Examples Of Media Persuasion

The Media and Persuasion

From a young age, all people are exposed to the means of mass communication, the media. The media promulgates advertisements which are any paid-for communication overtly intended to inform and/or influence one or more people (Bullmore, 2015). Nowadays, any free surface or medium present is used for communicating the message of advertisers, whether it is on billboards, the sides of buildings, through the radio or on the pavement for example. The presence, information and stimulation of tastes provided by advertisements almost anywhere an individual travels and gazes helps them reach a massive audience range and create materialistic drive transforming the general public into buyers which have valued demands and desires.

These modes are still implemented in advertising nowadays in order to persuade the consumers that their perspective is believable and true. All media entities implement at least one mode of persuasion in their advertisements however pathos and logos are the most common forms that can be observed in Western media. The modes of persuasion can be achieved through different means. For instance, an advertisement using evoking fear is an example of how pathos can be achieved since it is evoking emotion; additionally it is scaring consumers into buying the product. Many times, different persuasive techniques are combined to create a more persuasive advertisement. Pathos combined with logos is most commonly observed in advertisements

Advertisers utilize this particular influence to advance their products and reach consumers in an effective and profitable way. Pamela K. Morris (2005) states that “Advertisements guide thinking, action, and behaviours as people come to accept mainstream ideas through visuals. The most crucial of these is what it means to be a man or a woman. Ideas about how to feel, dress, look, and behave, and how to interact with other men and women is the bedrock of the culture in which we live”, this means that advertisements provide knowledge which assists society in forming perceptions and expectations of what is classified as feminine and masculine; these perceptions are incorporated into culture and are then reinforced by more advertisements promoting the same stereotypes therefore being reinforced and leading to gender roles. Because of its influence, it is evident that advertising plays a dominant role in redefining and forming gender roles and gender stereotypes. Overall, advertising can manipulate ideals in society and contribute to the formation and development of gender roles along with gender