This assignment will require you to design an advertising campaign aimed at promoting online education, including describing how at least one ad will look and feel. The draft should provide a preliminary description of all the parts of the campaign identified in the Final Paper instructions and give a sense of what the audience will see and hear, if applicable. The draft must be 1000 – 1100 words in length (do not include title and reference pages in your word count) and formatted according to APA style. The draft must contain an introduction with a thesis statement, at least three body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Identify at least three persuasion theories covered in the course (COM Persuasion in Communication) and apply them to the analysis of your advertising campaign.

Solution

The use of online education has exploded in recent years, with more and more students turning to virtual classrooms to further their education and career prospects. In this advertising campaign, we will aim to promote the benefits of online education and encourage potential students to consider it as a viable option. Through the use of persuasive techniques and an appealing ad design, we hope to convince our target audience that online education is a convenient, flexible, and high-quality option for learning.

Thesis statement:

By utilizing persuasion theories such as the scarcity principle, social proof, and the principle of authority, our advertising campaign will effectively communicate the value and convenience of online education to potential students.

Body Paragraph 1: Scarcity Principle

One persuasive technique we will employ in our campaign is the scarcity principle, which states that people are more likely to want something when it is rare or in limited supply. In our ad, we will emphasize the limited availability of spots in traditional on-campus programs and contrast it with the unlimited enrollment capacity of online education. By highlighting the flexibility and accessibility of online courses, we will appeal to potential students who may have been previously unable to secure a spot in a traditional program due to capacity constraints.

Body Paragraph 2: Social Proof

Another persuasive technique we will use is social proof, which refers to people’s tendency to follow the actions and behaviors of others in order to conform or fit in. In our ad, we will feature testimonials from successful students and professionals who have completed online education programs. By showcasing the accomplishments of these individuals, we hope to demonstrate to potential students that online education is a credible and effective way to learn and advance their careers.

Body Paragraph 3: Principle of Authority

In addition to the scarcity principle and social proof, we will also utilize the principle of authority in our advertising campaign. This principle refers to the idea that people are more likely to follow the advice or recommendations of an expert or authority figure. To this end, we will feature endorsements from well-respected industry professionals and educational experts in our ad, highlighting the high quality of online education programs and the expertise of their instructors.

Conclusion:

Overall, our advertising campaign will utilize the persuasive techniques of the scarcity principle, social proof, and the principle of authority to effectively communicate the value and convenience of online education to potential students. Through appealing ad design and compelling messaging, we hope to convince our target audience that online education is a viable and high-quality option for learning and career advancement.