Advertising and PR Tricks

Transfer (prestige transfer)

Alternative names: transfer, guilt by association, prestige transfer, associative connection

Definition

A technique that transfers the prestige of a positive symbol (national flag, cross, image of a hero, famous personality) to a specific person, institution, or idea. The target group automatically adopts the positive emotions from the symbol and relates them to what the symbol is associated with — without any logical justification for this connection.

Example usage

A politician poses in front of the national flag with their family and a cross, so the audience subconsciously associates their program with patriotism and traditional values — regardless of what they actually advocate.

Related techniques

Advertising and PR Tricks

False Urgency

Creating an artificial sense that an offer will end soon or that products are running out, so the customer does not think and buys under pre...

Also: scarcity marketing, urgency tactics, artificial scarcity

Advertising and PR Tricks

False Urgency

Creating an artificial sense that an offer will end soon or that products are running out, so the customer does not think and buys under pressure. Commonly seen in forms like "today only!", "last 3 pieces!", countdown timers.

Example usage
"The offer ends in 04:32:11!" — after expiration, the timer resets and the "offer" continues.

Also: scarcity marketing, urgency tactics, artificial scarcity, FOMO marketing

Advertising and PR Tricks

False Advantage

Creating the illusion of an amazing discount or offer using a trickily set original price. Prices are artificially inflated so that the subs...

Also: artificial discount, fake discount, price anchoring trick

Advertising and PR Tricks

False Advantage

Creating the illusion of an amazing discount or offer using a trickily set original price. Prices are artificially inflated so that the subsequent "discount" looks dramatic.

Example usage
"Instead of 9,999 CZK, only 4,999 CZK!" — the product was never actually sold for 9,999 CZK.

Also: artificial discount, fake discount, price anchoring trick

Advertising and PR Tricks

Celebrity Endorsement

Using a famous personality to recommend a product or service. It works on the principle of trust transfer — people transfer positive feeling...

Also: celebrity endorsement, advertising faces, influencer marketing

Advertising and PR Tricks

Celebrity Endorsement

Using a famous personality to recommend a product or service. It works on the principle of trust transfer — people transfer positive feelings from the personality to the product, even if the celebrity has no expertise in the area.

Example usage
A famous football player recommends multivitamins in an advertisement, even though he is neither a doctor nor a nutrition specialist.

Also: celebrity endorsement, advertising faces, influencer marketing