertisement to TV's and newspapers ; everything. Entertainment didn't used by canditates that much because topics like presidental election taking too seriously by our nation. Literally we can't see this topic which is having fun with. So beside entertainment all of the genres used by the canditates.

  2)  Did certain messages fit more than one genre? Provide specific examples from the campaigns.

  - Yes, of course. For example; the TV talk shows or big meetings. After all they are literally advertisement of the canditates. But it's also can have research genre if they throw up some researches about the trial elections. And also they can include in '' news '' headline according to 5 W's.

  3) What are the benefits of a message fitting more than one genre? What are the drawbacks?

  - It can reach wider ares and wider groups of people and cities. Not every person can understand the message in the same way. So if a message fits more than one genre it increases the success and delivery rate of the message to people. If we talk about the drawbacks, i can't see any. It's always good to have a message which has multiple ways of understanding.

  4) What are some of the patterns in the stylistic techniques of each genre? Do some genres use certain techniques more or less than others?

  - News; Visual and auditory or both
 
  - Advertisements; Visual or auditory or both

  - Opinion; Visual or auditory or both

  - Advocacy; Visual or auditory or both

  - Entertainment ; Visual and auditory or both

  - Research; Mostly only visual

  The ways we receive messages from a source are by our ears and eyes. So there is only visual and auditory tecniques. And no, beside research all the genres shares the same number of certain tecniques with others.

  5) What are some of the patterns in the persuasive appeals of each genre? Do some genres rely on certain types of appeals more than others?

  - To be honest, yes. Each genre has it's own unique types of appeals. But also many of them shares some appeals together. I already gived a detailed information about this question on Assignment Goals.

  6) What percentage of each type of persuasive appeal do you believe falls into each genre?

  - News; 100% Logos

  - Advertisement; 70 % Ethos, 30 % Pathos

  - Opinion; 50 % Pathos, 50 % Logos

  - Advocacy; 33.3% Ethos, 33.3% Logos, 33.3% Pathos

  - Entertainment; 100 % Pathos

  - Research; 100% Logos

                                 Key Ideas

  - If you want to impress people with a message you should definately learn how to use Ethos, Pathos and Logos.

  - By using this persuasive appeals you can impress almost anyone

  - A message can provide different genres ( more then one ) with different appeals on that genres

  - All the message genres can be used in various ways ( such as TV, radio )



  

Conducting a Close Analysis of a Media Text

Commercial : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sHq4RpTH2E

Visuals

1) Auction
2) A bibelot cat which made from diamonds
3) A crowded place
4) Mother and daughter whose doing the auction to the bibelot with the numbers ; 142 and 143
5) Auction chef
6) The logo of the company which created the commercial
7) The words on the screen which are said by the background talker
8) Samsung Galax s6
9) And the logo of the company at the end

Sounds

Music : A funny, amusing background sound

Conversations;

Auctioneer: One hundred thousand !
Mom: Sprint told us that they could have save the bill in half
Girl: Oh, yeah
Mom: We said a budge of money in a replacement switch in the sprint
Girl: We don't need to save money do we mama ?
Mom: Oh no... ( laugh ) No do we not baby
Girl: Like daddy always says; '' money doesn't spend itself. ''
Auctioneer: One million !
Mom: Ah look at that !
Auctioneer: One point two million !
Girl: Oh wow !
Mom: Where's the muscle baby (!)?
Girl: Right here ! Look my muscle !

Background voice: Some people are stupid and rich. For the rest of us, sprint will cut your Verizon or AT&T bill and cut your rate plan in half. Just turn in your old phone or for a limited time, sign up for the new limited plus plan to get a Samsung Galaxy s6, free only from sprint.


                                                    Applying the Five Key Questions

Question 1

Who created this message ?

Answer 1

Sprint Cellphone Company

Question 2

What tecniques are used to attract my attention ?

Answer 2 

A diamond cat bibelot, money talks, the conversations to demonstrate their wealth such as '' like daddy always says - money doesn't spend itself - '', flexing muscles while raising their hand in a auction ( to show their stupidness ) and a good phone.

Question 3 

How might different people understand this message differently than me ?

Answer 3 

If one is pretty rich like those two, he/she can find this message pretty unnecessary. Also if one is so poor he can find this message unnecessary also. Because if theres no income there wouldn't be any spending and there will be no Verizon or AT&T taxes/bills. One can understand that '' do not spend your money for no reason''. Also one can understand use money for the things that you really need.

Question 4

What values, lifestyles and points of view are represented in, or omitted from this message ?

Answer 4 

There isn't any cultural values in the message. There only wealthy 2 woman, talking of the sprint product/service. And they are demonstrating their stupidness. A high consumption lifestyle has been observed in the message.

Question 5

Why this message beign sent?

Answer 5

To advertise the sprint company and of course to gain profit and money with the product/service.


                                                                      Insights

   Text is constructed very cleverly. I find it very funny and effective. They way they talk is attractable. And the storyline between the conversations is quite meaningful. I already have gave a predict about how others interpret the text in Question 3. When you try to exercise this with other forms of messages of course you'll need different questions. For e.g; if you take a murder report from the news, you cannot use Question 3; '' How might different people understand this message differently than me? ''. Because too objective subject to be comment on.


For the end i highly recommend this complation of the Direct TV commercials. Very funny and clever designed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHs8OlXBFVs

Analyzing a Message

  

  Five Key Questions for Media Literacy

1- Who created this message ? 

2- What creative techniques are used to attract my attention ?

3- How might different people understand this message differently than me ? 

4- What values, lifestyles and points of view are represented in, or omitted from, this message ?

5- Why is this message being sent ?

     Five Core Concepts 

1- All media messages are '' constructed ''.

2- Media messages are constructed using a creative language with its own rules.

3- Different people experience the same media message differently

4- Media have embedded values and points of view.

5- Most media messages are organized to gain profit and/or power.

Changing Understanding with Media: Then and Now

    The following chart provides a quick comparison of how traditional education has been organized in the past and how it needs to change in order to prepare students for living all their lives in a 21st century media culture. Media literacy education, with inquiry as its core, provides the engaging bridge over which students can pass to learn the critical process skills they’ll need to not just survive but to thrive as adults in the 21st century.


                                     

        19th – 20th Century Learning                         21st Century Learning
                         

• Limited access to knowledge and information (i.e.‘content’) primarily through print                      • Infinite access to knowledge and information (‘content’)                                                                                                                                                increasingly through the Internet

• Emphasis on learning content knowledge that may or may not be used in life                              • Emphasis on process skills for lifelong learning

• Goal is to master content knowledge (literature, history, science, etc)                                         • Goal is to learn skills (access, analyze, evaluate, create) to                                                                                                                                             solve problems

• Facts and information are “spoon-fed” by teachers to students                                                   • Teachers use discovery, inquiry-based approach

• Print-based information analysis                                                                                          • Multi-media information analysis

• Pencil / pen and paper or word processing for expression                                                          • Powerful multi-media technology tools for expression

• Classroom-limited learning and dissemination                                                                        • World-wide learning and dissemination

• Textbook learning from one source, primarily print                                                                  • Real-world, real-time learning from multiple sources,                                                                                                                                                  mostly visual and electronic

• Conceptual learning on individual basis                                                                                 • Project-based learning on team basis

• “Lock-step” age-based exposure to content knowledge                                                              • Flexible individualized exposure to content knowledge 

• Mastery demonstrated through papers and tests                                                                       • Mastery demonstrated through multi-media

• Teacher selecting and lecturing                                                                                              • Teacher framing and guiding

• Teacher evaluates and assesses work and assigns grade                                                              • Students learn to set criteria and to evaluate own work

• Teaching with state-adopted textbooks for subject area with little accountability for teaching           • Teaching to state education standards with testing for                                                                                                                                                  accountability


    As you can see there is a huge different between centuriues. If you want to know the main reason, it's this :)

Why Media Literacy is Important ?

    From the beginning of the 21st century the media has developed a great steps in the world. It became a brilliant information store for everything, entertainment to the citizens and one of the most dangerous manupulation weapon's of all time. That's why we, as citizens have to learn how to '' read '' the media.
                                                                               

                                                                            

    Media literacy skills can help youth and adults;

- Develop critical thinking skills

- Understand how media messages shape our culture and society

- Identify target marketing strategies

- Recognize bias, spin, misinformation and lies 

- Name the tecniques of persuasion used

- Recognize what the media maker wants us to believe or do

- Discover the parts of the story that are not being told

- Evaluate media messages based on our own experiences, skills, beliefs and values

- Create and distribute our own media messages

- Advocate for media justice


                                       The Importance of the Media

    

What is Media Literacy ?

 

 Media Literacy is a 21st century approach to education. It provides a framework to access, analyze, evaluate and create messages in a variety of forms - from print to video to the Internet -

   It also builds an understanding of the role of the media in society as well as essential skills of inquiry and self-expression necessary for citizens of a democracy.

   With the media literacy you can look far beyond of a picture, an advertisement, a poster. You can understand their language, rip off their meanings from their existence and interpret it. You can understand what the '' media '' wants you to believe, buy, watch, cry or laugh. It will give you a very different perspective.

                                          What is Media Literacy ?

     If you want a REALLY detailed information you can just click here to learn everything about media literacy