Propaganda Techniques An examination of the art of manipulation
What is Propaganda? A way of manipulating people using images and words to achieve a desired effect or outcome Propaganda clouds reality and gets in the way of clear and honest thinking Propagandists  deliberately manipulate in order to promote their cause.
Why study propaganda? Too avoid being manipulated by others We often deceive ourselves using the same techniques we use to convince others How clearly do you understand how this expensive Super Bowl ad is trying to manipulate you?
Is all propaganda bad? Yes, in that it does not seek to educate but rather manipulate. However, sometimes propaganda may be used to manipulate you into doing something positive The danger is that all propagandists want to do your thinking for you.
World War II Propaganda “ The masses always need a certain time before they are ready even to notice a thing, and they will lend their memories only to a thousand-fold repetition of the most simple ideas”.
World War II Propaganda “ To whom has propaganda to appeal? To the scientific intelligentsia or to the less educated masses? It has appeal forever and only to the masses!”
World War II Propaganda “ All propaganda has to be popular and has to adapt its spiritual level to the perception of the least intelligent...”
World War II Propaganda “ The great masses’ receptive ability is only very limited, their understanding is small, but their forgetfulness is great [so] all effective propaganda has to limit itself only to a few points to use them like slogans until every last man is able to imagine what is intended...”
World War II Propaganda Adolf Hitler
Association/Transfer Creates an internal connection between two unrelated items.  Causes a transfer of positive or negative feelings from one thing to something else.
Association/Transfer Creates an internal connection between two unrelated items.  Causes a transfer of positive or negative feelings from one thing to something else.
Association/Transfer Creates an internal connection between two unrelated items.  Causes a transfer of positive or negative feelings from one thing to something else.
Association/Transfer Creates an internal connection between two unrelated items.  Causes a transfer of positive or negative feelings from one thing to something else.
Association/Transfer Creates an internal connection between two unrelated items.  Causes a transfer of positive or negative feelings from one thing to something else.
Misery Appeals to pity or sympathy to gain support.
Misery Appeals to pity or sympathy to gain support.
Misery Appeals to pity or sympathy to gain support.
Fancy Words Use of elegant or technical sounding words to persuade and camouflage the truth.
Fancy Words Use of elegant or technical sounding words to persuade and camouflage the truth.
Fancy Words Use of elegant or technical sounding words to persuade and camouflage the truth.
Fancy Words Use of elegant or technical sounding words to persuade and camouflage the truth.
Euphemisms The use of words or statements that deter from the meaning, to make it not as bad, and more tasteful to the general public. Example:  Holocaust  =  Final Solution Example:  Death Camps  =  Resettlement
Word Magic Uses emotional or catchy words to create a positive feeling and makes it easier to remember the product or idea.
Word Magic Uses emotional or catchy words to create a positive feeling and makes it easier to remember the product or idea.
Bandwagon Join the crowd, do not be left out.  Everyone is doing it, so you should too. “ Everyone listens to the Furher”
Bandwagon Join the crowd, do not be left out.  Everyone is doing it, so you should too.
Plain Folks Based on the idea that we trust people who are most like us. “ We are for Adolf Hitler”
Plain Folks Based on the idea that we trust people who are most like us.
Plain Folks Based on the idea that we trust people who are most like us.
Plain Folks Based on the idea that we trust people who are most like us.
Direct Order Attempts to make decision making easy for us by directly telling us what to do.
Direct Order Attempts to make decision making easy for us by directly telling us what to do.
Appeal to Authority Important and powerful people support a candidate or idea.  Similar to testimonial. “ One People, One Reich, One Fuhrer”
Testimonial When a celebrity, or expert whose views are held in general respect endorses a product, candidate, or idea.  The person may or may not be qualified to speak on the subject.
Testimonial When a celebrity, or expert whose views are held in general respect endorses a product, candidate, or idea.  The person may or may not be qualified to speak on the subject.
Testimonial When a celebrity, or expert whose views are held in general respect endorses a product, candidate, or idea.  The person may or may not be qualified to speak on the subject.
Testimonial When a celebrity, or expert whose views are held in general respect endorses a product, candidate, or idea.  The person may or may not be qualified to speak on the subject.
Name Calling Linking a person or idea to a negative image.  “ The Jew: The inciter of war, the prolonger of war
Name Calling Linking a person or idea to a negative image.
Name Calling Linking a person or idea to a negative image.
Glittering Generalities Use of words and images that generally carry a favorable meaning to everyone.  Hopes to create a feeling with no direct evidence. "Open the door to freedom! Put a strong man at the helm! Out of the swamp! Forward with the powers of renewal!”
Glittering Generalities Use of words and images that generally carry a favorable meaning to everyone.  Hopes to create a feeling with no direct evidence.
Glittering Generalities Use of words and images that generally carry a favorable meaning to everyone.  Hopes to create a feeling with no direct evidence.
Black and White Presents an issue as having only two choices.  If you don’t like one choice, you must choose the other
Black and White Presents an issue as having only two choices.  If you don’t like one choice, you must choose the other
Oversimplification Coming to a conclusion that is too simple to account for complex reality. “ Germany ruthlessly killed Americans when they sank the Lusitania so they clearly don’t care if we go to war with them or not .” “ If congress passes a law limiting the availability of automatic weapons, America will slide down a slippery slope which will ultimately result in the banning of all guns, the destruction of the Constitution, and a totalitarian police state .”
Taking Out of Context Removing a person, statement or idea from its original setting in order to support the propagandist position.
Taking Out of Context Removing a person, statement or idea from its original setting in order to support the propagandist position.
Fear Informs people that personal danger is imminent if they do or do not do some specific action.
Fear Informs people that personal danger is imminent if they do or do not do some specific action.
Fear Informs people that personal danger is imminent if they do or do not do some specific action.
Fear Informs people that personal danger is imminent if they do or do not do some specific action.
Fear Informs people that personal danger is imminent if they do or do not do some specific action.
Simplicity and Repetition Keep it simple and say it often enough so people will remember it and believe it.
Simplicity and Repetition Keep it simple and say it often enough so people will remember it and believe it.
You Turn 1.
You Turn 2.
You Turn 3.
Thank you for your time. The End.

Propaganda 2009

  • 1.
    Propaganda Techniques Anexamination of the art of manipulation
  • 2.
    What is Propaganda?A way of manipulating people using images and words to achieve a desired effect or outcome Propaganda clouds reality and gets in the way of clear and honest thinking Propagandists deliberately manipulate in order to promote their cause.
  • 3.
    Why study propaganda?Too avoid being manipulated by others We often deceive ourselves using the same techniques we use to convince others How clearly do you understand how this expensive Super Bowl ad is trying to manipulate you?
  • 4.
    Is all propagandabad? Yes, in that it does not seek to educate but rather manipulate. However, sometimes propaganda may be used to manipulate you into doing something positive The danger is that all propagandists want to do your thinking for you.
  • 5.
    World War IIPropaganda “ The masses always need a certain time before they are ready even to notice a thing, and they will lend their memories only to a thousand-fold repetition of the most simple ideas”.
  • 6.
    World War IIPropaganda “ To whom has propaganda to appeal? To the scientific intelligentsia or to the less educated masses? It has appeal forever and only to the masses!”
  • 7.
    World War IIPropaganda “ All propaganda has to be popular and has to adapt its spiritual level to the perception of the least intelligent...”
  • 8.
    World War IIPropaganda “ The great masses’ receptive ability is only very limited, their understanding is small, but their forgetfulness is great [so] all effective propaganda has to limit itself only to a few points to use them like slogans until every last man is able to imagine what is intended...”
  • 9.
    World War IIPropaganda Adolf Hitler
  • 10.
    Association/Transfer Creates aninternal connection between two unrelated items. Causes a transfer of positive or negative feelings from one thing to something else.
  • 11.
    Association/Transfer Creates aninternal connection between two unrelated items. Causes a transfer of positive or negative feelings from one thing to something else.
  • 12.
    Association/Transfer Creates aninternal connection between two unrelated items. Causes a transfer of positive or negative feelings from one thing to something else.
  • 13.
    Association/Transfer Creates aninternal connection between two unrelated items. Causes a transfer of positive or negative feelings from one thing to something else.
  • 14.
    Association/Transfer Creates aninternal connection between two unrelated items. Causes a transfer of positive or negative feelings from one thing to something else.
  • 15.
    Misery Appeals topity or sympathy to gain support.
  • 16.
    Misery Appeals topity or sympathy to gain support.
  • 17.
    Misery Appeals topity or sympathy to gain support.
  • 18.
    Fancy Words Useof elegant or technical sounding words to persuade and camouflage the truth.
  • 19.
    Fancy Words Useof elegant or technical sounding words to persuade and camouflage the truth.
  • 20.
    Fancy Words Useof elegant or technical sounding words to persuade and camouflage the truth.
  • 21.
    Fancy Words Useof elegant or technical sounding words to persuade and camouflage the truth.
  • 22.
    Euphemisms The useof words or statements that deter from the meaning, to make it not as bad, and more tasteful to the general public. Example: Holocaust = Final Solution Example: Death Camps = Resettlement
  • 23.
    Word Magic Usesemotional or catchy words to create a positive feeling and makes it easier to remember the product or idea.
  • 24.
    Word Magic Usesemotional or catchy words to create a positive feeling and makes it easier to remember the product or idea.
  • 25.
    Bandwagon Join thecrowd, do not be left out. Everyone is doing it, so you should too. “ Everyone listens to the Furher”
  • 26.
    Bandwagon Join thecrowd, do not be left out. Everyone is doing it, so you should too.
  • 27.
    Plain Folks Basedon the idea that we trust people who are most like us. “ We are for Adolf Hitler”
  • 28.
    Plain Folks Basedon the idea that we trust people who are most like us.
  • 29.
    Plain Folks Basedon the idea that we trust people who are most like us.
  • 30.
    Plain Folks Basedon the idea that we trust people who are most like us.
  • 31.
    Direct Order Attemptsto make decision making easy for us by directly telling us what to do.
  • 32.
    Direct Order Attemptsto make decision making easy for us by directly telling us what to do.
  • 33.
    Appeal to AuthorityImportant and powerful people support a candidate or idea. Similar to testimonial. “ One People, One Reich, One Fuhrer”
  • 34.
    Testimonial When acelebrity, or expert whose views are held in general respect endorses a product, candidate, or idea. The person may or may not be qualified to speak on the subject.
  • 35.
    Testimonial When acelebrity, or expert whose views are held in general respect endorses a product, candidate, or idea. The person may or may not be qualified to speak on the subject.
  • 36.
    Testimonial When acelebrity, or expert whose views are held in general respect endorses a product, candidate, or idea. The person may or may not be qualified to speak on the subject.
  • 37.
    Testimonial When acelebrity, or expert whose views are held in general respect endorses a product, candidate, or idea. The person may or may not be qualified to speak on the subject.
  • 38.
    Name Calling Linkinga person or idea to a negative image. “ The Jew: The inciter of war, the prolonger of war
  • 39.
    Name Calling Linkinga person or idea to a negative image.
  • 40.
    Name Calling Linkinga person or idea to a negative image.
  • 41.
    Glittering Generalities Useof words and images that generally carry a favorable meaning to everyone. Hopes to create a feeling with no direct evidence. "Open the door to freedom! Put a strong man at the helm! Out of the swamp! Forward with the powers of renewal!”
  • 42.
    Glittering Generalities Useof words and images that generally carry a favorable meaning to everyone. Hopes to create a feeling with no direct evidence.
  • 43.
    Glittering Generalities Useof words and images that generally carry a favorable meaning to everyone. Hopes to create a feeling with no direct evidence.
  • 44.
    Black and WhitePresents an issue as having only two choices. If you don’t like one choice, you must choose the other
  • 45.
    Black and WhitePresents an issue as having only two choices. If you don’t like one choice, you must choose the other
  • 46.
    Oversimplification Coming toa conclusion that is too simple to account for complex reality. “ Germany ruthlessly killed Americans when they sank the Lusitania so they clearly don’t care if we go to war with them or not .” “ If congress passes a law limiting the availability of automatic weapons, America will slide down a slippery slope which will ultimately result in the banning of all guns, the destruction of the Constitution, and a totalitarian police state .”
  • 47.
    Taking Out ofContext Removing a person, statement or idea from its original setting in order to support the propagandist position.
  • 48.
    Taking Out ofContext Removing a person, statement or idea from its original setting in order to support the propagandist position.
  • 49.
    Fear Informs peoplethat personal danger is imminent if they do or do not do some specific action.
  • 50.
    Fear Informs peoplethat personal danger is imminent if they do or do not do some specific action.
  • 51.
    Fear Informs peoplethat personal danger is imminent if they do or do not do some specific action.
  • 52.
    Fear Informs peoplethat personal danger is imminent if they do or do not do some specific action.
  • 53.
    Fear Informs peoplethat personal danger is imminent if they do or do not do some specific action.
  • 54.
    Simplicity and RepetitionKeep it simple and say it often enough so people will remember it and believe it.
  • 55.
    Simplicity and RepetitionKeep it simple and say it often enough so people will remember it and believe it.
  • 56.
  • 57.
  • 58.
  • 59.
    Thank you foryour time. The End.