Persuasion involves influencing beliefs and attitudes toward a product, service, organization, idea, or person by using compelling arguments. This practice relies on the ability to convince the target individual by highlighting the features or messaging that will appeal to them. Raymond Bauer emphasizes that marketing and product design are increasingly adopting a psychological approach to meet consumer needs. Merchants have become more adept at leveraging secondary product features to satisfy customers, rather than simply focusing on core functionalities or added value. It’s important to note that commerce is a competitive field where any research or persuasion method is accessible to anyone who wishes to use it.

Robert Cialdini identifies six fundamental principles of persuasion: affection, reciprocity, social proof, consistency, authority, and scarcity. According to him, these principles underpin all persuasive strategies. For example, people tend to appreciate those who appreciate them in return, respond positively to generosity, follow the example of others, remain consistent with their commitments, trust experts, and desire what is rare or difficult to obtain.

In a concrete example, the BBDO Juniper Park agency sought to convince passersby in Chicago’s Jackson Tunnel that the potatoes used for its potato chips came from local farms, cultivated by farmers in the region. This approach aims to highlight the origin of the products and build trust with consumers by emphasizing the local and authentic aspect of production.