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HARD SELL AND SOFT SELL |
Creating a sense of URGENCY is common in some (but not all) ads.
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| When PRODUCT is temporary, limited use, or one-time use: fads, fashions, entertainments, seasonal clothing, equipment, perishable foods, collectibles | When PRODUCT has repeated use: standard foods, non-fashion clothing, major appliances |
| When SELLER is temporary: door-to-door selling, telephone solicitations ("boiler room"), fly-by-night operations ("one shot"), con games ("pigeon drop") | When SELLER is permanent: established stores, name brands |
| When BUYER is temporary, that is, in an unfamiliar area or condition: tourist, travelers, newcomers, inexperienced, immature | When BUYER is stable and familiar: residents (in own area), experienced, mature adults |
| When a sense of CRISIS exits (a real or imaged emergency, time limit, or deadline): pain, genuine close-outs, elections, TV "shopping clubs" | When NO CRISIS, no urgency: health, business as usual |
| When GUARANTEE (refund, or return of goods) is missing: unknown companies, "fronts" | When GUARANTEE explicit, implicit or available: established corporations, name brands | When SUPPLY exceeds DEMAND: SURPLUS situations | When DEMAND exceeds SUPPLY: SHORTAGE situations |
In commercial advertising, the term soft sell is commonly used to describe some low key ads as a way of selling some standard consumer products (such as beer, cola) without an urgency appeal.
But, we also see some low key commercial ads from corporations which are not related to a specific consumer product. Here, these terms ("publicity," "public relations," "good will advertising," "corporate image building, " and "institutional advertising") all relate to a kind of conditioning propaganda which seeks to mold public opinions, assumptions, attitudes, beliefs, myths, and world views, on a long-term basis as the necessary climate or atmosphere for a future response. (See: Corporate Image)