Advertising: Persuasive techniques

What does John Berger suggest about advertising in ‘Ways of Seeing’?

He says that "All publicity works on anxiety". Referring to how advertisements offer a improved version of our own lives, targetting the aspirers of demographics.

What is it psychologists refer to as referencing? Which persuasive techniques could you link this idea to?

How we refer to the adverts we see as a representation of our lives and that they can knowingly or subconsciously do this to us showing the power of adverts. While audiences believe to be more intelligent to not fall for the tropes, the ads are so thought of while being made that they can still take advantage of the viewer.

How was Marmite discovered?

Marmite was invented the late 19th century by German scientist that discovered that brewer's yeast could be concentrated to be bottled and eaten.

Who owns the Marmite brand now?

The brand is now owned by the parent company Unilever which is a huge media conglomerate.

How has Marmite marketing used intertextuality? Which of the persuasive techniques we’ve learned can this be linked to?

The use of the 'Love it or hate it' slogan, that has been used throughout the major campaigns, of the company this tells us that the company is aware of the split love and hate of the product and that people do not enjoy it and uses it to play of the hate and advertise their product. This technique refers to the repetition advertisers to persuade audiences to buy their products. 

Why does Marmite position the audience as ‘enlightened, superior, knowing insiders’?

This is because marmite acknowledge the views of the audience of not liking the product and use that by accepting their hatred in the adverts, this allows the audiences to settle with their opinions while agreeing with the people who like it to also be right.

What examples does the writer provide of why Marmite advertising is a good example of postmodernism?

Due to the view of people in the post-modern world thinking that they do not get manipulated by adverts and the media due to so many different views being publicized through social media. But Marmite uses this idea f making the audiences get the aspect of 'love it or hate it' and see the knowledge of the joke for audiences to publicize their view on their love or hate of the product.