Unveiling Propaganda Techniques: A Guide to Recognizing Manipulation

1. Information that is spread to influence the way people think, often to gain support for a cause • May twist facts and use generalizations to sell readers on an idea (to convince them to agree with the writer) • Highly persuasive • Common in politics and advertising. Propaganda

2. Recognizing Propaganda Techniques The 7 Main Techniques are: • Bandwagon • Card Stacking • Glittering Generalities • Name Calling • Plain Folks • Testimonial • Transfer

3. A few more propaganda techniques… • Facts & Figures • Hidden Fears • Repetition • Snob Appeal • Unfinished Comparisons • Weasel Words or Empty Phrases

4. Bandwagon • Convincing us to accept someone or something because of its popularity • Invites you to join the crowd… • Everybody’s doing it!

5. Card Stacking • Presenting only selective facts that are favorable to the desired outcome (ex: choosing a certain product or candidate) and deliberately omitting facts that are unfavorable

6. Glittering Generalities • Telling only positive things about something or someone, without giving evidence or facts--including “glittering words” to promote a person or product • “Glittering” because it’s falsely attractive

7. Name - Calling • Using negative words to turn you against a competing person without giving evidence or facts • Usually used in politics, but can be used in advertising as well

8. Plain Folks • Trying to show that a person or product is good for “ordinary” people, because a person is “just like you” and understands you

9. Testimonial • Using a famous person (athlete, celebrity, TV personality, movie star, etc.) to try to make you buy or support something or someone

10. Transfer • Using prestige, authority, or some other virtue, like patriotism, to transfer that respect to some person or product

11. Patriotism • Purchase will display love of country. • Person will financially help the country. …built American tough

12. Slogan • A catchword or phrase loaded with emotion • Often sells through repetition • Clever and easy to remember • Stays with you a long time • Often a melody you already know “Trust Sleepy’s For the ‘rest’ Of your life”

13. Scapegoat • A person carrying the blame for others • Retreats to prejudice rather than reason • Mostly used in the political arena • Wins audience through association or sympathy

14. Engaging Techniques: • Wit and Humor – diverts audience and gives a reason to laugh often through the use of clever visuals and/or language. • Rewards – bonus awarded to consumer for purchase. (Toys, gimmicks, rebates, free payment, etc.)

15. More Types • FACTS & FIGURES– • Using tests, statistics or information that sounds “scientific” to prove that one product or person is better than another • HIDDEN FEARS– • Suggesting that a person or product will protect you against something unpleasant or dangerous • REPETITION– • Repeating a catch phrase, name, or slogan over and over in the same advertisement • Clever and easy to remember • Stays with you a long time

16. More Types SNOB APPEAL– • Suggesting that association with a person or product can make you special • Aims to flatter • Opposite of “Plain Folks” UNFINISHED COMPARISONS • Comparing a product or person to another, without providing the other half of the comparison. WEASEL WORDS/EMPTY PHRASES • Using broad promises or phrases that don’t really mean anything; meant to be sneaky or vague