Persuasion is defined as the procedure through which a message or information provokes a change in attitudes, beliefs or behaviors (Myers, 2013). In essence, the change in thoughts, attitudes, behaviors or beliefs through persuasion takes place without coercion or duress but is largely influenced by the impact of the message or information on the individual. Persuasion tends to take place is a set up that involves communication, which entails conveying a message or information. Even though not all communication is designed to be persuasive but to inform and entertain, it ends up being persuasive based on the impact it has on the receiver of the information. Therefore, persuasion is regarded as the process through which an individual's thoughts, behaviors or attitudes are influenced by communication from others.
Based on this description, persuasion comprises several elements that act as the path that result in a change of attitude, beliefs or behaviors through communication from others. These factors or elements that lead to persuasion include the communicator, message, channel, and audience. With regards to the communicator, his/her attractiveness and credibility play an important role in the process of persuasion while the content of the message determines the recipient's response and probable persuasion. The communication channel utilized by the communicator determines active or passive experience while the audience relates to their thought processes and how they receive the message.
Persuasion can be explicit i.e. central route or implicit i.e. peripheral route based on approaches utilized by the communicator (Myers, 2013). Explicit persuasion takes place when interested individuals focus on the arguments in the message and respond with positive thoughts. In contrast, implicit persuasion takes place when individuals are influenced by incidental signs like the communicator's credibility and focuses on signals that provoke automatic acceptance without critical thinking.
Persuasion in Advertisement
Thales S. Teixeira conducted a study on the reasons people pay attention to video advisements as well as when they do so. The author stated that video ads have become more prevalent as marketers have increased demand for consumers' attention, which has largely been influenced by the proliferation of new brands and products (Teixeira, 2015). Therefore, marketers are increasingly developing and utilizing video advertisements in order to gain the attention of consumers. However, full consumer attention can be obtained when the advertising strategy focuses on persuasion through information, which is more common in the context of cinema or video ads.
This article relates to persuasion since it highlights important elements for persuasion through video advertisements. First, the communicator i.e. marketer designs advertisements that are geared towards providing specific messages or information to customers about new products or brands. In the advertising world, communicators are increasingly designing their messages in an entertaining manner because consumers pay more attention to advertisements that entertain them. With regards to message content, video advertisements are based on two aspects i.e. reason and emotion depending on the target audience. According to Teixeira (2015), persuasive ads are those that focus on persuasion through imparting product or brand information and incorporating entertaining content. To this extent, persuasion in advertisement depends on how the advertisement engages the customers' attention regardless of numerous distractions and alternatives. As part of ensuring that advertisements have persuasive content, marketers should incorporate inviting music, colorful images, and attractive animation in their video ads. This article primarily highlights the significance of communicator strategies, message content, communication channel, and audience in creating persuasive advertisements.
Conformity and Obedience
Conformity can be described as changing one's behavior or thoughts in order to match the standards of a group. In essence, conformity is change in belief or behavior because of actual or perceived pressure from a group an individual belongs to. Therefore, conformity emerges from an individual's willingness to accept the opinions of others regarding reality. There are two major reasons for an individual's conforming i.e. normative social influence and informational social influence (Myers, 2013).
Normative social influence is impact that comes from an individual's desire to obtain approval or shun rejection. In this case, a person complies with or accepts normative behavior because of the likelihood of severe punishment or consequence if the behavior is not respected. On the other hand, informational social influence occurs when the group may offer significant information but stubborn individuals don't listen to others.
According to Myers (2013), there are three kinds of conformity i.e. compliance, obedience, and acceptance. While compliance implies abiding by social norms or through request, acceptance is more of inward conformity. On the other hand, obedience refers to an individual's compliance to social pressures. Even though this concept does not necessarily imply social...
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