What is Propaganda? And why do we care? Communication Applications Jane Boyd

Definition  propaganda: a Latin word that was first used by Pope Gregory XV in 1622, when he established the Sacred Congregation of Propaganda, a commission designed to spread the Catholic faith worldwide.  Political Dictionary, Fast Times, Inc.

 Modern much broader meaning: refers to any technique, whether in writing, speech, music, film or other means, that attempts to influence mass public opinion..."

 any technique that attempts to influence the opinions, emotions, attitudes, or behavior of a group in order to benefit the sponsor.

TV, Radio, political candidates…  Not just one message into a piece of propaganda - they put lots of messages into each piece!

 Techniques of propaganda used daily:  military,  media,  advertising,  politics,  all sorts of human relationships.

Ask yourself these questions:  Who does this benefit?  Why did they do that?  According to whom?

5 Types of Propaganda used in advertising  Bandwagon: persuading people to do something by letting them know others are doing it  Testimonial: using the words of a famous person to persuade you.

More types  Transfer: using the names or pictures of famous people, but not direct quotations.  Repetition: the product name is repeated at least four times.  Emotional words: words that will make you feel strongly about someone or something.

WW II Propaganda  Commercial advertising usually takes the positive note in normal times... But these are not normal times; this is not even a normal war; it's hell's ideal of human catastrophy [sic], so menace and fear motives are a definite part of publicity programs, including the visual. --Statement on Current Information Objective Office of Facts and Figures

 Words are ammunition. Each word an American utters either helps or hurts the war effort. He must stop rumors. He must challenge the cynic and the appeaser. He must not speak recklessly. He must remember that the enemy is listening. --Government Information Manual for the Motion Picture Industry Office of War Information

Don’t buy it – get media smart. 

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Political Ads &nav_subaction=overview&campaign_id=178  1988 Willie Horton  1988 Bush’s false advertising  2000 Rats  2000 Baby

When a commercial comes on, ask yourself these questions  What sound effects or music does the commercial use? Do the sounds make it more exciting?  How do the actors using the product look? Do you think the product could make you happy or popular?  Are there celebrities in the commercial? Do you think the celebrity really uses the product?  When watching a toy commercial, is the toy pictured in a group with other toys that are all sold separately?  What propaganda technique are they using to make me buy the product?

Questions to Ask After You Buy  Does the product look bigger or better on TV than in real life?  Does it work the same at home as it did on the commercial?

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