Persuasive Elements in an Ad: Magazine Print Ad

Image credit: Galaxie Magazine, November 2012 issue

Type/Benefit of the ad

The above advertisement is in the form of a public service announcement (PSA) by the Malaysian government. A PSA acts as a message sent to the audience with the objective of raising awareness, changing public attitudes and behaviour towards a social issue – in this particular ad, the message is intended to persuade the audience against smoking.

Ad's appeal

Upon looking at this ad, the audience is compelled to observe the illustration on it that appears to have been drawn by children. The amateur yet lively drawings bring the audience a sense of nostalgia and establishes an emotional connection with them, attracting them to further analyse the ad. 

Persuasive elements in the ad/What I like about the ad

The message conveyed through the drawing is clear -- 'Sara & Geng' are representatives of children and the society opposing smoking as a whole, advocating the ‘Tak Nak Merokok’ campaign by the Ministry of Health. 

Apart from showing support towards the cause by declaring that "no smoke = happy", they have drawn a small demonstration of what to do if a person smokes in front of you. This calls for the audience to have an active part in the campaign instead of just taking in the message conveyed.

The slogan on the ad, "Express Your Rights. Say No to Cigarette Smoke" emphasises on the audience's right to clean, unpolluted air. This is a persuasive element because it recognises the audience's basic rights and validates them, pushing the audience towards a palpable change that they have the power to make themselves. 

Others

Apart from emotional appeals, there are various key persuasive techniques that can be used in advertising. Some of them are endorsements, through characters and storylines, and solutions. In an endorsement, an ad would utilise a prominent figure such as a celebrity that would provide a testimony to the effectiveness of the product being advertised. Characters and storylines work best as viewers are typically drawn to stories, especially relatable or unconventional ones. Lastly, putting the product as a solution by directly addressing the viewers' problems pushes them to try it out in order to overcome said problem.

(Source: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/key-persuasive-techniques-used-consumer-advertising-74567.html)