Advertising: Persuasive techniques blog task

Advertising: Persuasive techniques blog task

Create a new blog post called 'Advertising: Persuasive techniques'. Read ‘Marketing Marmite in the Postmodern age’ in MM54  (p62). You'll find our Media Magazine archive here.

Answer the following questions on your blog:

1) What does John Berger suggest about advertising in ‘Ways of Seeing’?

John Berger life suggests ‘All publicity works on anxiety’.

2) What is it psychologists refer to as referencing? Which persuasive techniques could you link this idea to?

Psychologists in the field call this referencing. We refer, either knowingly or subconsciously, to lifestyles represented to us (through the media or in real life) that we find attractive. We create a vision of ourselves living this idealised lifestyle, and then behave in ways that help us to realise this vision. -MM

3) How was Marmite discovered?

Marmite was discovered in the late 19th century when German scientist Justus von Liebig discovered that brewer's yeast could be concentrated, bottled and eaten.

4) Who owns the Marmite brand now?

 Marmite is owned by Unilever.

5) How has Marmite marketing used intertextuality? Which of the persuasive techniques we’ve learned can this be linked to?

Marmite uses emotional appeal in their marketing. In the advertisement we watched, there was a numerous amount of strong feelings e.g. when the son received the results for the Marmite genes test, he was telling his father the results as if he is coming out.

6) What is the difference between popular culture and high culture? How does Marmite play on this?

I think Marmite is in the middle between popular culture and high culture as there are some people who love Marmite and there are some people don't.

7) Why does Marmite position the audience as ‘enlightened, superior, knowing insiders’?

Marmite positions the audience as 'superior' because there are only some people in the world who love Marmite, it isn't for everyone and Marmite wants to make those that love Marmite special.

8) What examples does the writer provide of why Marmite advertising is a good example of postmodernism?

Advertising seeks to make us dissatisfied with our present selves and promotes the idea that we can buy our way to a better life. ‘All publicity works on anxiety’