Persuasion and Types of Advertising appeal

• Technique of Persuasion
• The Stick and the Carrot
• The Principle of Scarcity
• Every advertisement has one message.
• Compose in the Second Person
• Give Your Viewers a Feeling of Authority
• Employ a Call-to-Value Rather than a Request for Action

1. The Stick and the Carrot

People are inherently drawn to pleasure, much like a horse to a carrot, and away from pain, much like a donkey to a rod. “Carrots,” or promises of gain, might give your prospects optimism when they read or see your ads and encourage them to chase that possible pleasure. Prospects who see “sticks,” or the possibility of loss, will become fearful and run away from the possibility of suffering.

Both strategies have the power to engross potential customers in a storey and arouse feelings that motivate desired behaviour. Carrots encourage individuals to do a desired activity, much as the benefits of a product do. Conversely, stick tactics, such as anti-smoking campaigns, instil terror in individuals, making them quit doing one thing and start doing something else.

2. The Principle of Scarcity

Rare goods and experiences are valued by individuals, and possessing something that the majority of people want but are unable to have increases our feeling of power and self-worth. You may significantly increase your product’s perceived scarcity and customer demand by using terms and phrases like “Limited availability” or “Exclusive offer,” which convey a feeling of urgency and scarcity.

3. A Single Message for Every Ad

Try limiting your advertising to just one statement in order to grab people’s attention right away and convince them to read or watch the remainder. Because you’re just giving your audience one message—that your product’s key feature would somehow improve their life—highlighting this feature will make it easier for consumers to appreciate the value of your offer or product and enhance the probability that they will convert.

4. Use the second person while writing.

Writing advertisements in the second person can instantly grab their attention and help them imagine a future where your product or service will improve their lives. This is because your prospects are primarily interested in how you can help them, and pronouns like “you” and “your” can engage them on a personal level and help them insert themselves in the narrative you’re creating.

5. Give Your Viewers a Feeling of Authority

Three psychology professors at Rutgers University performed a study that found that control is both a biological and psychological need. Individuals must believe that they are in charge of their life.

You must provide your audience the option to make their own decisions if you want them to feel in charge. To put it another way, people need to feel as if they have the freedom to choose between the course you recommend and another after reading or seeing your advertising. They will get irritated and stop paying attention to you if they think you’re attempting to pressure them into purchasing your goods.

Use terms like “Feel free” or “No pressure” in your ads, like this one from Hotwire.com below, to offer your viewers a feeling of power and the freedom to chose.

6. Apply a Value-to-Call Instead of using a call to action, use a call to action (CTA) to persuade prospects to take the next step. However, not all prospects will be persuaded to do your desired action by a CTA that says, “Download Now” or “Call Now.” Make sure the last line of your advertisement is the greatest possible copy or joke.

Therefore, instead of writing a boring call to action encouraging readers to download a blogging eBook, such as “Click today and be a blogger tomorrow,” write a call to action that clearly communicates the value of your offer and offers a glimpse into your prospects’ possible life if they take your desired action.

Appeal Types for Advertising

appeals to emotions.

The goal of emotional appeals is to create a favourable perception of your brand in the minds of potential customers. You may utilise strong music and images to emphasise these appeals, which often centre on trust, joy, love, loyalty, and pleasure. Recall GE’s tagline, “We bring excellent things to life.”

Fear is appealing.

When a good or service is required to help lower risk in a person’s life—such as the risk of financial failure, health problems, the security of losing one’s home, or even political decisions—fear can be appealing to consumers. You can use fear to your advantage as long as you don’t use it excessively or harshly, as this could damage your brand. Thus, prudence is warranted. Consider the “How would they get by without you?” campaign from BCAA Life Insurance.

Laughter is appealing.

Advertising often uses humour. Why not? Who doesn’t find humour appealing? Building a brand by appealing to people’s sense of humour can occasionally happen overnight. Keeping your brand relevant while using humour, though, is a challenge to ensure that your target audience connects your brand with comedy. Frequently, people remember the humour more than the actual product! When done well, making an audience laugh can result in enormous sales. What if the beef cows at Chikfila held signs that said, “Eat More Chicken”?

appeals to music.

Similar to comedy, brands can use music to draw attention and help consumers remember their products. Furthermore, when someone hears a catchy tune in an advertisement, their memories of positive times are evoked, which helps them feel good about the product being offered. Additionally, keep in mind that you have the option of licencing some fantastic old songs. “Are You Gonna Be My Girl” by Jet was a major hit for Apple’s iPod. (And Jet did, too!)

sensible arguments.

Certain products can successfully influence customers by appealing to their emotions, but other products necessitate a more logical approach, particularly when the advertisement appears in print. Rational appeals, which are frequently seen in commercials for pharmaceuticals, cookware, and cleaning supplies, persuade customers to purchase products by using reasoning, facts, and data. The RMX driver, a new club from Fujii Golf, describes how it will help you make longer shots with a lot of technical details.

appeals to the sexual.

Advertisements for a wide range of products often feature romantic and sexual appeals, such as cars, cologne, hamburgers, jeans, and cars. In certain situations, sexual appeals may not have the impact that marketers may have in mind, despite the fact that history has demonstrated that sex does, in fact, sell or at the very least, attract attention. However, the “Smell Like A Man, Man” campaign for Old Spice deodorant recently elevated the antiquated brand to new heights, most likely for years to come.

It is appealing to be scarce.

Scarcity appeals are a great way to persuade people to take advantage of a sale or limited-edition product because they play on people’s fear of missing out. If you’re advertising a limited-time offer, customers will notice if it lasts longer than advertised, and they may lose faith in your company’s promotions. However, make sure that scarcity actually applies to what you’re selling. Verify whether a “sale” is actually a “sale.”

Ultimately, some appeals are only appropriate for specific products, so keep in mind what your brand stands for and whether the approach actually reflects your brand’s attributes.