Random lady at Hot Topic, Chandler Fashion Center.

The picture here is a woman standing in front of a Hot Topic store which is stereotyped for more of the punk, gothic, emo kids in the world though its merchandise is ranged for any person rather than just one stereotype. The message here is that stores are made to stereotype but really any one can go to any store of their choice just like the woman in the picture. The audience goes out to the parents who are scared of Hot Topic because of the people who may work there or even go there because Hot Topic is not just meant for one stereotype. Businesses want customers who will pay for their merchandise, however how they exploit their merchandise is by making their stores look a certain way to bring different kinds of groups into the store. Here the propaganda technique is bandwagon and plain folk because if you show a common person near a Hot Topic then more people will come and buy from the store.

Joshua Kelly at his house in Gilbert, AZ

Josh’s Paramore (an alternative rock band) shirt is an example of rhetoric or persuasion commonly used to spread awareness of brands, teams, bands, groups and “support groups”, this particular technique is called plain folk. Usually, people notice t-shirts and frequently will research names that are on the shirt if it grabs their attention, for a band, it draws in potential fans, who for Paramore are teenagers to mid-twenty year olds. This technique allows many people to be exposed to the band and I believe it is one of the more effective techniques.

Two men in Victoria’s Secret, Chandler Fashion Center.

The picture of two men being in Victoria’s Secret together was used because Victoria’s Secret is a shop meant for women selling lingerie and other clothing appealing to women. The message of the picture is how businesses stereotype for just one gender or a certain group of people. The audience of the picture goes out to men because it shows that it’s okay to enter a women based store. This picture depicts bandwagon to an extent that is can show the audience, being the men, that it is ok to enter a stereotypical women’s store. Yet in this case, the technique plain folk could be used as well though not as effective.

 

Lauren Ayala in Just Sports, Chandler Fashion Center.

This picture of the girl in the sports store was used for the reason that by the way she dresses, she would not seem to fit the kind of girl who would shop in a sports store. The message here is that even though people may not dress the stereotypical norm of a certain group does not mean it can’t appeal to them just as much as the jock in this case. The audiences are the people who don’t believe girls don’t like sports because obviously they can and some do. In this scenario bandwagon is the appropriate technique for propaganda compared to other various techniques.

Random car in Chandler, AZ.Excuse its French!

Many people use bumper stickers as a way to portray their beliefs. This technique can be seen as plain folk, because it is an ordinary person trying to “sell” or portray something. In this case, the lady in the car was attempting to portray how tough she is (although her driving a cruiser ruined it). Her audience are the fellow drivers, because they are placed on the back of her car. The technique “snob appeal” could almost be used here, due to the fact that she makes it seem that bumper stickers make someone a tough guy.

p.s. the woman in the car was actually in her mid-thirties, we thought it was hilarious.