Transcript persuasive writing

PERSUASIVE WRITING
in ADVERTISING
An Introduction
info
Created 2008 by Daniel Leong for Hwachong Institution High School Section English Department
PERSUASIVE WRITING
Persuasive writing aims to convince the reader of the
writer’s viewpoint.
Argumentative Writing
It is a form of argumentative writing.
Persuasive
Writing
Exposition
It contains the following types of persuasive techniques:
Ethos
Logos
Pathos
The Writer’s Image
Logical Argument
Emotional Appeals
PERSUASIVE TECHNIQUES
Ethos
The Writer’s Image
What impression of the writer should the reader get
when reading the text?
The writer’s image is created by the effect of what he
writes (word choice, literary devices, organisation etc)
Be aware of words that may give the wrong impression –
Do you want to appear biased or objective?
Align yourself with other people (quote, stereotype etc)
to enhance your own ethos with their influence
Spelling and grammatical errors are anathema – use
with caution only for specific artistic purposes
Under what
circumstances will you
align yourself with
each of the following
personalities’ views on
the issue of human
rights?
Mahatma Gandhi
Adolf Hitler
Random Passer-by
PERSUASIVE TECHNIQUES
Logos
Logical Argument
Logically convincing your reader is one of the most powerful means of persuasion –
but only if done sensitively
Avoid logical fallacies (e.g. false cause, hasty generalisation)
Use examples, statistics, logical structures etc to substantiate your argument
Arguments commonly suffer from a writer asserting that something is more
absolute or certain than his evidence can prove. Use qualifiers (adjectives or
adverbs) to modify how absolute, generalised or certain a statement is. This can
help your assertion to become more defensible and thus more credible.
Quantity: most, some, all, none etc
Time: occasionally, sometimes, often, usually, always, never etc
Relative quality: best, worst, finest, sharpest, heaviest etc
PERSUASIVE TECHNIQUES
Pathos
Emotional Appeal
Use emotive words, phrases or images to elicit an
emotional response from the reader
Using famous quotations is another way of appealing to
the emotions of the reader (“I have a dream”, “Yes, we
can!” etc)
Inviting the reader to put himself in an extreme position can
also evoke strong emotions (“Put yourself in the shoes of
the child soldier”, “It’s 3am and your children are asleep”)
Some arguments play on strong and irrational prejudices to
make the reader agree with an otherwise weak point
Beware of going overboard – be conscious of how intense
the implications of the word are, and whether that intensity
supports or detracts from your purpose
Under what
circumstances will
you choose the
following words in
relation to the
indicated issues?
Teenage crime:
menace or
concern?
Cloning:
undesirable or
repulsive?
Tibetan rebels:
terrorists or
freedom fighters?
ADVERTISING
Along with TV shows, news articles, radio programmes and other forms of mass
information dissemination, advertising is a component of the mass media
The form it takes changes to suit the particular persuasive strengths and
weaknesses of a particular medium
Print
Location-Specific
Mass Distribution
Mass Media
Non-print
Audio
Audio-Visual
Internet
Email
Webpage
ADVERTISING
The 3 Aims of Advertising
Argument
To Inform
The 3 Ways to Affect the
Target Audience
Head: What the audience
knows about your product
To Entertain
Heart: How much the
audience likes your product
To Persuade
Behaviour: Whether the
advertisement makes the
audience do something about
the product
Ethos
Logos
Pathos
ADVERTISING
Components
Titles
Headlines
Subheaders
Copy
Main text body
Artwork
Photographs
Graphics
Decorations
Contact/Signature
Logos
Advertiser’s name
Contact info
Address
Instructions etc
ADVERTISING
Persuasive Techniques
Purpose: Persuasion
Purpose: Persuasion
Technique: Ethos
World-acclaimed brand
Connotations: luxury,
prestige etc
Technique: Pathos
Imperative mode – call
to action
Patriotism (skyline +
international brand)
Use of superlatives for
emphasis (“world’s first”)
Purpose: Information
Technique: Logos
Listing facts (contact
info, dates, locations
etc)
Purpose: Entertainment
Technique: Pathos
Aesthetic car design
Connotations: cool, fast,
sleek, racy etc
Purpose: Information
Technique: Logos
Singapore Skyline
indicates location of
event
ADVERTISING
Persuasive Techniques
Now, watch the following advertisement and break down the persuasive
techniques used in the advertisement, identifying what devices they use and how
effective you think they are.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJZgGb_8pQw