Marketing 6-9: Persuasive Techniques In Advertising

Lesson 6-9: Persuasive Techniques In Advertising

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LESSON SUMMARY
This lesson introduces students to the core persuasive techniques used in advertising, grounded in the classical rhetorical appeals of ethos, pathos, and logos. Students learn that ethos builds credibility and trust, pathos appeals to emotions, and logos uses facts and logic to convince consumers. Through engaging examples, such as celebrity endorsements, emotional narratives in commercials, and logical presentations of product benefits, students gain an understanding of how these appeals influence consumer perceptions and behavior.

Beyond the rhetorical appeals, the lesson also explores six additional principles of influence identified by Dr. Robert Cialdini: reciprocity, consistency, social proof, authority, liking, and scarcity. These psychological triggers help marketers shape buying behavior by tapping into human instincts and social dynamics. Students examine how these principles appear in modern advertising, from limited-time offers that create urgency to social media influencers driving purchase decisions through personal recommendations.

By analyzing real-world advertisements and discussing the strategic use of persuasive techniques, students become more critical consumers of marketing messages. The lesson also empowers them to apply these techniques in their own marketing projects, helping them understand how brands build relationships with audiences. Ultimately, students leave the lesson with a toolkit of persuasion strategies and a deeper awareness of how advertising works in today’s digital and media-saturated world.

Lesson Objectives & Instructional Outcomes

Lesson Objectives:

Define the three rhetorical appeals: ethos, pathos, and logos.
Identify persuasive techniques used in modern advertisements.
Explain how psychological triggers influence consumer behavior.
Evaluate the effectiveness of specific advertising strategies.
Apply persuasive techniques in creating their own advertisement.

Instructional Outcomes:

Differentiate between ethos, pathos, and logos in sample advertisements.
Analyze real-world examples of advertising campaigns.
Discuss the six principles of influence and their relevance to marketing.
Critically assess how advertisements shape consumer decisions.
Create a persuasive advertisement using at least two rhetorical appeals and one principle of influence.

Aim & Essential Questions

Aim: How do marketers use persuasive techniques to influence consumer behavior?

Essential Questions:

What are ethos, pathos, and logos, and how are they used in advertising?
How do psychological triggers such as reciprocity and scarcity affect consumer choices?
Why is it important for marketers to understand emotional, ethical, and logical appeals?
What makes certain advertisements more effective than others?
How can students use persuasive techniques in their own marketing efforts?

Vocabulary

Ethos – Ethical appeal; builds trust through credibility.
Pathos – Emotional appeal; targets the audience’s feelings.
Logos – Logical appeal; uses facts and reasoning.
Reciprocity – The feeling of obligation to return a favor.
Scarcity – Perceived limited availability that increases demand.
Social Proof – Influence of others’ actions and endorsements.
Authority – Use of experts or figures of credibility.
Liking – Leveraging personal likability to increase persuasion.
Consistency – Aligning brand messaging with consumer values.
Bandwagon Effect – Persuading people by showing that others are doing it.

Questions For Instructional Time

What are the key characteristics of ethos, logos, and pathos?
How does modern technology enhance the use of persuasive techniques in advertising?
What are some examples of "plain folks" and "snob appeal" in current ads?
How does scarcity create urgency in consumers?
Why do brands use celebrity endorsements?
What is the difference between social proof and authority?
How does emotional storytelling impact brand loyalty?
How do advertisers use reciprocity in digital marketing?
Can an ad use multiple appeals at the same time? Provide examples.
Why is it important for consumers to recognize persuasive techniques?

Do Now: Think about the last ad you saw on social media or TV. What was the ad for? Did it appeal to your emotions, logic, or trust in the brand/person? Write down a few sentences describing which appeal was used and how it influenced you.

Video: Persuasive Techniques In Advertising

Directions: Watch the video, it will introduce the concept of persuasive techniques in advertising through a playful example of a character named Ari trying to convince his mom to order pizza. It explains Aristotle’s three rhetorical appeals--ethos (credibility), logos (logic), and pathos (emotion)—and shows how Ari uses each to persuade his mom: by establishing trust and fairness (ethos), offering logical reasons like pizza having "all the major food groups" (logos), and expressing his happiness about pizza (pathos). The video emphasizes that while these appeals can be used individually, they are most effective when combined. It concludes by encouraging viewers to recognize these techniques both as communicators and as consumers, since understanding them offers valuable insight into how advertising and persuasion work today.