Propaganda Techniques in Today’s Advertising by Ann McClintock discusses how advertisements are playing with people’s sub-conscience. People are made to believe that what the product is offering is their need which leads them to purchase most products. McClintock views propaganda in terms of card stacking and bandwagon. Card stacking is a technique which makes potential customers to believe the product by presenting half truth to them. The company uses card stacking to attract the customer towards itself and distract them from competitor products. Bandwagon is a technique which pressurizes people to purchase a product because if they do not they would be an outcast. Along with these two techniques the writer has discussed five other techniques including; name-calling, glittering generalities, transfer, testimonial, and plain folks. Propaganda can have a positive or a negative impact upon the brand. Consumers view the same advertisement in different light and; hence, it is a matter of perception.
In Shame by Dick Gregory the author describes the life of a poor boy living without a father in the ghetto. Gregory discusses the hardships and shame which poverty brings but the poor are able to gain pride in actions which may be considered insignificant by an average person. Gregory describes how Richard, the poor boy admires a girl who is well-off and Richard is looked down upon by others because he is an outcast. People judge him without knowing what really Richard has to face in life. Gregory goes on to explaining through his story how the poor derive pride from their actions which go unnoticed by others. Furthermore, the author even emphasizes that many times the actions of the poor are misunderstood by other because we fail to view life from their perspective. People consider themselves as normal and everything else as deviant if it does not coincide with their beliefs or behaviors.
The book by Ann McClintock discusses how people start believing televised advertisements and this shapes their perception. It can be safely assumed that anything that is continuously reinforced into the mind of an individual the chances are that he/she will be drawn towards it. Whereas, Dick Gregory talks about how people are insensitive towards the poor. Through his story about Richard Gregory discusses many of the biases and stereotypes which exist in society and are majorly because of the middle and upper class. Both the books talk about completely different topics but one thing common between the two is that they both talk about perception and the resulting reaction. An individual’s reaction is completely based upon how he/she views the situation.
Reference
Gardner, P. S. (2011). New directions: reading, writing, and critical thinking. (15 ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press.
