Artful Persuasion

We are not automatons directed by the mass media through advertising; however, there are psychological elements that play a large role in the manipulation of our consumer habits. This course will critically examine the issue of persuasion in advertising by exploring various elements of behavioural science in an attempt to recognize the positive and negative effects of marketing and advertising. Group behavior, decision making, social influence, heuristics, motivation and rhetoric will all be discussed. Students will put these theories into practice through participation in a live AdCentre project.