Emotional blackmail as a marketing tool

GreyPilgrim

I thought I might start a thread to collect examples of emotional blackmail being used to sell products. One particular company caught my eye - they run an ad in the Sunday Times every week and they sell alert alarms. They advert is normally a picture of a pensioner at the bottom of a set of steps with the message "No one could hear Sheila scream", or "Susan never thought it would happen to HER mother".

On one hand it's abysmal. It's horrible advertising and is pretty much saying "If you don't buy this for your nan then yo'ure a b4stard, and if she falls down some stairs it's all your fault"

But on the other hand, the pictures are so hammed up it's kind of funny. See if you can find the picture of the woman at the foot of the stairs with an overhead shot. Pure Hitchcock

http://www.aidcall-alarms.co.uk/

Browntoa

sort of in the same vein, but some may hate me for this

the NSPCA ones with the crying babies

not saying they don't deserve the money, just find the tone of the adverts the same as the one you quote

GreyPilgrim

Charity christmas cards. We just got a batch asking us to send a payment / donation. Purely voluntarily of course, but by the way "here are some pictures of the people you will be depriving if you don't send pay"

immoral_angeluk

I remember that RSPCA advert that caused uproar a few years back where you saw a man throw a bin bag in a canal which was made to look like there was an animal in it. Absolutely disgusting IMO and although I'm not saying it doesn't happen we just don't need to be blackmailed into donating with such shocking images.

LookingAhead

I'm refusing to answer the door in the evening now after my BF got "chugged" on his own doorstep the other evening by the NSPCC. He's way too soft and signed up (after checking the ID & all). He says he was happy to do so but I'm not too sure. I don't know if he would admit he wasn't, to me.

Anyway, I won't be emotionally blackmailed on my own doorstep.

I *do* give to charity and happily. But it's my choice. There is not enough money for me to contribute to them all and I reserve the right to choose which ones mean something to me.

If they are not careful, charities will shoot themselves in the foot here I think. People will become very resentful and not give at all.

Storm

The thing that bugs me with the adverts like the NSPCC is they never actually say what they do with the money - we're supposed to somehow know!

Now, the ones where it's a case of '£2 a week will send a child like X to school' then fine - I can see where my money is going & what it's going to do.

My personal hated one at the moment though... Argos, with the dad 'reaching out for his son's Christmas wish'... it's pushing the 'got to buy loads for your kids so they'll love you' message!

climbgirl

As annoying as "chuggers" are, speaking from personal experience the more people you have out collecting, the more money you get. It really is that simple!

And while I think some of the advertising is a bit emotive, the fact is that most people don't donate to charities proactively. They're far more likely to throw a bit of change into a bucket by a tube station when they see a collector than actively seek out a charity to give donations.

Now I'm not saying we should all rush out and start giving money away, don't get me wrong. But the fact is most of these charities (not all but most!) do bloody good work, are terribly underfunded and understaffed and need all the help they can get. So if there's a few "chuggers" waving buckets and signing people up in the street, I can live with that.

If you don't want to give, say no!

Sammz

Have to say the NSPCC adverts got me this time. But so did Breast Cancer with putting those envelopes in magazines.

climbgirl

Hmm you've got me thinking now! I do think the emtional blackmail is sometimes laying it on a bit thick, but on the other hand it is like all advertising - you've got to take a bit of personal responsibility and think about what you're doing/buying. The advertising only works if you buy into it, just say no.

I try and avoid it where I can, I don't really watch much tv (and I'm always doing something else in the adbreaks if I do!). Any junk mail through my door gets recycled (or sent back to them if they're kind enough to provide a freepost envelope), I don't really pay attention to internet ads or billboards. In fact the only ones I do tend to notice are the tube ones as I'm waiting (endlessly!) for a damn train!

It's like anything, people can take a bit of personal responsibility and refuse to be swayed by them, we're not robots, we can think for ourselves and think critically about things we see and read.

THE_LONE_RANGER_4

Nothing Gets To Me, Ill Give If I Want To I Caused A Storm At Work For Not Giving To The Aids Day ,i Always Have In The Past But The Girl At Work Wound Me Up By Waving The Tin In My Face I Said I Havent Got Any Change , I Was About To Say Ill Get Some From The Canteen At Lunch And She Said So Much For Tight Wads So I Didnt Give Her Any I Told HER Yesterday And Said If She Tried That Approach Again Id Stop Her Collecting For Anything Some Collectors Need To Learn Manners And Respect Peoples Choice

vivaladiva

Storm wrote:

My personal hated one at the moment though... Argos, with the dad 'reaching out for his son's Christmas wish'... it's pushing the 'got to buy loads for your kids so they'll love you' message!

OH and I had a laugh at this one. We assume dad falls off the roof, mum claims the insurance so she can buy all the stuff.:rotfl: