Evaluation of Persuasion Techniques in an Advertisement

Evaluation of Persuasion Techniques in an Advertisement

As it is known today, advertisements are part of our everyday life.

Mostly advertisements are used to sell to consumers by persuading and

reaching out to us, or to inform us of the choices we have as

consumers. They often strengthen our desire for things by appealing to

the compulsive aspects of our psyche. However, advertisements that

advertise charities often try to appeal to the compassionate aspects

of our psyche, in order to help people more needy than ourselves.

Advertisements are generally more complex than we like to believe.

This advertisement is taken from a magazine and is appealing to people

to give help to a charity known as Christian Children’s Fund.

Christian Children’s Fund is one of the oldest yet respected

children’s charities. It aims to create an environment of hope and

respect for needy children of all cultures and beliefs in which they

have opportunities to achieve their full potential, and provides

practical tools for positive change - to children, families and

communities.

This advertisement tells the story of a little girl’s struggle in one

of the least developed countries, Gambia. However hard her family work

to support and provide for her - her future is devoid of all hope. The

photograph effectively shows this vulnerability and utter despair

which the girl is feeling. It makes the advertisement very solemn and

also helps us to understand the severity of the situation. The face of

the child is so beautiful and sweet and yet why is she so unhappy? –if

you haven’t already read the text that supports the photograph it

would make you curious as to...

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...g as it reminds you of the hope and happiness you are

bringing to that child and the real reason why you are doing it. The

advertisers have tried to make this sponsor form as simple as

possible, for example; it’s freepost so no stamp is needed, in order

to make people more likely to sponsor a child.

Overall I think this advertisement is extremely effective; it conveys

the severity of the situation, it is capable of remaining in people’s

thoughts, it is simple yet elegant in design and most importantly it

is able to appeal to the compassionate aspects of our psyche in order

to gain support for the Christian Children’s Fund. This advertisement

would prove even more effective if found within a magazine because it

would be surrounded by things that appeal to us which are not a

necessity in our lives, for example, shoes.