Fear
What is Fear?
Fear is a technique where propagandists say something bad will occur if they do not follow their plan or suggestion, in order to make the audience make sure to buy their product or follow them. The technique is successful with the following elements:
- Make a threat
- Deliver a specific recommendation for what the audience should do
- Convinces that their recommendation is effective to address the threat
- Tells the audience that they are capable to make the change by following their recommendations
Analysis:
This poster is created by Pro-Obama citizens, who wanted Romney to lose the elections. In order to appeal the people to vote for Obama instead of Romney, the propagandist used the Fear technique, targeting the middle class citizens of the US. The delivery is straight forward and simple: "If Mitt Romney wins, the middle class loses". With a vignette effect with Romney and the statement in the center, the visual seems very undemanding but makes it even powerful. The propagandist aims to provoke a sense of fear that if they support and vote for Romney, then the big middle class will flounder. It is most likely referring to Romney's tax plan that only seems to sustain the wealthy upper class and hitch up taxes on the middle class. Overall, the message of the ad is that if they vote for Romney, then they will "lose", or gain no advantage, which would make the audience dreadful and anxious.