The difference between advertising and propaganda lies in the content and communicative purpose of each. Advertising is used to promote a product, while propaganda is used to spread political, ideological, religious, or awareness-raising ideas.
In some cases, these two terms are used interchangeably, but this usage is incorrect, because they refer to two different concepts (although both are used to get a message across to many people so that they will do something).
- It may be useful for you: Advertising texts
Characteristics of advertising
- Objective: To promote a product or service so that people will buy or hire it.
- It is used in a commercial setting.
- Issuer. Companies seeking to generate profits from sales.
- Message. It can be visual, written, or auditory and provides information about the characteristics of a product or service.
- Message form. It’s usually clear, but in some cases the message is abstract. Various artistic techniques are used to capture the attention of potential consumers. Furthermore, the message may appeal to emotions with the aim of creating a need to obtain something.
- Media. Television, radio, newspapers, street images, websites, social media, or, in some cases, free product samples are given away in stores or on public streets.
Characteristics of propaganda
- Objective: To influence people’s behavior or thinking so that they adhere to a belief, cause, or ideology, or become aware of a topic.
- Scope. It is used in political, ideological, religious, educational, or health settings.
- Issuer. Political parties, governments, religious cults, among others.
- Message. It can be visual, written, or audio and informs about various topics related to politics, religion, health, the environment, or society.
- Message form . It is usually clear, and persuasive resources are used to convince people and to establish new ideas. Emotional or rational resources can be used to influence people.
- Broadcast media. Television, radio, newspapers, street images, websites, and social media.
Advertising techniques
- Psychoemotional association. Associating a product or service with people, songs, places, activities, or feelings.
- Dramatization. Acting out a real-life activity that highlights the product or service.
- Testimonial. Sharing the experience of famous or anonymous people recommending or using a product or service.
- Demonstration. Demonstrate that a product works by including results from user surveys or trials.
- Description. State the characteristics of a product or service objectively.
- Exposition. List the elements that make up a product or service.
- Impact. Use literary devices or wordplay to grab the attention of potential consumers.
- Opportunity. Raise the idea that there is a limited time to acquire the product.
- Honesty. Do not claim that a product or service has features it doesn’t actually have.
- Brand image. Associating certain products with a well-known brand.
- Subliminal message. Making announcements that are not consciously perceived by the recipient.
- Suspense. A mystery will be revealed in subsequent announcements.
Propaganda techniques
- Discrediting. Describing an opponent with negative characteristics.
- Testimony. Sharing the experiences of famous people, people who have gone through a certain experience, or people who have knowledge about a specific topic, and supporting an idea, a candidate, or a belief.
- Generalization. Presenting an idea and justifying it with emotional arguments without objective justification.
- Oversimplification. Explaining an event or process in a simple way, when in reality it is a more complex matter.
- Projection. Exposing the political or religious leader as having the same characteristics as his or her voters or followers, so that these people identify with him or her.
- Lies of omission. Avoiding mentioning an important fact.
- Redefinition. To change the sense or meaning of a term.
- Repetition. Reiterate the message in different contexts so that people take it into account and reflect on the topic.
- False dilemma. Making people believe they are faced with a dilemma and have to choose between two options, when in fact the dilemma doesn’t exist or there are more than two options.
- Identification. Seeking to make people identify with a message and a political or ideological stance.
