Adverts are designed to persuade us, but which techniques have been shown to be effective in enticing us to buy things?

One way is simply to portray something as normal. Former advertising professional Dan Parker explains that 'normalisation', showing people happily eating unhealthily,can lead to higher sales of junk food as people start to see these habits as normal.This is like product placement, where products are shown or mentioned in TV shows and films. Beth Fossen, an assistant professor of marketing, tells us that product placement is most effective when it is not too obvious. We become defensive if we know that someone is trying to sell us something. It seems that a subtle approach can be more convincing.

Appealing to our emotions is another strategy that advertisers use. Some of them use fear to persuade us. Jannet Pendleton, a senior lecturer in communication studies, explains that for fear to be an effective tool, we need to believe that both the fears raised, and the possibility that our actions can make a difference are credible. Where fears are exaggerated or we feel helpless, we are likely to switch off.

Adverts often show perfect-looking people because marketers believe that we will aspire to be like them and buy the products they endorse. However, as Karen Middleton, a senior lecturer in marketing and advertising, points out, this may not be the best strategy. The research that she mentions shows these adverts can make people feel bad and put them off products. These studies say that seeing a more human and relatable side of people can sway us into believing them. David Robson,writing for BBC Worklife, explains that endorsements from characters who admit their mistakes can often be more believable.

So, it seems that the secret to these persuasion techniques is that, to be most effective, they need to be used carefully. Perhaps the best technique advertisers can use to persuade people is to fully understand the people they are selling to.