The Persuaders-notes and examples

Rushkoff: The Persuaders

Key Terms

* neuromarketing (psychological) - focus groups; types of emotions--how do they make people feel?  consumers driven by unconscious needs and impulses; unconscious associations for every product we buy deep in our brains; every word has a "mental highway"; start with cortex, go into emotion (telling a story; "you are a five year old from another planet"). then have them relax and recall info; neuroscience has taught us that emotions are what drive us. (feel-->do-->think). Synchrony (attention) + intensity (impact)= engagement. 
Example: Brands use neuromarketing, and may conduct focus groups to get people talking about their products and what they associate those products with. For example, the clothing brands Abercrombie and Fitch and Hollister, which draw much of their inspiration from Southern California locations, might conduct focus groups in which they ask participants to tell what they immediately associate the brand with in their minds, how the brand makes them feel, etc. Participants might say they associate these brands with the summertime, and that the brands make them feel fun and relaxed. The companies can then use what consumers say within focus groups to further improve and enhance their brand image and specific products themselves.

* emotional branding-getting consumers to identify with a specific brand emotionally; have a basic understanding of consumers' emotions towards products/issues, and play on them in advertising
Example: The ASPCA movement's commercials against animal cruelty always depict images of sad and lonely-looking pets set to a slow, melodramatic song that plays on viewers' emotions. Advertisers know that the consumers will be emotionally stirred upon seeing the images of the sad and abused pets, and know that their target audience are animal lovers who do not want to see these animals hurting. Thus, by stirring up viewers' emotions, ASPCA is using an emotional branding method.

* branding/creating a culture around a brand- creating the identity of a specific product, service, or business. Delta song created a distinct brand identity, and brand identity comes through in advertising, but consumers could not tell what airline the advertising was far
Example: In The Persuaders, we see that Delta Song tried to create a culture around a brand--women and children and women with families wanting an airline that would cater to their comfort and relaxed lifestyle, providing them with luxuries they may not be able to get on any other airline. 

* narrowcasting-reaching out to consumers on a one-to-one basis; example-customized video messages tailored to their own demographic (for voting); gives politicians chance to say some things to some people that they wouldn't want others to hear
Example: info delivered from door-to-door during the 2004 election that may have given specific details and attributes about John Kerry, but nothing the people getting the message wouldn't specifically want to hear or would disagree with. 

* rhetorical marketing- use of specific words and phrases to effectively advertise a product, service, or business. The words we choose to put in an advertisement are important, and specific word choices can help cater to the audiences they are trying to reach.
Example: Mcdonald's use of the tagline "I'm lovin' it" is simplistic and speaks to all. The corporation's choice to put the word "lovin'" rather than "loving" appeals to the informality and quickness of the chain, as are the words they put within the actual ad and how they are delivered.

* under the radar marketing- a more untraditional form of marketing (not print, television, film, etc)
Example: a video that goes viral on youtube that portrays advertising in a unique, untraditional way

* across-media marketing-this type of marketing does not lend itself to one specific medium--it is seen everywhere. 
Example: Jet Blue advertises in print, on television, and I have even seen ads on billboards and subway cars. Transportation applies to everyone, and traveling is obviously a widespread process, so authorities know everyone who commutes already via train every day may be more likely to travel on airplanes than others. 

* product placement across media- frequently seen on tv and movies, product placement refers to images and logos of various brands that may make us more likely to associate with a brand. 
Example: In the movie, Josie and the Pussycats, much product placement is used, perhaps somewhat comically, as it gets readers/viewers to identify with elements of the film.