Visual
Persuasion
What is Visual Persuasion?
• Visual Persuasion is the use of graphics such as photos and
illustrations to amplify a message in order to motivate the
receiver to act a certain way.
• A picture itself is not persuasive. It’s the way it interacts with the
message, to either magnify its effect or dull it by implying a
contradictory or different message.
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Visual Persuasion
⚫Visually-oriented methods to influence the
decision-making of people, governments and
businesses
⚫Used as persuasive tools in advertising and
political campaigns – display visual image and
impart complex information.
⚫Believed to be more influencial than its verbal
counterpart
Benefits:
⚫Displays visual image and impart complex information
⚫Easily grab attention and affect emotion
⚫Can transcend language barriers
⚫Stimulate interest in subjects considered dry
⚫More memorable
⚫Trigger senses
⚫Reduce information processing burden
Viewer’s Knowledge
Factors Affecting
the Power of Visual Content
Visual Persuasion
Graphic Style
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Viewer’s
Knowledge
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Viewer’s Knowledge
• It’s important to note that visual persuasion occurs within a context.
• A graphic by itself carries no power to persuade.
• When we use visual persuasion, we are relying on the context of the
audience to supply vast amounts of knowledge, and to decode the visual
and draw conclusions.
• Two people with different background knowledge and different values,
can have completely different or even opposite reactions to a message.
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Visual
Content
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Visual Content
• An important factor in visual persuasion is the content of the visual, what it
actually depicts.
• The content of the graphic could support the message in many ways, depict the
product, show a unique feature, demonstrate a benefit, or a number of other
possibilities.
• For example, banking websites that have no images are seen as untrustworthy.
• Images are the most powerful tool, working in some unexpected ways.
• Neuroscientists have found that emotions are used as a kind of indexing system
for memories. The reaction is physical: when our potential attender, visitor or
participant looks at an emotionally arousing picture, their blood sugar level rises
which means they remember it. Images that are merely pleasant don’t have this
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effect.
Visual Content
• Sandra Niehause suggests these guidelines for choosing effective image:
• - Does it convey the right feeling for your brand or message?
• -Does it add information
• -Is it (at least fairly) unique?
• -Can you crop out any unnecessary details and make sure the key element is
front and centre?
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Graphic
Style
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Graphic Style
• The style or way in which the graphic is done also affects the persuasive
power of the overall message.
• A style that is congruent with the message will reinforce the message
subtly, while a style that clashes with the content of the message will
dilute it and perhaps even make it unintelligible.
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Graphic Style
• Here are some of the techniques in graphic design that can affect
people’s perception:
1. The rule of thirds
2. The psychology of colours
3. The direct gaze induction technique
4. Focal point
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The Rule of Third
• According to this rule, it is necessary
to divide the image into three equal
parts horizontally and vertically.
• In this way, you receive some kind of
grid.
• The main rule of good design is to
place important elements of the
picture at the intersections of
horizontal and vertical lines of this
grid.
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The Psychology of Colours
• Different colors evoke certain
feelings among people.
• For example, yellow is a colour of
happiness and optimism while red
shades are used to increase
excitement.
• Approach to colours may enhance
the desired impact
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Focal Point
• A focal point is the centre of a picture on
which the attention of people is focused
with the help of different means.
• For example, designers may use
reflections, rays, contrasting colours or
unusual shapes to create one strong focal
point in the picture to draw viewers’
attention.
• The technique of focal point is used to
determine the central element of the
picture; therefore there can be only one
strong focal point.
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The Direct Gaze Induction
Technique
• Direct gaze induction technique is
considered a powerful strategy in
psychology and social
communications.
• It’s a popular technique used by
models, photographers, and
designers.
• Celebrities that look at us from
billboards and screens are very
convincing in advertising any
product or service
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Criteria:
⚫1. Resemblance – resemblance between
the images and their refences (few/no
verbal cues to explain, culture influence on
interpretation)
⚫2. Quickness – interpretations vary, fixed,
common?
⚫3. Ambiguity – infinite amount of
information
Critiques of Visual Persuasion
Four important topics in the literature:
1. Image Manipulation
2. Idealisation of the visual images
3. Stereotyping
4. Use of sexual appeals
Image Manipulation
• Intended manipulation vs. unintended social consequences
(r/ship between visual images and reality)
• Enhanced by powerful computer tools – so much alteration
(e.g. blocking, cutouts, recentering, retouching)
• Image manipulation as accepted practice as long as it does not
misrepresent facts
Image Manipulation
• 2 main reasons for image manipulation:
• 1. a need to compensate for the limitations of photographic
• materials
• 2. the desire to edit a subject and image to exaggerate a
• particular viewpoint.
Idealisation of Visual Images
⚫Creating idealised images makes a
frequently used source of information into a
standard about what ought to be in one’s
possession, life-style, standard of living, and
appearance.
⚫An example of a conspicuous consequence
of idealised images is eating disorders in
women (anorexia nervosa and bulimia)
Streotyping
⚫Stereotyping and exclusion on the basis of race, gender,
and social class – harmful social effects
e.g.
Ethnic stereotypes : African-Americans frequently appear as
professionals in business settings vs. Asian-Americans as being
uniformly hardworking vs. Hispanic-Americans as family
oriented.
Gender and social class stereotypes examples?
Sexual Appeals
⚫Increased sexual potrayals
e.g. perfume and cologne advertisements
⚫Sex-role stereotyping is thought by many social critics to
contribute to the perceived continuing injustice and inequality for
many women.
⚫Even though female roles have substantially changed to more
professional depictions, there appears to be no reduction in
perceived sex objectification.
References
Duckworth, N. (2018). What is “Visual Persuasion?”. Retrieved 2021, May 26
from https://medium.com/visual-persuasion/what-is-visual-persuasion-
2923f264bcfe
Maitland, H. 92011). Visual Persuasion. Retrieved 2021, May 27 from
http://culturehive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Article-Visual-
persuasion-JAM41-Heather-Maitland-2011.pdf
2018. 9 commonly used techniques in visual advertising. Retrieved 2021,
May 29 from https://wow-how.com/blog/articles/9-commonly-used-
techniques-in-visual-advertising
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