Running Head: PERSUASIVE APPEALS i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i 1
Persuasive Appeals Used In The Advertisement Or Message
PERSUASIVE APPEALS i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i 2
According to Bovee and Thill, the manner in which business undertakings
communicate with the intended audience plays a key role to influence their actions (Bovée,
Thill & Raina, 2016). In the challenging business backdrop, advertisers adopt different
persuasion techniques so that their offerings can be sold in the market and they can have an
edge against their industry rivals (Buy Business Communication Essentials Book Online at
Low Prices in India: Business Communication Essentials Reviews & Ratings, 2019). i
In the competitive market setting, business undertakings are using persuasive appeals
in their advertisement or message. The three main kinds of persuasive strategies that are
commonly used can be categorized into logos, pathos, and ethos. The advertisements that use
logos provide statistics and/or evidence to the audience so that the comprehensive
understanding of the product is possible. Pathos basically evokes an ‘emotional response’ in
consumers. The emption could be negative or positive (Bovée, Thill & Raina, 2016, p 24).
The advertisements with the ethos persuasion component attempt to convince the customers
that an organization is reliable, credible and trustworthy.
In order to capture the attention of potential customers, organizations are also going to
the extent of employing faulty logical appeals. For instance, many advertisements contain
“weasel words” to create a positive impression on customers without guaranteeing anything.
For example, an advertisement where a scientist states that a diet supplement might help the
customers to reduce weight, the way it helped him to shed excessive weight (The Truth
Behind Weight Loss Ads, 2019).
The advertisements try to pursue potential customers to buy a product based on false
promises. Advertisements that promote products that can help to miraculously reduce weight
generally use faulty logical appeals to influence customers. For instance, the content of the
advertisement might state that a particular ingredient in the pill will help in effective weight
loss. But these claims are not backed by scientific proof. The persuasive method that might be
PERSUASIVE APPEALS i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i 3
used is pathos. Advertisers might try to evoke negative emotion in the audience by shedding
light on the problems of obesity. The objective is to make the obese audience feel vulnerable
so that they will buy diet supplements or pills.
The advertisers of diet supplements want to attract customers towards their products so
that their sales can be improved. Some of the advertisements might be effective to attract
customers towards their offerings (Bovée, Thill & Raina, 2016). The advertisers that use
concrete evidence and real-life examples while sharing their message might effectively
motivate the audience to act upon the message. But the marketers that make false claims in the
name of persuasion might find it challenging to encourage customers to buy their products.
References
PERSUASIVE APPEALS i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i 4
Bovée, C. L., Thill, J. V., & Raina, R. L. (2016). Business communication today. Pearson
Education India.
Buy Business Communication Essentials Book Online at Low Prices in India: Business
Communication Essentials Reviews & Ratings. (2019). Retrieved February 3, 2022,
from https://www.amazon.in/Business-Communication-Essentials-Courtland-
Bovee/dp/8131732444
The Truth Behind Weight Loss Ads. (2019, September 26). Retrieved February 3, 2022, from
https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/truth-behind-weight-loss-ads
