Persuasion Ethics Today explores persuasive communication in the fields of advertising, promotions, public relations and integrated marketing communication, and is designed for course use in advertising curricula. Ethical questions have become increasingly important in today’s media landscape, and issues of regulation, privacy, and convenience are the subjects of heated debate among consumers, industry professional, policy makers, and interest groups. With the explosion of social media, mobile devices, tracking technologies, and behavioral targeting, the ethical issues about persuasion continue to increase in importance. This book’s goal is to offer a broad introduction to the ethical standards, challenges, understanding, and decision-making strategies involved in the practice of persuasion. Persuasion Ethics Today links real world persuasive communication activities to fundamental philosophies of ethics. It also offers tools for students and practitioners to engage with ethical dilemmas in a systematic way, and jumpstart debates about the right ethical choices in an increasingly complex media and social environment.

This book develops a sophisticated account of propaganda and its intriguing history. It begins with a brief overview of Western propaganda, including Ancient Greek theories of rhetoric, and traces propaganda’s development through the Christian era, the rise of the nation-state, World War I, Nazism, Communism, and the present day. The core of the book examines the ethical implications of various forms of persuasion, not only hate propaganda but also insidious elements of more generally acceptable communication such as advertising, public relations, and government information, setting these in the context of freedom of expression. This new edition is updated throughout, and includes additional revelations about a key atrocity story of World War I.

Originally published in 1984, deals with meta-ethics – that is the semantics and pragmatics of ethical language. This book eschews the notions of meaning and analyticity on which meta-ethics normally depends. It discusses questions of free will and responsibility and the relations between ethics on the one hand and science and metaphysics on the other. The author regards ethics as concerned with deciding what to do and with persuading others – not with exploring a supposed realm of ethical fact.

Challenges the traditional thinking that rhetoric is primarily utilitarian by demonstrating how Derrida's philosophy prioritizes ethical imperatives even as one is trying to persuade.

Persuasion Ethics Today explores persuasive communication in the fields of advertising, promotions, public relations and integrated marketing communication. Linking real world persuasive communication activities to fundamental philosophies of ethics, the book's goal is to offer a broad introduction to the ethical standards, challenges, understanding, and decision-making strategies involved in the practice of persuasion. This book also offers tools for students and practitioners to engage with ethical dilemmas in a systematic way and jumpstart debates about the right ethical choices in an increasingly complex media and social environment.

The Dynamics of Persuasion has been a staple resource for teaching persuasion for nearly two decades. Author Richard M. Perloff speaks to students in a style that is engaging and informational, explaining key theories and research as well as providing timely and relevant examples. The companion website includes materials for both students and instructors and expanding the pedagogical utilities. The sixth edition includes: updated theoretical and applied research in a variety of areas, including framing, inoculation, and self-affirmation; new studies of health campaigns; expanded coverage of social media marketing; enhanced discussion of the Elaboration Likelihood Model in light of continued research and new applications to everyday persuasion. The fundamentals of the book – emphasis on theory, clear-cut explanation of findings, in-depth discussion of persuasion processes and effects, and easy-to-follow real-world applications – continue in the sixth edition.

Persuasion in the Media Age addresses the impact of electronic media on the practice of persuasion and reviews constantly evolving digital strategies. Today’s world demands a new perspective on persuasion—one that is grounded in the assumption that human consciousness and culture have been forever altered by communication technology. The fourth edition provides timely examples of persuasion in political campaigns, social movements, marketing, and interpersonal relationships—and the role of social media and media technologies in all of the contexts. From advertisers to politicians to influencers to friends, persuaders use increasingly sophisticated strategies to sway behavior. Borchers skillfully weaves theory, research, and engaging examples to help readers understand the practice of social influence—and to apply critical-thinking skills to the persuasion they encounter daily. The text takes an interdisciplinary approach to provide the latest thinking on persuasion while also drawing on a broad theoretical base for foundational concepts, such as attitudes, rhetoric, and human motivation. Throughout, Borchers emphasizes audience, storytelling, visual images, and ethics. This comprehensive, insightful, and accessible overview of persuasive communication teaches readers how to be skilled creators of persuasive messages—as well as critical consumers.