The health care reform propaganda advert is a health care advert aired in weather channel. The advert talks about the reforms in health care (Anti-health care reform propaganda ad on the Weather 2009). The advert is mainly based on propaganda, and targets elderly people in the country. This is shown by the pictures used in the advertisement. The health care advert has used pictures of elderly people to convince people not to agree with the health care plan. The reform is only aimed at benefiting the seniors in the country, but not old people. The government has planed to cut the finances allocated for health care in the country by reducing $500 from the health care finances. The health care reform is influenced by political issues.
The politicians have decided to play part in implementing the health care plan as they have taken different stands. This is because the congresses have decided to support the health care plan as the plan is important to the country (Anti-health care reform propaganda ad on the Weather 2009). They have also planed to control the rising health care cost as the cost have influenced the countries economy. The new health care reforms are aimed at controlling the rising health care costs. The debate on health care reforms is as a result of the implementation of a new health care reform to control the rising health care. Most people are against the reform while few support the reform. People against the reform have started opposing the reform by advertising programs in the media. This is because people think the health care reform is only aimed at benefiting the seniors, but not old people.
The advert persuades people to oppose the health care reform created by the government as they are aimed at helping the seniors but not other people like the elderly. The image used in the health care advert only target old people. The advert has used mostly old people to convey the message of the advert (Anti-health care reform propaganda ad on the Weather 2009). The setting of the advert is good as the advert is set in the hospital. The setting is relevant to the advert as it help promote the message in the advert. The language used in the advert is persuasive as the opponents of the health care reform persuade people not to support the reform. TheMcClintock’s technique used in the health care advert is card stacking and bandwagon.
In card stacking technique one side distorts the evidence. The side also tells half truth so as to distort the message. The use of such mechanisms is to divert the issue at hand (Nadell, McMeniman &Langan 1999). This propaganda technique is difficult to detect as many people misinterpret decision made. For example, if a person changes his or her decision people say that he has changed his mind without investigating the reason why he has done so. This people never investigate whether the person changed his or her decision with a good reason or not. Then as a result of propaganda many people are swayed by the distorted claim. This is because of the negative thoughts people have. Most people use advertisements to sway the public. This is because they use weasle word to make their decision seems more true than another persons decision. This is clearly shown in the health care reform propaganda advert on weather channel (Nadell, McMeniman &Langan 1999). The opponents of the health care reform have swayed the public using weasle words to make the health care reform appear useless. This is because people see the health care reform flawed and more disadvantageous than the other first health care (Nadell, McMeniman &Langan 1999).
The health care reform gives more attention to senior people but not old people. People claim that the health care reform has increased tax and the cost of health care. These shows the influence advertisements have on the public. The opponents have used weasle words to make their decision seem true instead of analyzing the content of the reform well. The opponents have developed false information about the health care reform and they have influenced people not to support the reform. Words used in the advertisement are only aimed at convincing the public not to accept the health care reform. For example, the health care reform is being implemented to reduce cost on health as health care has affected economy in the past. People do not see the benefit of the plan, and they interpret this benefit differently. Thus, people have different views on the health care reform. Hence, the card stacking technique is evidenced in the health care reform propaganda advert, and it has a lot of influence on the citizens. The health care reform propaganda advert has also used the bandwagon technique.
In the bandwagon technique people are mostly influenced by advertiser’s pressure. This kind of propaganda is common in many advertisements, and it succeeds because people do not want to be different (Nadell, McMeniman &Langan 1999). In this technique people are influenced by pressure to do something. For example, if one person decides to buy a certain product then other people buy it because they do not want to look different. People do not have time to make proper decisions or choice. They only follow the majority without considering the benefit and disadvantages of an action. This technique is evidenced in the health care reform advert. This is because most people have decided to follow majority without considering the benefit of the health care reforms. The opponents have influenced most people not to agree with the reform thus, the propaganda in health care reform. People have not considered if the decision to have reforms in health care are right or wrong and the benefit of the system. They have simply followed the majority (Nadell, McMeniman &Langan 1999)
Chait talks about the truth portrayed by the media (Chiat 2000). In her argument Chait says the media only constructs truth as it is only aimed at selling, but not protecting the society. Advertising like movies and televisions present collection of images, and ideas only created for the purpose of selling. This makes it difficulty to differentiate what is true and what is not true. People just accept the truth from the media and fail to establish the real truth (Chiat 2000). Chait idea is applicable in the health care reform advert. This is because the advert has constructed pictures and ideas that are aimed at selling, and the truth of the idea is not known. People have accepted media truth and failed to establish the real benefit of the health care reform .What people watch is fictional and its difficulty to tell the real truth as the ideas and images used portray a different world to the audience. Consumers in the current market want emotional connection. They want to connect with what is behind the brand, and what is behind the promise. If an advertisement creates emotional connection then consumers will be attracted to it (PBS2004). The persuading technique is used in politics and policy making. This is because citizens are encouraged to support one person but not the other(PBS2004). They are also encouraged to support policies that meet their emotional needs. This technique is applied in the health care reform advert. This is because the citizens are persuaded to follow policies that meet their emotional needs or bring emotional connection. That is why people are against the health care reforms as they don’t see any emotional connection(PBS2004).
The cortex brain is important as it helps one in making rational choices. This cortex brain is supposed to help people make rational decisions that help them in surviving and reproducing. This brain is applied in the advert as the opponents of the health care reforms have made a choice. They have decided not to support the health care reforms as it does not benefit them. Thus, the brain has helped then in establishing means of survival (Rapaille 2004).
In conclusion, the health care reform advert is influenced by propaganda technique like card stacking and bandwagon. This is shown by the reaction of the opponents. It is also influenced by Chait idea on truth portrayed by the media and persuasive technique. The cortex brain plays a major role in the health care reform advert as it helps people make the right choice that help them in surviving. The choice should bring emotional connection(Rapaille 2004).
Reference
Anti-health care reform propaganda ad on the Weather Channel. 2009. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yM9QoG39nA on 7th, April 2010
Nadell, J., McMeniman, L., &Langan, J.The Macmillan Writer: Rhetoric, Reader, Handbook.Edition4, Allyn and Bacon, 1999
Chiat, J. Illusions Are Forever. Best of the Web. Forbes.com, 2 October 2000.Retrieved on 12th, September, 2009
PBS.ThePersuaders.2004.Retrievedfrom http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/persuaders/view/ on 7th, April, 2010
Rapaille, C. The three brains. 2004. Retrieved from http://www.archetypediscoveriesworldwide.com/threebrains.html on 7th, April, 2010
