Fake Advertisements

Everywhere we go we see ads that target certain type of groups of people. First, let me discuss the two routes that ads or commercials use to persuade their consumer. First, we have the peripheral route to persuasion, which “occurs when people are influenced by incidental cues, such as a speaker’s attractiveness.” (Meyer’s eighth edition, pg. 249). Consumers are more likely to respond to an advertisement or other persuasive message in a peripheral manner if they are hurried or stressed, or if the product or issue has little importance to their personal life. Politicians and advertisers often use the peripheral route to persuasion to engrain ideas in consumers' minds without their knowing that they are being manipulated. Politicians, for example, often create good feelings about their campaigns using such peripheral techniques as slogans that have a feel-good effect. Advertisers often use peripheral techniques, as well. They often get consumers to trust their products by having celebrity endorsements. Another way advertises get consumer's attention is by bombarding consumers with advertisements during television programs and on internet websites. These, and other peripheral techniques, are ways of trying to manipulate consumers, etc., into buying a certain product or acting in a certain way. Second, we have the central route to persuasion, which “occurs when interested people focus on the arguments and respond with favorable thoughts.” (Meyers Eighth Ed., pg. 248). When the central route is used, the consumer, voter, etc., is usually dealing with something that means something personal to the recipient. Because it is a personal issue, you pay more attention to the details. You notice whether the argument is strong as opposed to weak, try to get as much information as possible, consider the information before making a decision, and so on.

I believe in all three of my ads I think the ads use the peripheral route. Why? First, people find the message personally relevant and involving. For example, the nutrisystem nourish mean plan and leptopril diet pills both captured my attention. People would find the message relevant, because there are a lot of people in the United States struggling with weight issue. Everyday people are trying to find the best way to lose weight. Central route to persuasion is also most likely to occur when people are in a neutral or mildly negative mood. If you look at an over weight person, who is desperate