ABSTRACT
Every ad aims to make the target audience construe it in the way intended. However, while every communication invites a certain interpretation, this invitation can be refused. It may be refused because the target audience does not have the necessary perspective to be receptive to it. If this perspective is missing, initial persuasion has to be directed at inducing the ‘right’ perspective. In other words, there is a need for ‘consciousness raising’, getting across a certain viewpoint, a certain definition of the situation, or showing an alternative window through which to view the problem. It is difficult to persuade people to stop smoking for health reasons unless they first accept the orthodox medical perspective of a link between smoking cigarettes, lung cancer, heart attacks and the more immediate effects on their looks. Once the perspective is adopted, persuasion can focus on activating change.
