Appeal to Authority Example
The Jägermeister ad featuring Post Malone is an example of the appeal to authority fallacy (“Post Malone Jaegermeister ad.,” 2021).
Appeal to Authority (Argument From Authority) Fallacy
In the argument from authority, the opinion of authority is used as evidence to support an argument. In the advertisement, authority is used to support claims or ideas by an authority. In ads, the fallacy is claimed when authority is used, but they do not have knowledge or experience on a specific subject matter. Thus it cannot be trusted. Also, the fallacy can be claimed when there is lacking consensus authority on a specific subject matter and when an argument is based on an opinion taken out of context.
Appeal to Authority in the Jägermeister Ad
The latest Jägermeister ad featuring Post Malone makes a fallacious appeal to the authority of the artist, who is not a specialist in alcoholic drinks. However, to appeal to the audience, the artist’s cultural authority is used to make an argument because he has a multimillion global following. His reputation is used to support the quality of the product. Therefore, it can be stated that the audience can be reasonably suspicious of the artist’s praise of the brand, even though it may be genuine, but there is no proof of that.
Hasty Generalization Example
A hasty generalization is a fallacy that makes conclusions on the basis of an incomplete set of information. As a result, a claim is made on the basis of very limited evidence. Claims can be made without considering the available counterarguments or evidence that would go against the claim. Notably, in ads, a hasty generalization is represented by an exaggerated claim about the effectiveness of a product or service. Moreover, in hasty generalizations, there is usually no definitive evidence provided to prove the claimed effectiveness.
Hasty Generalization in the Biden Ad
In the Joe Biden ad, a hasty generalization is made regarding the President’s impact on the country during 100 days in office. In the ad, it is unclear what is meant by “back on track,” which points to the lack of detail. While 100 days are mentioned, there is no mention of the evidence from which the findings were drawn. Moreover, there are no statistics on the increasing rates of vaccines and no mention of statistics on jobs increasing. Finally, the statement “checks in hands” is generalized as it is unclear what is meant.
Bandwagon Fallacy Example
Bandwagon Fallacy (Appeal to Popularity)
The bandwagon fallacy suggests that something must be good because many other people use it. However, data concerning the popularity of something is not sufficient to warrant its acceptance. It is a logical mistake to appeal to popularity because inflating its value does not equate to evidence. In the advertisement, bandwagons are used to encourage customers to buy something because everyone else has. In ads, hasty conclusions are made to create bandwagons – if many people use a product/service, then it must be effective.
Bandwagon Fallacy in the AAA Ad
The AAA Membership Instagram ad is a bandwagon fallacy example. The advertisement is flawed because of a large generalization made about many people using the AAA service. Notably, the ad does not mention how many people use or recommend the AAA service. However, from the perspective of the company, it is expected that if the service is “the most recommended,” then it is worth paying for it. The fallacious statement is the only thing contained in the short Instagram ad, which makes it quite ineffective, with people potentially questioning its sincerity.
References
AAA Instagram ad. (2021). [Image].
Joe Biden ad. (2021). [Image].
Post Malone Jaegermeister ad. (2021). [Image].