Psychological Techniques of Persuasion
Mass media brought, with its growing adoption, advertising. By the 1950s, studies into the psychology of persuasion to sell products through advertising in print, radio, and television were of great interest. There was also a growing interest in social science regarding propaganda during World War II, especially in understanding how whole societies could be influenced through imagery and text. Here are some of the key techniques along with a few advertisements that illustrate a few of them.
Testimonial – “It works for me!”
A testimonial uses the voice of a satisfied user to suggest that a product, service, or idea is trustworthy because someone else claims it worked. The message is simple: if this person benefited, you will too. In ads like Ed’s Heinz ad, the speaker becomes living proof, turning personal experience into persuasion. Testimonial works because audiences often trust individual stories more quickly than abstract information.
Ed’s Heinz Ad
Transfer – A celebrity spokesperson
Transfer happens when the positive feelings people already have toward one person, symbol, or image are moved onto something else. A celebrity, athlete, or admired public figure stands beside a product so that their status, beauty, popularity, or success seems to rub off on it. The audience is not just being asked to like the product—they are being invited to associate it with glamour, authority, or aspiration.
Bandwagon – “Everybody’s doing it”
Bandwagon persuasion appeals to the desire to belong. It suggests that a product, trend, behavior, or viewpoint is already popular, and that smart people are joining in. No one wants to feel left behind, excluded, or out of step. By implying that “everyone” is already choosing this option, the message pressures the audience to follow the crowd.
Humor – Jokes, comedians, situations
Humor lowers resistance. When people laugh, they relax, and when they relax, they often become more open to persuasion. A funny commercial or playful slogan creates a positive emotional association with the message. Even if the audience forgets the details, they may remember how the ad made them feel—and transfer that warm feeling to the brand or idea.
Statistics – Numbers, comparisons, and evidence
Statistics appeal to logic by creating the impression of proof. Numbers can make a claim feel objective, scientific, and undeniable. Whether the message says “9 out of 10 people prefer this” or “millions have already switched,” statistics are used to make persuasion sound like reason. Even when audiences do not examine the math closely, numbers often lend credibility.
Card-stacking – One-sided or misleading information
Card-stacking presents only the information that supports one side while leaving out the rest. It may exaggerate benefits, hide weaknesses, or use half-truths to create a distorted impression. Because the audience is not given the full picture, the conclusion seems more favorable than it really is. This technique can be especially persuasive because it looks informative while quietly manipulating the facts.
Public Good – Selflessness and extraordinary effort
This technique frames an action, organization, or campaign as serving the common good. It persuades by suggesting that support is not just personally beneficial, but morally right. Messages built around sacrifice, service, patriotism, or helping others ask the audience to feel noble for participating. Instead of “buy this,” the message becomes “join something meaningful.”
Appeal to the Senses – Sight, smell, touch, taste, and sound
Some persuasion works by making audiences almost feel the product or experience. Crisp visuals, rich colors, sizzling sounds, soft textures, and vivid descriptions awaken sensory imagination. The goal is not simply to inform, but to create desire. When an audience can practically taste the burger, smell the perfume, or hear the freshness, persuasion becomes physical and immediate.
Plain Folks – “We are just like you”
Plain folks persuasion tries to remove distance between the message and the audience. The speaker or advertiser presents themselves as ordinary, relatable, hardworking, and down-to-earth. This technique says, in effect, “I understand your life because I live it too.” By appearing humble and familiar, the persuader earns trust and makes the message feel safe and believable.
Snobbery – “You deserve the best”
Snob appeal works in the opposite direction from plain folks. Instead of emphasizing sameness, it emphasizes distinction. The audience is told that this product or choice is for people with refined taste, high standards, or elevated status. It persuades by flattering pride and exclusivity. The message suggests that choosing the premium option proves you are above the ordinary.
Catch Phrase – Songs, jingles, and memorable wording
A catch phrase sticks because it is short, rhythmic, clever, and easy to repeat. Repetition turns language into memory, and memory into influence. A jingle like the McDonald’s Big Mac jingle from 1974 stays in the mind long after the ad ends. Catch phrases work because they make the message portable: people repeat it, sing it, and carry it with them.
Emotion – Pathos and feeling
Emotional persuasion reaches the heart before the mind has time to object. It may stir sympathy, nostalgia, guilt, hope, joy, sadness, pride, or compassion. Campaigns like “Keep America Beautiful” from 1970 used emotionally charged images and stories to connect behavior with feelings of responsibility and care. When audiences feel deeply, they are more likely to remember and respond.
Fear grabs attention quickly because it speaks to danger, loss, harm, or threat. Anti-drug PSAs from the 1980s often used shocking images and warnings to push people away from destructive choices. Fear can be powerful, but it usually cannot sustain long-term motivation by itself. If overused, audiences may tune it out, reject it, or feel manipulated.
Reason – Logos, intelligence, and critical thinking
Reason-based persuasion relies on explanation, evidence, and step-by-step logic. It shows the audience why a claim makes sense. In a commercial like Billy Mays’ OxiClean pitch, the speaker often demonstrates a problem, explains the solution, and proves the result. This technique works best when the audience wants practical answers and visible proof rather than just emotion.
Bill Mays’ OxiClean Commercial
Authority – Ethos, principle, and expertise
Authority persuades by drawing on trust in experts, institutions, or ethical standing. A doctor, teacher, scientist, official, or respected organization becomes the source of the message. The audience is more likely to accept the claim because it appears to come from someone qualified to know. Authority works especially well when people feel uncertain and want guidance from a credible source.
Sexual Stimuli – Provoking desire through images
Sexual stimuli use attractiveness, flirtation, or suggestive imagery to seize attention and create desire. The product itself may have little connection to sexuality, but the ad links it to fantasy, desirability, and allure. This technique works by associating the brand with attraction and excitement. Even when audiences know the connection is artificial, the emotional pull can still be effective.
Sell it!
Once in your groups, use the QR code to select both the imaginary product and the technique that your team will use to “sell” this item to the rest of the class.
Spend time developing your sales pitch using AIDA: attention, interest, desire, and action. Every person in your team needs a speaking role. Practice your pitch.
Audience Participation
Let each team know how you, as the audience heard and viewed their presentation. Were they persuasive using this technique?
