TOP-7 major manipulations of consciousness in advertising

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

All methods of manipulation and deception are associated with the same things. By the way, this is the least connected with the basic human needs that make up Maslow's pyramid and its variations. Food, water, sleep and intense sex are very important, but too primitive.

In today's society, completely different needs have long come to the fore (they are somehow poorly or poorly satisfied by themselves, with the exception of violent sex in some individuals). For a person who is a social animal, it is infinitely important to satisfy needs of a different order: to be loved and be cool, whatever the latter means.

It is precisely the creation of the illusion of this all that is engaged in the very advertising, which the majority, which infuriates everyone, but which somehow works at least on a part of its audience.

1. Putting pressure on desires

In every human head there are hordes of cockroaches who are just waiting for the moment to get out of their corners and start waving banners with the words "You are a loser!" was cooler than you, and now. " These are all very simply explainable fears - the fear that your socially and personally important needs will never be realized.

This is played on in almost every advertising message that depicts a certain way of life, which is considered desirable in society. Luxurious office on the top floor of a skyscraper, carefree travel, happy love and so on. In Russian advertising, this began 20 years ago with the Bounty video "Paradise Delight" and will continue until the most important human needs change. That is, forever.

2. Bully

People are shy. Especially when it comes to health and appearance.

The older a person is, the more he thinks about health, because it becomes more difficult to live. It’s impossible to get out of bed in the mornings, here it hurts, here it’s shooting, and here it’s just that it’s going to fall off altogether. And I want to be cheerful, I want to ride twenty, if not forever, then at least another couple of decades. For the older generation, the problem develops into another - to live longer.

The appearance corresponds very well with that described in the first paragraph. If you are ugly, then you are unlikely to be loved, and most likely success does not shine.

The most striking examples of the application of this point are: Danakor's ads, where old people and adults are scared of off-scale cholesterol levels, and toothpaste ads, where "passers-by" are asked to measure the number of bacteria on their teeth, and then they gasp so much as if they have just been told that they have their cancer is only in the terminal stage. This disgustingly played and unnatural fright, shown in both cases, unfortunately, works on some people.

3. Create a problem and offer a solution

This method of manipulation naturally follows from the previous two. When the advertisement has already frightened its victim, she, figuratively speaking, smiles and gets from behind her back the solution to all difficulties and a direct ticket to the satisfaction of all needs.

Everyone becomes happy, loved, cool. There are no bacteria on the teeth, cholesterol plaques on the vessels, the career flourishes, the house turns into a full bowl. Celluloid faces, super happy smiles, make everyone sick, and sales are soaring.

4. Create the illusion "You can"

This method is most often traded by banks and other financial companies that promise their consumers mountains of gold. In their communication, most of them put pressure on dolce vita, which will certainly come to their clients if they turn to them, gamble on stock speculations with all their material wealth, or harness forever and ever to pay off loans. “You can afford it all,” according to advertisements for loan products, giving people a false sense of wealth and power. And this feeling is damn tempting and attractive.

Therefore, on Russian TV channels, for example, a video was possible in which a dad in a household appliance store allows his son to put in a cart whatever he wants, accompanying it with the phrase “Everything is possible today, son!”. Yeah, today everything is possible, but from tomorrow you, baby, will only eat instant noodles, because your generous almighty daddy will pay off this loan.

5. Reach out to authorities

A person cannot be competent in absolutely all spheres of life, therefore he tends to listen to people who are more knowledgeable in certain issues and more authoritative. That is why in our advertising there are so many people in white coats, experts, laboratories and devices of unclear genesis and purpose.

The Association of Russian Dentists recommends chewing gum, associations of dermatologists approve of creams, and the Union of Pediatricians of Russia has been featured on almost every children's brand. Even LG refrigerators are tested by the Clinic of the Research Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences and recommended by the National Association of Dietitians and Nutritionists. For a lot of money, of course, he recommends. And the unconscious part of the audience believes, recouping the money invested by the brand.

6. Use all the wealth of comparative vocabulary

“New”, “unique”, “revolutionary”, “first”, “only”, “more”, “more effective” and so on, and so on - there is no end to these enthusiastic nouns and adjectives designed to impress the target audience, that only this product deserves attention, and everything else is outdated ineffective nonsense.

If you think about it, what a blessing it is that Russian advertising has banned the use of the word "best" and, in general, an excellent degree of comparison.

7. And most importantly, show boobs

Eternal and one of the most reliable ways to attract buyers. Even if you are selling cardan shafts for KamAZ.

In other words, those who are dominated by instincts are more prone to deception - a person at the stage of an intelligent ANIMAL, when instincts control a person. A person who has reached the stage, in fact, a Person, is able to control his instincts