Blackwell Reference Online

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Persuasion is a communicative function that can be pursued in many different settings, ranging from face-to-face interaction to mass communication. Mass media persuasion takes three primary overt forms: commercial advertising (of consumer products and services), pro-social advertising, and political advertising. On each of these subjects, there is extensive empirical research and theorizing (→ Strategic Communication ). Studies of consumer advertising have examined such questions as the effectiveness of different advertising strategies, the role of endorsements in consumer advertising, effects of varying the frequency and timing of advertisements, the role of visual elements, and so on (e.g., Kardes et al. 2005 ; Fennis & Strobe 2010 ; → Advertisement, Visual Characteristics of ; Advertising ; Advertising, Endorsement in ; Advertising as Persuasion ). Advertising is commonly one part of a larger → marketing effort involving decisions about pricing, product distribution, market segmentation, sales force management, and so forth. Pro-social communication campaigns (sometimes termed “social marketing,” because such campaigns apply familiar marketing tools to pro-social ends) aim to forward environmental or charitable causes or to advance health-related ends such as encouraging people to exercise, quit smoking, and so forth (→ Environmental Communication ; Health Campaigns, ... log in or subscribe to read full text