Adapted from AdPrin.com

Can the sound of a word help to persuade?

View as slide show

Adapted from AdPrin.com 2

Which name would be a larger and more powerful car, a1) ___ Bromley, or 2) ___ Brimley?Click for the answer.

Sounds of words

“The letter r appears to me to be the general instrument expressing all motion.” (Plato)

Tipper et al. (1921) said that advertisers should use words where the sounds supported the message.

Bromley is selected by most people, no matter what language they speak.

Use words with sounds that support the message

Advertisers can use word sounds to aid persuasion.Examples:

1) words with hard consonants (e.g., Kodak and Pepsi) are easier to recall.2) words with voiceless stops (p, t, and K) as opposed to voiced stops (b, d, and g) are perceived as smaller, faster. sharper, and more feminine.

Additional guidelines can be found on pages 194-5 of Persuasive Advertising.

Evidence on guidelines for using word sounds to persuade

Useful guidelines were developed from research– by Klink (2001) in a study in which he asked 265

subjects to evaluate fictitious brand names.– and Yorkston and Menon (2004) in a series of

studies where they presented two brands of ice cream named Frish and Frosh and had subjects sample each (which were identical). Intentions were higher for Frosh.

Adapted from AdPrin.com

Based on this exercise, write a small application step for yourself, and set a deadline, preferably within one week. If you are working with someone else, share your application plan and the results of your application.

• For example, use sounds that fit with the product or service you provide. Especially important would be new product or brand names. Their use for slogans should also be considered.