The INTENSIFY / DOWNPLAY Schema
TECHNIQUES

Repetition Repetition
Intensifying by repetition is an easy, simple, and effective way to persuade. People are comfortable with the known, the familiar. As children we love to hear the same stories repeated: later, we have "favorite" songs, TV programs, and so on. All cultures have chants, prayers, rituals, and dances based on repetition: to imprint on the memory of receivers to identify, recognize, and respond.

Applied to ADVERTISING, you can ask these questions:

  • How often have you seen the ad? On TV? In print?

  • Do you recognize the brand name? trademark? logo? company? package?

  • What key words or images repeated within ad?

  • Any repetition patterns (alliteration, anaphora, rhyme) used within the ad?

  • Any slogans? Can you hum or sing the musical theme or jingle?

  • How long has this ad been running?

  • How old were you when you first heard it?


    (For current information on frequency, duration, and costs of ad campaigns, see Advertising Age).

 

 

 

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Intensifying by repetition is an easy, simple, and effective way to persuade. People are comfortable with the known, the familiar. As children we love to hear the same stories repeated: later, we have "favorite" songs, TV programs, and so on. All cultures have chants, prayers, rituals, and dances based on repetition: to imprint on the memory of receivers to identify, recognize, and respond.


Applied to POLITICAL RHETORIC, you can ask these questions:

  • What key words are often repeated? What repeated "mantra" or "talking points" -- themes or ideas? What planning so that all speakers are "singing off the same sheet" -- all repeating the same themes, or using the same key words or phrasing?

  • What images, pictures, or symbols? What names? What slogans are used?

  • What backgrounds (to repeat the message visually) are used for staged "photo ops"?

  • Are there any internal repetition techniques (rhyme, alliteration, anaphora) used within the phrasing?

  • What clichés, and what stock responses ("stump speeches," "boilerplate") can be expected in various situations?

  • What repeated activities -- such as rituals, customs, traditions -- are used or known within the group?

  • What frequency is the repetition: how often do you see or hear the message?

  • What duration: how long has it gone on?

  • What intensity: how many, how much? A blitz, a saturation?

  • What effects on the audience? Does the audience recognize, remember? (e.g. name-recognition)

  • What technology (print, recordings ,e-mail) is used to repeat, to multiply copies?
Expect people to intensify by means of repetition, association, and composition.
A good axiom about how to counter a propaganda blitz by advertisers or politicians is: When they Intensify, Downplay.
Intensify/Downplay Schema | Techniques | Home