All advertising includes an attempt to persuade. 31 Even if an advertisement claims to be purely informational, it still has persuasion at its core. The ad informs the consumers with one purpose: to get the consumer to like the brand and, on that basis, to eventually buy the brand. Without this persuasive intent, communication about a product might be news, but it would not be advertising.
Advertising can be persuasive communication not only about a product but also an idea or a person.
32 Although political ads are supposed to be concerned with the public welfare, they are paid for and they all have a persuasive intent. 33 A Bush campaign ad, for instance, did not ask anyone to buy anything, yet it attempted to persuade American citizens to view George Bush favorably. 34 Critics of President Clinton’s health care plan used advertising to influence lawmakers and defeat the government’s plan.
35 For instance, the international organization Greenpeace uses advertising to get their message out. In the ads, they warn people about serious pollution problems and the urgency of protecting the environment. They, too, are selling something and trying to make a point.
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