Guilt Trip

"This is Canola. Canola is five years old and starving to death even as we film her. But just one dollar a week can provide her with all the food she can eat. Won't you please give?"

The commercial attempts to extort/extract money from the viewer by making him feel guilty for not doing what it asks, by subjecting him to Sally Struthers and that white-bearded fellow piling on the shame until he cracks. The more cynical viewer is likely to quip back, "That's what my taxes are for, dummy" or "Why didn't you just use the money you spent on that commercial?"

Primary mode of advertising for charities. Many medical products for children take this tack as well. Jewelry commercials are evenly split between this approach ("If you're not willing to buy these overpriced diamonds, you don't really love her.") and Appeal to Vanity.


 * Sally Struthers' commercials for the Christian Children's Fund.