Persuasive Techniques
The first thought that popped into my head are those anti-smoking ads made by "The Real Cost." They have an array of commercials aiming towards teenagers and promoting the negatives of smoking tobacco. I find this to be a fantastic ad campaign, although it can be a tad obnoxious at times, it overall gets the point across and makes you think twice before picking up a cigarette.
The Real Cost: Science Class
The commercial that stands out the most to me out of this series is the science class ad. It involves a teacher adding in a bunch of chemicals to this science project and it turns into this scary monster type thing. Then a pitch line of "If cigarettes looked as dangerous as they are, you'd run like hell" is said at the end. They use an emotional branding throughout these campaigns as they promote the scary effects of tobacco use, and really makes a person think twice.
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Crest toothpaste has a commercial out right now that involves two friends going out for lunch, and one of them mentions the "napkin test" which means if your teeth aren't as white as the napkin then they are essentially yellow and gross.
"Would your teeth pass the tissue test?"
Based on this ad, it seems as if the target audience is women, even though toothpaste is obviously for everyone, but its really prodding at the idea of looking "perfect" and having super white teeth in order to achieve that status. They use a bandwagon effect because the ad makes it seem like if you're not using this toothpaste, then you won't have those pearly whites like everyone else using Crest Whitening. They also use a hidden-fear appeal. It's obvious that they wanted the actress playing the gal who had "yellow" teeth to seem embarrassed that she didn't pass the so-called tissue test.
I find that this commercial could go either way, depending on who is watching the ad. Those with yellow teeth may feel offended by it or they may find it as helpful and go out to buy some the next day.
I agree with you about the Crest commercial and I have had similar thoughts when watching it as well! I thought it might bring offense to some people who don't have bright white teeth because it is almost impossible to obtain in reality. So many foods or drinks can have an affect on the color of our teeth, even if it is temporary, and this commercial might make people feel worse about their self image. I understand that they are a toothpaste company trying to sell whitening toothpaste, but I think there might be some other good ways to show the difference.
ReplyDeleteOn a side note, as far as the company Crest goes, I no longer use that brand. The reasoning is that once I was at the dentist and they did an x-ray on my teeth and noticed a blue spec embedded in my tooth. My dentist informed me that it wasn't harmful, it was just a piece of plastic (!!!) that Crest puts in their toothpaste for those little blue beads. I had always thought those beads were something that helped clean my teeth, but it turns out they were plastic! I'm not sure if they still do this or not, but I still stick with other brands.