15 Advertising Techniques Quiz

Ads often use famous people to grab our attention. By appearing in an ad, they implicitly or explicitly endorse a product.

• Celebrities

• Experts

• Bandwagon

• Nostalgia

We love things and ideas that have never been seen before, because we tend to believe they’re better than the old.

• New

• Humor

• Fear

• Intensity

This technique works because we may believe a 'regular person' more than a highly-paid celebrity. It’s often used to sell everyday products like laundry detergent.

• Plain folks

• Celebrities

• New

• Beautiful people

Uses good-looking models to attract our attention.

• Beautiful people

• Plain folks

• Celebrities

• New

The language of ads is full of superlatives (greatest, best, most, fastest, lowest prices), comparatives (more, better than, improved), hyperbole (amazing, incredible, forever), exaggeration, and many other ways to hype the product.

• Intensity

• Explicit claims

• Simple solution

• Testimonials

Something disliked or feared by the intended audience (like bad breath, failure, high taxes or terrorism) is used to promote a 'solution.'

• Fear

• Association

• Nostalgia

• Bandwagon

Scientists, doctors, professors and other professionals often appear in ads and advocacy messages, lending their credibility to the product, service, or idea being sold.

• Experts

• Association

• Intensity

• Beautiful people

This technique grabs our attention because it makes us laugh, and then connects that good feeling to a product or logo.

• Humor

• Experts

• Bribery

• Plain folks

Something is directly, fully, and/or clearly expressed or demonstrated, such as stating the price, the main ingredients, where it was made, or measurable promises like 'Results in less than 24 hours!'

• Testimonials

• Explicit claims

• Simple solution

• New

Many ads show lots of people using the product, implying that 'everyone is doing it' (or at least, 'all the cool people are doing it').

• Bandwagon

• Experts

• Testimonials

• Humor