Blog #5

Billboards and text ads make up a large amount of the media. We see them everywhere. Out of personal experience I know that I look at billoards all the time when I am riding in a car. The bilboards use many different advertising devices. There is a lot of repitition because you only see them for a short period of time so in order to get the point across they have to make it clear and short and use it many times. They also use direct orders to get people thinking about their products. Billboards also use weasel words because they enable the producer to use very few words and still get a point across. Weasel words tie in with the unfinished claim, short phrases that grab your attention. These different techniques are effective because they grab your attention and make you remember. You see hte advertisements so many times that you subconciously remeber the logos or sayings and when you go to the store you will be drawn to the product that was on the billboard.

Radio advertising is a little different. Radio ads use hidden fears. Since they can talk and it isn't just a picture, the ads can sound like they are directed right at the person listening so the producers can play up fears because they can put more emotion into the ads. They also use either-or, asking people questions at the end of hte ad. They also use repetition. The repetition could be with a song or a saying that gets stuck in your head. Radio ads also use vague claims because they are short and easy and capture your attention. Radio ads are effective because they get stuck in your head and you remember them. This helps the companies because if you are looking for a certain product you might remember a radio ad and buy that kind. They can also play on emotions more than bilboards and this helps suck people in.