Think back on the last time you went shopping in a large store such as a Walmart, Best Buy, a supermarket, or any store. Write down a list of the items you purchased that you went there to buy. Next, make a list of items you bought on impulse. Why did you buy the impulse items? Come up with at least three strategies you can use to make yourself less susceptible to impulse buying. Relate these strategies to critical-thinking skills.
Module Notes: Marketing & Advertising
Chapter Highlights, Think Again
What strategies are used in marketing research and marketing?
Marketing research strategies include discovering consumers’ “hot buttons” and the use of surveys, focus groups, and observation. Marketing strategies include targeting advertisements to specific audiences, placement of goods on certain shelves in stores, and application of the SWOT model to determine a company’s marketing strengths and weaknesses as well as opportunities and threats.
How does marketing and advertising affect the consumer?
Advertising informs consumers of products and services that can improve our lives. But advertising can promote materialism by creating markets for nonessential goods and services. The media is also affected by the market, since the media needs advertisers for financial support.
How can we, as consumers, be more aware of fallacies and rhetorical devices used in advertising?
Many ads rely on fallacies and rhetoric rather than credible information and rational argumentation. By being aware of fallacies such as scare tactics, popular appeal, snob appeal, and inappropriate appeal to authority, we will be less likely to accept fallacious arguments about a product. Awareness of rhetorical devices such as hyperbole and the use of euphemisms will also help us to not be fooled by these persuasive tools.
In the following discussions, we explore how to recognize, analyze and construct arguments. Consider the concepts from the Module 7 readings as you participate in the module’s discussions.
Highlights of Questions to Consider in Evaluating Advertisements
Keep the following materials in mind as you participate in this module’s discussion activities.
Does the ad use scare tactics to persuade us that we need the product?
Does the ad provide credible evidence and/or statistics to support any causal claims?
Does the ad play on our tendency to give in to group pressure?
Does the ad set up a desirable image or lifestyle that may not be related to the product?
Does the ad use any other informal fallacies?
Does the ad use emotive language, images, or euphemisms?
Is grammar confusing or the wording misleading?
Is the language vague, ambiguous, or obscure?
Are the claims exaggerated?
Does the ad leave out information that is necessary for us to make a decision?
If the ad uses an analogy, is the analogy relevant?
APPLICATION: Answer the questions referring to a specific ad or product in the text to illustrate each question.
Textbook utilized for the course:
Boss, Judith. (2021). THiNK: Critical thinking and logic skills for everyday life (5th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.
Chapter 10, Marketing and Advertising
Video 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bYAQ-ZZtEU