Question

This is an advertisement for hot cheetos, meant to persuade. Make a slide called "DAY 1" and on this slide identify your piece of persuasive media, then tell me at least 2 propaganda techniques that were used. Identify any rhetorical appeal (ethos, pathos, logos) that is used. Then, on a second slide, you will explain in 3-5 sentences how the techniques and appeals are meant to influence the audience.

Answer 1

Slide 1 — DAY 1
- Persuasive piece: Flamin’ Hot Cheetos TV commercial (30-second spot showing teens at a party laughing, dancing, and passing around a bright-red bag of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos).
- Propaganda techniques used:
1. Bandwagon — scenes emphasize “everyone” eating and enjoying the product so viewers feel like they should join in.
2. Transfer/association — the snack is paired with fun, excitement, and social acceptance to transfer those positive feelings to the product.
3. (Optional) Testimonial/celebrity — a recognizable influencer or popular teen is shown enjoying the chips to lend credibility.
- Rhetorical appeal(s): Primarily pathos (appeals to emotion — fun, excitement, belonging); ethos is also used if a celebrity or influencer appears; logos is minimal, limited to short claims about flavor or spice level.

Slide 2 — Explanation (3–5 sentences)
The bandwagon technique makes viewers worry they’re missing out and nudges them to buy so they can belong, while transfer links the snack directly to positive social experiences so the product feels more desirable. A testimonial or influencer creates ethos by lending trust and social proof. The emotional appeal (pathos) — excitement, hunger, nostalgia for shared moments — is the main driver: it creates immediate craving and a fear of missing out, which are strong motivators to purchase on impulse.