paper 1 vocab Flashcards
ethos
An appeal to credibility or character
An advertisement using ethos will try to convince you that the company is more reliable, honest, and credible; therefore, you should buy its product.
Ethos often involves statistics from reliable experts, such as nine out of ten dentists agree that Crest is better than any other brand or America’s dieters choose Lean Cuisine. Often, a celebrity endorses a product to lend it more credibility: Catherine Zeta-Jones makes us want to switch to T-Mobile
pathos
An appeal to emotion
An advertisement using pathos will attempt to evoke an emotional response in the consumer. Sometimes, it is a positive emotion such as happiness: an image of people enjoying themselves while drinking Pepsi. Other times, advertisers will use negative emotions such as pain: a person having back problems after buying the “wrong” mattress. Pathos can also include emotions such as fear and guilt: images of a starving child persuade you to send money.
logos
An appeal to logic or reason.
An advertisement using logos will give you the evidence and statistics you need to fully understand what the product does. The logos of an advertisement will be the “straight facts” about the product: One glass of Florida orange juice contains 75% of your daily Vitamin C needs.
avant garde
The suggestion that using this product puts the user ahead of the times. A toy manufacturer encourages kids to be the first on their block to have a new toy.
bandwagon
The suggestion that you should join the crowd or be on the winning side by using a product—you don’t want to be the only person without it!
Many ads show lots of people using the product, implying that “everyone is doing it” (or at least, “all the cool people are doing it”). No one likes to be left out or left behind, and these ads urge us to “jump on the bandwagon.” Politicians use the same technique when they say, “The American people want…” How do they know?
beautiful people / sex appeal
This technique uses good-looking and perhaps sexy or provocative models (who may also be celebrities) to attract our attention. This technique is extremely common in ads, which may also imply (but never promise!) that we’ll look like the models if we use the product.
bribery
Bribery offers you something “extra.” Buy a burger; get free fries.
This technique tries to persuade us to buy a product by promising to give us something else, like a discount, a rebate, a coupon, or a “free gift.” Sales, special offers, contests, and sweepstakes are all forms of bribery. Unfortunately, we don’t really get something for free – part of the sales price covers the cost of the bribe.
card stacking
Card-Stacking means stacking the cards in favor of the product. Advertisers stress positive qualities and ignore negative. For example, if a brand of snack food is loaded with sugar (and calories), the commercial may boast that the product is low in fat, which implies that it is also low in calories.
celebrities
We tend to pay attention to famous people. That’s why they’re famous! Ads often use celebrities to grab our attention. By appearing in an ad, celebrities implicitly endorse a product; sometimes the endorsement is explicit. Many people know that companies pay celebrities a lot of money to appear in their ads (Nike’s huge contracts with leading athletes, for example, are well known) but this type of testimonial still seems to be effective.
experts
We rely on experts to advise us about things that we don’t know ourselves. Scientists, doctors, professors and other professionals often appear in ads and advocacy messages, lending their credibility to the product, service, or idea being sold. Sometimes, Plain folks can also be experts, as when a mother endorses a brand of baby powder or a construction worker endorses a treatment for sore muscles
explicit claims
Something is “explicit” if it is directly, fully, and/or clearly expressed or demonstrated. For example, some ads state the price of a product, the main ingredients, where it was made, or the number of items in the package – these are explicit claims. So are specific, measurable promises about quality, effectiveness, or reliability, like “Works in only five minutes!” Explicit claims can be proven true or false through close examination or testing, and if they’re false, the advertiser can get in trouble. It can be surprising to learn how few ads make explicit claims. Most of them try to persuade us in ways that cannot be proved or disproved.
fear
It uses something disliked or feared by the intended audience (like bad breath, failure, high taxes or terrorism) to promote a “solution.” Ads use fear to sell us products that claim to prevent or fix the problem. Politicians and advocacy groups stoke our fears to get elected or to gain support.
flattery
Persuaders love to flatter us. Politicians and advertisers sometimes speak directly to us: “You know a good deal when you see one.” “You expect quality.” “You work hard for a living.” “You deserve it.” Sometimes ads flatter us by showing people doing stupid things, so that we’ll feel smarter or superior. Flattery works because we like to be praised and we tend to believe people we like. (We’re sure that someone as brilliant as you will easily understand this technique!)
glittering generalities
This is the use of so-called “virtue words” such as civilization, democracy, freedom, patriotism, motherhood, fatherhood, science, health, beauty, and love. Persuaders use these words in the hope that we will approve and accept their statements without examining the evidence. They hope that few people will ask whether it’s appropriate to invoke these concepts, while even fewer will ask what these concepts really mean
humor
Many ads use humor because it grabs our attention and it’s a powerful persuasion technique. When we laugh, we feel good. Advertisers make us laugh and then show us their product or logo because they’re trying to connect that good feeling to their product. They hope that when we see their product in a store, we’ll subtly re-experience that good feeling and select their product. Advocacy messages (and news) rarely use humor because it can undermine their credibility; an exception is political satire.
intensity
The language of ads is full of intensifiers, including superlatives (greatest, best, most, fastest, lowest prices), comparatives (more, better than, improved, increased, fewer calories), hyperbole (amazing, incredible, forever), exaggeration, and many other ways to hype the product.
magic ingredients
The suggestion that some almost miraculous discovery makes the product exceptionally effective. A pharmaceutical manufacturer describes a special coating that makes their pain reliever less irritating to the stomach than a competitor’s.
nostalgia
This is the opposite of the “avant garde” technique. Many advertisers invoke a time when life was simpler and quality was supposedly better (“like Mom used to make”). Politicians promise to bring back the “good old days” and restore “tradition.” But whose traditions are being restored? Who did they benefit, and who did they harm? This technique works because people tend to forget the bad parts of the past, and remember the good.
patriotism/nationalism/group values
The suggestion that purchasing this product shows your love of your country. A company brags about its product being made in America.
plain folks
The suggestion that the product is a practical product of good value for ordinary people. A cereal manufacturer shows an ordinary family sitting down to breakfast and enjoying their product.
This technique works because we may believe a “regular person” more than an intellectual or a highly-paid celebrity. It’s often used to sell everyday products like laundry detergent because we can more easily see ourselves using the product, too. The plain folks technique strengthens the down-home, “authentic” image of products like pickup trucks and politicians. Unfortunately, most of the “plain folks” in ads are actually paid actors carefully selected because they look like “regular people.”
simple solution
Life is complicated. People are complex. Problems often have many causes, and they’re not easy to solve. These realities create anxiety for many of us. Persuaders offer relief by ignoring complexity and proposing a Simple solution. Politicians claim one policy change (lower taxes, a new law, a government program) will solve big social problems. Advertisers take this strategy even further, suggesting that a deodorant, a car, or a brand of beer will make you beautiful, popular and successful.
slogan
Advertising slogans are short phrases used in advertising campaigns to generate publicity and unify a company’s marketing strategy. The phrases may be used to attract attention to a distinctive product feature or reinforce a company’s brand.
snob appeal
The suggestion that the use of the product makes the customer part of an elite group with a luxurious and glamorous lifestyle. A coffee manufacturer shows people dressed in formal gowns and tuxedos drinking their brand at an art gallery.
testimonial
Media messages often show people testifying about the value or quality of a product, or endorsing an idea. They can be experts, celebrities, or plain folks. We tend to believe them because they appear to be a neutral third party (a pop star, for example, not the lipstick maker, or a community member instead of the politician running for office.) This technique works best when it seems like the person “testifying” is doing so because they genuinely like the product or agree with the idea. Some testimonials may be less effective when we recognise that the person is getting paid to endorse the
transfer (of connotations)
Positive words, images, and ideas are used to suggest that the product being sold is also positive. A textile manufacturer wanting people to wear their product to stay cool during the summer shows people wearing fashions made from their cloth at a sunny seaside setting where there is a cool breeze.
weasel words
used to suggest a positive meaning without actually really making any guarantee. A scientist says that a diet product might help you to lose weight the way it helped him to lose weight. A dish soap leaves dishes “virtually” spotless.
allusion
Like in literature, an allusion is a reference to another text, work of art, historical figure, mythical figure, or idea. Artists use allusions to develop meaning by signalling a connection to or awareness of other ideas.
anthropomorphism
Talking M&M’s and peanuts with walking sticks are a result of the anthropomorphism advertising technique. This tactic is all about turning an inanimate object into a creature that can move, talk, walk or even sing.
When an advertisement using this style is successful, brands will often make merchandising with the character to sell or give away. If the character is accepted by the consumer, it can ultimately become a household name.
The advertising industry has used anthropomorphism for a long time. Simple tactics like adding arms and legs to a peanut or standing a tiger on two legs are well-known.
associasiton
Some advertising techniques rely mostly on psychology. Such is the case with the association technique, also called “association marketing.”
The premise is that the visuals in the graphic will create associations for the viewer. These associations can be feelings, ideas, places, or nostalgia.
symbols
Symbols are words or images that bring to mind some larger concept, usually one with strong emotional content, such as home, family, nation, religion, gender, or lifestyle. Persuaders use the power and intensity of symbols to make their case. But symbols can have different meanings for different people. Hummer SUVs are status symbols for some people, while to others they are symbols of environmental irresponsibility.
body language
Facial expressions, gestures, stance or position can convey the attitude, feelings, or personality of the individual shown
A large quantity of visual advertising assets include people in them. In both video and static graphics, the body language of the person – or people – is very important.
color psychology
Color psychology: The conscious use of color is the first example. This technique is used every single time, in every kind of visual marketing.
The color psychology advertising technique is easy to misunderstand or get wrong. A slightly different tonality of any color could end up portraying the wrong emotion, not the one the design was aiming for.
Color is present in the background, photography, fonts, visual accents and branding elements. That’s why it’s important to think about the color palette every single time.
composition
What is included is deliberately placed (also applies to what is omitted). Consider all inclusions and omissions e.g. surroundings, objects, clothing, etc.
Just like the use of color psychology, a balanced composition is extremely important in every type of visual. Composition is how all the elements are placed in a visual space.
color, hue, tone (shade and tint)
In black and white images, examine the use of contrast, light and darkness. In color images, colors are used to signify feelings and evoke a response.
For example,
red=passion, anger, hell, vitality, etc.
blue=peace, harmony, coldness
Hue: refers to the actual color (red, green, blue, etc.)
Tone: refers to the intensity of the color. You can adjust the hue by adding black and white to it to change its warmth or coolness
Shades are when you only add black to the hue, making it darker
Tints are when you only add white to a he, making it lighter
constrast
The arrangement of opposite or differing elements (light and dark, large and small, rough and smooth) to create interest, excitement or drama
compositional axis
Where the subjects in an image are placed
Up (horizontal access): fictional or fantastic things, virtue, happiness, life and death, high status, power
Down (horizontal axis): reality or real things, depravity, sadness, death and sickness, low status, powerlessness
Left (vertical axis): that which is known or given
Right (vertical axis): that which is unknown or new
depth
Refers to the three-dimensional aspect of an image; composers use depth to create a sense of scale or proportion. They also use depth to illustrate the proximity between objects
focal point
Pinpointing a focal point is just as important as the choice of colors and typography. The viewer needs to have a clear place to look at as they absorb the advertisement’s message.
Achieving a focal point can be done in a number of different ways. The rule of thirds and golden mean are actually two useful tools to help create a successful focal point.
Other techniques to settle on a focal point are:
Selective Focus: Keep the focal point focused and background blurry or vice versa.
Exposure: Manipulate dark and light areas in an image to make the focal point pop.
Light Source: Illuminate the focal point exclusively.
fantasy
Similar to the association technique, the use of fantasy is a powerful psychological resource when creating visual advertising.
A favorite fantasy with many consumers around the world is that unicorns poop rainbows. Other examples are television advertising spots or print adverts inspired by films like The Lord of the Rings or Star Wars.
Fantasy inspired advertising is directed at consumers who are into fantasy films and books. By choosing this technique, the brand leaves a lasting impression. This tactic works just as well for advertisements targeted at children or adults.
framing
Close ups
Extreme close ups
Medium shots
Long shots
Tilted up or down shots
gaze
The way a character looks with their eyes and face. Gaze is a useful way to convey meaning through an image because we can see where and how a figure is looking at something.
Intra-diegetic: the character is looking at something within the text
Extra-diegetic: the character is looking at something outside of the text. In some instances, the subject may be looking directly at the viewer. This is called direct gaze
line
This describes the types of line used in an image and the effect they hav eon the viewer’s understanding of the image. There are meanings associated with different types of lines:
Jagged or sharp lines can be used to show anxiety, damage, or excitement
Curved lines can be used to develop feelings of safety and comfort
Lines also work as vectors to point at things
omission
What has been deliberately left out of the image
orientation / point of view
Relates to framing and angle; is the responder positioned above the image (looking down), below or at eye level?
Orientation and point of view can be used to develop a particular relationship between the view and items in the image
positioning
Consider which objects have been placed in the foreground, middle ground or background
rule of thirds
The rule of thirds and the golden mean are visual tools that help the designers place elements on a space in a way that is visually appealing.
The rule of thirds separates the canvas into six equal rectangles – two rows and three columns. By placing important elements at the crosspoints of the rectangles, they’re given visual importance while maintaining a visual balance.
The golden mean is a visual tool which follows the ratio of the Fibonacci sequence.
Similar to the rule of thirds, the golden mean tool is used to direct the placement of the elements in a harmonious way.
salience
The part that your eyes are first drawn to in the visual. Color, image and layout determine what the salient image is
size
Describes the size of an object
space
This refers to the empty portions of an image; space is used to draw attention to the objects that are in the image
symbolism
The use of an image to represent one or more idea
texture
The actual texture of an object
three quarter gaze
Another character related technique is the three-quarter gaze. The gaze can be used in any direction, inwards or outwards. The direction depends on what the message needs to be.
The first example can give a sense of “looking into” a situation the viewer isn’t really a part of. This technique is very common in video. The forward facing three-quarter gaze is better suited for a static image that wants to transmit a sense of wonder.
typographic composition
Another important visual technique is the use of typography. Almost every visual advertisement will have some typographic element to it.
The balance between the visuals and the type is very important. Typography, most commonly known as fonts, has a double purpose – to portray the message in words while also having a visual appeal.
The combination of the fonts used is called font pairing and it can make or break a design. The color of the words and letters need to be in balance with the background so that everything complements each other.
Some typographic techniques include manipulating the letters to resemble shapes or placing a texture inside the letters.
In some cases, like Facebook ads, the amount of type and words used is really important. The Facebook algorithm accepts a certain text-to-image ratio in the ads that get submitted.
Creators need to be mindful of how much text they include, making sure their visual sends the message without containing too much text for Facebook to run.
vectors
The line that our eyes take when looking at a visual. Composers deliberately direct our reading path through the vectors; E.g. If all of the subjects are tall, long and upright our eyes follow straight vectors that lead to the top of the frame. This could make the subject seem powerful or inflexible.
visual path
Like the focal point, a visual path is a technique that takes the viewer’s gaze to a specific element. In this case, it takes the viewer on a journey through the content.
When someone looks at any kind of visual graphic, be it an ad, a page in a magazine, a website or a landing page, they will follow a visual path.
When we talk about visual paths, there are two notable shapes. The first is a Z shape, in which the gaze starts at the top left, moves towards the right, then returns left and down diagonally before moving across to the right again.
The second visual shape is an F. The F is similar to the Z, but instead of returning to the left on a diagonal down, it follows a line resembling how you would read a block of text.
ethos
An appeal to credibility or character
pathos
An appeal to emotion
logos
an appeal to logic or reason
