Visual Persuasion in Advertising, Public Relations, and Journalism

Review the previous lesson QUIZ

How does the media visually persuade us? What is the difference between persuasion and propaganda?

Shock Advertising or Shockvertising defined: Deliberately creating messages that shock and offend by violating social norms or ideals. This could be graphic images or words that are risque or offensive. The purpose is often to reach a particular market, or create a buzz( youth) and also to be noticed in a cluttered marketplace.

	Is shock advertising useful or abusive? Do advertisers use shocking advertisements to get additional media attention? A Priest Kissing a Nun Is any publicity, good publicity?
	Black mother, white baby Though most publicity, news articles and reports about Benetton's campaign were negative, business boomed. Total Benetton sales in 2003 were + $4 billion. Benetton's "We on Death Row" campaign depicting U.S. prison inmates facing capital punishment was intended to spark a debate about use of the death penalty in America. Instead, the European company found itself hit with multiple lawsuits in the USA filed by attorneys general in the states where the prisoners were awaiting execution. And Sears, the longtime Middle American retailer, canceled a joint venture and dumped Benetton's sweater line.Benetton's fired their long time Creative Director and apologized
	A baby with umbilical cord attached.
	In 2011 the Vatican threatened to sue the company over its ad featuring the Pope kissing a Muslim leader. They removed the ad and apologized. The ad was part of their "Unhate campaign" Obama kissing Chavez left Read more about the campaign here http://theinspirationroom.com/daily/2011/benetton-unhate-kissing/

Shock Advertising

In 1980 Calvin Klein hired 15 year old Brooke Shields to say, "Nothing comes between me and my Calvin's"

The risky strategy at the time seemed to border on soft porn and gained much media attention by shocking the viewers

In 1996 Klein's ads featured teenage boys and girls in sexually provocative poses- a public outcry lead to its withdrawal

Shock advertising can revitalize an old company or make a small company stand out.

French Connection was reborn in 1997 under the brand "FCUK". The shock tactics worked. When many fashion retailers were struggling to appeal to a new fashion-buying generation, French Connection was very successful in 1990s and early 2000s with it's new branding.

What makes an advertisement unacceptable? Generally ads should not cause ‘serious or widespread offence’. to reflect public expectations, taking into account both the medium and the context.

Over time, the boundaries of offensiveness change. What was unacceptable in the 50s might seem mild mannered today. The challenge is to patrol the boundaries of expectation, not to try to enforce absolute standards of taste.

Diesel was criticized for their campaign with guns pointed at the viewer with the copy "How to teach your children to love and care." The ads were withdrawn from some magazines but sales of the jeans doubled

Abercrombie & Fitch has had some trouble with nudity and sexual themes. Their 2003 Christmas Field Guide caused boycotts and did not increase sales To read more and see some of the pictures see Snopes.com at https://www.snopes.com/inboxer/outrage/abercrombie.asp

Sometimes shock advertising is used by non profit groups like Barnardo's, a UK charity that works for children in projects. One campaign showed a baby about to inject heroin (see the link to left called Shock to see the ad

Marketers are not upset by the outrage as generally those who object to shock ads are not the target group

see more shock ads at Shock (inside link)

Advertisements and Social Issues

Benetton's target audience of 18-24 yr olds- a group that tends to be socially conscious

Their posters and billboards have used multicultural themes and harmony with only their logo. See their campaigns at http://press.benettongroup.com/ben_en/about/campaigns/list/

Even still some have found their brand of harmony offensive

In 1991 their campaigns turned political- crosses in a cemetery, priest kissing nun, published news photos- a mafia victim, child labour, dying aids victim

Aids activists found the use of a dying aids victim exploitation by a large company- see the ad and story about the campaign http://theinspirationroom.com/daily/2007/benetton-pieta-in-aids-campaign/

The dying aids victim is an example of what is called "Decisive Moment" journalism-more than 1 billion people have viewed the ad; however, it doesn't mean more are interested in the AIDs cause. During the controversy in 1991-1992 sales increased 10%

Their Death Row campaign in 2000 a 26 page booklet caused more problems- see http://helpforjournalists.com/advertising-ethics/benettons-death-row-campaign/. See a CBS news clip on the campaign and the real killers at http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2000/05/30/60II/main200723.shtml

They were accused of glamorizing the murderers and ignoring their crimes. Benetton apologized and paid $50,000 to a victim's fund after being sued. To rehabilitate the company image, their creative director Toscani was dropped and they began work with the UN and volunteers

PETA has long used shocking images and videos to get attention from their cause, but many of their ads have been accused of being sexist. The one to the right was banned in Montreal for sexism. See more controversial PETA ads http://www.businessinsider.com/peta-shocking-controversial-ads-2011-10?op=1

When looking at cause advertising, attention to the cause is important, but when is it too much?

For a great overview of cause marketing, see Terry O'Reilly Under the Influence, Cause Marketing

Should a billboard talk to you when you are driving? Is it a hazard to driving. Well in January 2007 Mini Cooper is doing a test of a service called "motorby". The key fog of the Mini you are driving knows your name and the billboard above the road will address you by name --read more Motorby

Pamela Anderson ad banned for Peta

Persuasion or Propaganda?

Advertising, public relations and journalism are closely related-all use persuasive techniques to support ideas, change attitudes. However, blurring of lines between corporate and editorial is a serious concern today

Belief is the information a person has about a person, place, object or issue that forms their attitude

Attitudes are general long lasting positive or negative feelings about person, place, objects or issues

If information is limited or a source isn't trusted, a belief can become an enduring attitude that leads to stereotypical generalizations

The Distinction between Persuasion and Propaganda:

While Persuasion uses facts and emotion to appeal to a person to change their mind or promote a behaviour, Propaganda uses emotion and one-sided and many times non factual information/opinions that are portrayed as facts, to change minds or promote particular behaviours. While persuasion is socially acceptable; propaganda is questionable and is often associated with thought control.

Propaganda: the goal is to influence another through use of one-sided argument, often using selected facts that may not include the whole story. Presenting a loaded emotional response so that another does not use rational thinking. Using words, pictures, multimedia, to influence another with debatable techniques.

Walter Lippmann

Walter Lippmann in Public Opinion (1922) talked about how pictures could be used to change a person's attitude. First in importance in changing minds is images and next the words that conjure up a picture. He believed that images could change attitudes as people related them to their own situations.

A bit about Lippmann

In 1922, Walter Lippmann published an influential book entitled fact. In the book, Lippmann was very suspicious and critical of any model of democracy that placed excessive faith and power in the hands of the public. He argued that participatory democracy was unworkable, that the democratic public was a myth, and that governance should be delegated exclusively to political representatives and their expert advisors. Based on empirical evidence about the efficacy of political propaganda and mass advertisement to shape people's ways of thinking, Lippmann contended that public opinion was highly shaped by leaders. Lippmann called this process of manipulation of consciousness 'the manufacture of consent', a concept that Noam Chomsky would popularize many years later. Lippmann argued, first in 'Public Opinion' and later in 'The Phantom Public', that since ordinary citizens had no sense of objective reality, and since their ideas are merely stereotypes manipulated at will by people at the top, deliberative democracy was an unworkable dogma or impossible dream. In his view, the most feasible alternative to such democracy consisted of a technocracy in which government leaders are guided by experts whose objectives and disinterested knowledge go beyond the narrow views and the parochial self-interests of the average citizens organized in local communities. Lippmann saw advocates of participatory democracy as romantic and nostalgic individuals who idealized the role of the ignorant masses to address public affairs and proposed an unrealistic model for the emerging mass society. He opposed such a model with his own model of 'democratic realism' based on political representation and technical expertise. (source: http://fcis.oise.utoronto.ca/~daniel_sch/assignment1/1922lippdew.html )

All human communication uses persuasion and propaganda to mold or change a viewer/s attitude

Edward Bernays and Propaganda URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tru6uiWs8Yo

The Role of Persuasion

Persuasion is considered a socially accepted way to change other's minds. Government tries to change people's minds through the press through its public relations

When a government tries to sell its story and the press wants to report objectively the result is a clash.

Hopefully the press and today the public through social media can keep a government and large corporations honest; However the media itself is questioned for its bias.

The Role of Propaganda

Originally propaganda did not have a negative connotation. The word "propaganda" began as a neutral word for spreading an idea to a large group. Governments have used the technique to convey their version of the truth- this has given the word its negative connotation.

The word is used as 'the art of lying' or "the deliberate attempt by the few to influence the attitudes and behaviour of the many by manipulation" and it's been attached to thought control -others now use it to get people to do what they would not have otherwise done. Some believe that 3/4 of content of media contains some propaganda

The difference between persuasion and propaganda is the social definition of the words

In 2006 ads appeared on Middle Eastern television stations using advanced graphics to discourage suicide bombers. The producers of the ads are hard to track and the US did not specifically deny producing them. During war, imagery produced typically shows the one side as good and the other as bad. It is typical for governments to demonize the other side to get the support of people to sign up or give money to support "the cause."

In July 2017 John Oliver warned of a takeover of local media Television in the US by Sinclair Broadcasting.The company was trying to take over Tribune Media to expand its empire. Sinclair was forcing local news outlets to run prepakaged content that was against political correctness and multiculturalism. Read about it here John Oliver takes on Sinclair, The Guardian

Visual Persuasion in Advertising

Advertising can be defined as "any form of nonpersonal presentation and promotion of ideas, goods and services by an identified sponsor"

There are two types of advertising: commercial and noncommercial

Commercial ads range from a person's classified car ad to display ads or commercials promoting products

Noncommercial ads include government notices and public service (PSA)

The Advertising Council is concerned with ethical advertising, but many of the rules are voluntarily maintained rather than enforced. Today there is so much choice in the media that we attend to; therefore, advertising and media have adopted new techniques to get attention. We can flip channels, PVR shows, watch things online; the audience is harder to track and influence through the old traditional means, so companies have gotten more creative.

Advertising/News Media Controversial Tactics

The purpose of advertising is to attract attention, arouse interest, stimulate desire, create opinion and move a person to buy.

In the American 2004 election Bush used emotional images of 9/11 events , and his team produced short video's (VNR: Video News Release) that looked like news but were actually manufactured- many stations aired the reports as if they were news. The name VNR fell out of favour but they are still around -today they are called Influencer Media Packages

in the early 1900's laws were created to distinguish between news and advertisement, advertisements should have that word to identify them when it is not obvious, but advertisements have become entertainment- infomercials that look like talk shows appeared in 1984- the print version is called an "advertorial"

Stereotyping/Health Concerns: 1950s ads even with regulations showed the successful anglo man with a desirable woman at his side; consumer movements against sexist ads, and unhealthy products like cigarettes created change on TV. When it was shown that in the US more kids recognized Joe Camel more than Mickey Mouse a lawsuit was launched and the ads ended

Product Placement

Vance Packard's book The Hidden Persuaders in 1957 and Bryan Wilson Keyes Media Sexploitation in the 70s brought the concern of subliminal messages to the public even though a key research event by James Vicary was proved to be faked.

Product placement has become more and more prevalent with zapping of commercials and fragmentation of audiences and the rise of the internet

Sales of Reese's Pieces after ET increased 65%; in Moonstruck Cher drank Mum's champaign today movies as well as TV especially reality is full of product placement.

On websites"advertorials" appear as content, pop-up, pop-under's

Some have created websites for movies to make them appear real -example Blair Witch 1999. Today most new blockbusters have websites that cross the boundaries or real world and the movie version of real

Augmented Reality

Digital imaging is used to place ads in ballparks as well as old TV shows

Augmented Reality- when the real world is layered created a mixed reality again changes out view. Mobile applications for your smartphone can use your location and layer your view through your mobile device. We can now see all the bars that sell Stella Artois with their app, we can see dinosaurs come to like with a app inside a museum and with Google glass every moment of our lives can be augmented with incoming data right before our eyes

Facial recognition can be used to appeal directly to us as we pass by a storefront not unlike Tom Cruise in Minority Report.See a 4 minute video on Google Glass and the Future of Augmented Reality https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdD5-woi_os

What is real?

Critics argue that the average person can't tell the difference between ads and news and entertainment; others suggest ads mirror the society- we get what we deserve.
The media conflict - they present the news, try to make change but they are sponsored by advertising

After Tom Cruise wore Ray Bans in Risky Business sales soared

Google Glass

Visual Persuasion in Public Relations

What is reported isn't always as important as how it is reported. The job of public relations (PR) is to put a positive spin on things. A celebrity gets arrested and a PR person helps that person sort out their problem. Public Relation firms have also been involved in work to promote a political agenda that leads a country into war. During crisis PR person is at front. It is estimated that 50% of news is generated by public relations people -press release, press conference

Public relations was a key to getting US public on side the war effort in World War I - the Committee on Public Information was formed 5 million was used to create movies, posters and men called "Four minute men" traveled country making speeches to support the war. The information was inflammatory and often false with rumoured atrocities.. Americans learned to hate the Germans- journalists were not permitted to write anything critical of the propaganda

Edward L Bernays worked for CPI and after war became known as founder of PR. The mass media was used to influence -in 1920s press agents were responsible for company image. The rich and famous hired press agents to ensure that history looked favourably on them -ex- John D Rockefeller, Henry Ford

In 1970s ad agencies realized they were competing with public relations and began buying PR firms--usually they are kept separate. Public relations use grew in politics in the 70s- PR firms in US have been accused of using photo ops and scare tactics. Lobbyists are paid by corporations to influence law makers. In US there are more than 800,000 PR people. Editors often fill newspapers with stories written by PR people- a PR person's job is to get free press-they like newspapers as they get reread or resent from online newspapers

Staging - Constructing Images

Today, most of us have heard the term "photo op" which refers to a photo opportunity. In a photo op we can see a carefully orchestrated picture of what someone wants us to think about a particular thing, person or event. It is a constructed image.

Events are staged to get attention-political victory speech, Bush landing on aircraft with Mission Accomplished sign above. Guest appearances on TV are more style over substance-PR people coach guests on behaviour.

Video News Releases (VNRs)-today they are called Influencer Media Packages provide picture and story as news story so viewer doesn't know that it is produced by person with a motive. Expanded news releases like infomercials are disguised as news. Some companies that own large numbers of local news stations dictate news content not unlike VNRs.

PR is criticized because average viewer can't tell the difference- the spin doctors on "Spin alley"

Enron was paying several journalists to sit on boards and write speeches. Many news commentators have made speeches for corporate interest groups. In spite of all this negativity about the public relations industry, there are hard working professionals in the field who work hard to follow a code of ethics

Test your self. Can you distinguish real news vs fake news? Try Factitious to see.

Influence of Advertisers

Communications industry gets income from advertisers. Advertisers try to influence what is in media- 93% of editors had threats from advertisers that they would cancel ads. In the 1940s ads took up 55% of space in newspapers today it is more than 68% and about 90% in free newspapers, but the whole print media is in jeopardy with more an more views accessing news online. When USA today introduced colour in weather maps it was to show advertisers the effect of colour

Soft news is used to attract consumers- celebrity journalism-gossip news- infotainment- news show devote time to what's going on in reality TV shows- news shows use tease to keep you watching-tabloid journalism- OJ Simpson, Michael Jackson, missing girl in Aruba, 9/11 coverage, Janet Jackson's nipplegate, 24/7 coverage of trivial content.

What once was news is now marginalized behind the infotainment that is popular. We often know more about the latest celebrity scandal than we know about real world events.

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Sources/ Resources

Visual Communication: Images with Messages by Paul Martin Lester

History of Ad Regulation http://www.asa.org.uk/asa/about/history/Reflecting+public+expectations+avoiding+censorship.htm

The 15 Most Offensive PETA Advertisements, Business Insider http://www.businessinsider.com/peta-shocking-controversial-ads-2011-10?op=1

Shock advertising http://www.brandchannel.com/features_effect.asp?pf_id=84

Shock Advertising http://www.personal.psu.edu/users/e/e/eew122/shock/intro.html

Shock Advertising: A Poke in the Brain http://journal.aiga.org/content.cfm?ContentAlias=_getfullarticle&aid=1362039

Benetton Unhate Kissing, The inspiration Room http://theinspirationroom.com/daily/2011/benetton-unhate-kissing/

Benetton Pieta in AODs campaign, The Inspiration Room http://theinspirationroom.com/daily/2007/benetton-pieta-in-aids-campaign/

Fox News(?) on Shock http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,191727,00.html

Shockvertising http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/1999/02/99/e-cyclopedia/611979.stm

USA Today Ads Highlight Cultural Differences http://www.usatoday.com/money/advertising/2003-06-19-xtreme_x.htm

We on Death Row Benetton's (radio program) http://www.theconnection.org/shows/2000/01/20000113_a_main.asp

PBS Death penalty debate Benetton's https://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/features/jan-june00/deathpenalty.html

Benetton http://www.jednet.co.uk/tottonsep2000/hncadv1/benettonad/hncbenetton1.html

Benetton- their own site http://press.benettongroup.com/ben_en/about/campaigns/list/

Benetton Catalog of Killers (see a short video) http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2000/05/30/60II/main200723.shtml

Diesel Ads http://www.designboom.com/eng/interview/rosso.html

Semiotic analysis of Diesel Ads http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Students/lmg9302.html

Cohersion: Why we listen to what they say https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/cool/rushkoff/coercion.html

Public Opinion by Walter Lippmann http://xroads.virginia.edu/~Hyper/Lippman/cover.html

Product Placement http://www.usatoday.com/money/media/2004-10-14-tv-product-placement_x.htm

http://www.adjab.com/category/product-placement/

http://www.snopes.com/business/market/mandms.asp

Hip Hop and product placement timeline http://www.cbc.ca/rhymepays/product_place.html

Brand Channel tracking product placement http://www.brandchannel.com/brandcameo_films.asp

Four Minute Men http://www.rootsweb.com/~neburt/bcww1/bcww1p30.html

http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/4970/

more recent propaganda http://www.newshounds.us/2005/12/01/fox_news_propaganda_about_the_propaganda.php

Edward L Bernays founder PR http://www.prmuseum.com/bernays/bernays_1923.html

Father of Spin http://www.prwatch.org/prwissues/1999Q2/bernays.html

Propaganda Resources http://www.classroomtools.com/proppage.htm

Google Glass and the Future of Augmented Reality https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdD5-woi_os

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