Hey everyone! :)
When I first read what our next DOTCOM module was about, I was ecstatic. I have always enjoyed learning about and analyzing propaganda/persuasive techniques in my English classes. The video that I chose was not difficult to find. As I was racking my brain thinking about possible commercials that I have seen on TV that could effectively utilize “persuasive techniques”, one advertisement stuck out completely – ProActiv Solution. I have seen the various commercials of this skin care product since my early teen years. I remember that when I was 13, I watched this exact commercial with Lindsay Lohan and her brother, and thought that I was so impressive for recommending it to my own brother who had acne. However, at such a young age, little did I know that I was being fooled by the many tricks of persuasive techniques. It is very interesting to now analyze and comment on the same commercial, which is packed with Persuasive Techniques for my Module 5 project.
This commercial influences the Reptilitan part of the brain by convincing the audience to have the subcounsious feeling of "wanting" the ProActiv skin care product, through the use of persuasive techniques, such as Plain Folks, Bandwagon, and Warm Fuzzies. In addition, the Limbic part of the brain is affected by the soothing background song, pastel colored setting and smiling faces of the of young, enthusiastic actors. This tranquillity misleads you to feel unwary of the commercials primary goal, which is to sell you their product, not to clear your face. Furthermore, the Neocortext is influenced by the text in the commercial, such as "before ProActiv" and "after ProActiv", which makes you think about the relationship between the product ProActiv and your face.
The Persuasive Techniques that I have found in the commercial are as follows:
Symbols – the statement “Hi I’m Lindsay Lohan” introduces the commercial with a celebrity, someone that people idol.
Beautiful People – Lindsay Lohan is known for her acting in hollywood movies. Also, the commercial shows pictures of Lindsay taken by paparazzi
Humor – it is supposed to be funny or amusing when Lindsay jokes saying “Would you believe that I shared the same skin care product as my brother?”
Plain Folks – Lindsay talks about her brother, who is not a celebrity and how he “went through a phase where he had acne” which relates to everyday teens
Maybe technique – in little white words discreetly on the bottom of the screen it states, “Results may vary”, which indicates that the product will not work the same for everyone that uses it
Hyperbole – Lindsay’s brother states that his skin looks “ten times better” because of ProActiv, which is exaggerating his outcome from the original case.
Scientific evidence – the commercial states that it was developed by Stanford trained “dermatologists”, which makes the product sound legit.
Rhetorical Questions – when Lindsay asks, “Wouldn’t you like to be clear too?” you answer to yourself, “yes, of course”.
Rhetorical Questions – when Lindsay asks, “Why not try it, what have you got to lose?” she pressures you into wanting to buy the product
Bandwagon – the commercial tells how ProActiv is the “Number 1 Best Selling Acne solution in America” with a picture of a group of kids smiling
Testimonial - the commercial states that ProActiv was the winner of best acne treatment by Allure magazine, and having a popular teen magazine approve of the product makes it cool.
Bribery - “Try Proactiv now and get a special free gift” By receiving a “free” refining mask with your order, you are more tempted to purchase Proactiv
Bribery – “Act quickly, and receive a free upgrade to priority mail shipping” At this point in the commercial, the audience wants to use the product as soon as possible
Flattery – Lindsay’s brother talks about how the first time he used Proactiv was as soon as Lindsay recommended it to her. Lindsay then says “I’m a trendsetter, what can I say” and her brother regretfully says, “I’m a follower”, which leads you to think that if you buy ProActiv and then recommend it to a friend, you will be a “trendsetter” like Lindsay.
Simple solutions – the commercial overall is an example of this technique because it is trying to persuade you that all of your acne will disappear after you use proactive skin care, but the truth is that acne can be a more complex problem, and can be caused by genetics, eating habits, or poor hygiene.
Repetition – the phrase “Risk free”, which is used in the commercial in large words, has been coined by the advertising industry and is in almost every commercial attempting to sell you a product. It is a saying that is familiar and that you can identify with.
Warm Fuzzies – the commercial ends with an “aw” moment when Lindsay hugs her brother and says, “I love when he’s happy”, which implies that using ProActiv makes everyone get along and be happy.
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