The dark art of manipulation and propaganda from Goebbels to modern advertising. Know the psychological tricks, defend yourself against influence.
Every day, we are exposed to thousands of advertising messages that imperceptibly influence our decisions, emotions and opinions. But where is the line between permissible persuasion and manipulative influence? And what can we learn from history’s most professional propagandists, such as Goebbels, to better understand and perhaps defend ourselves? A diverse, sometimes frightening, but certainly instructive topic!
What is manipulation and why does it work?
Much of human decision-making is based on emotional and subconscious processes. Research shows that we often make decisions based on our emotions rather than rationally, and this is exactly what advertising exploits.
Famous research by neuroscientist Antonio Damasio also revealed that without emotions, people are unable to make decisions. Advertising psychology has recognised that consumers are driven by subconscious desires and fears, often acting on deep-rooted needs such as self-worth, belonging or a desire for security. Advertising also conveys social and cultural norms, and consumers often seek to identify with the lifestyle or ideals they see.
Manipulation (manipulation techniques) is basically not much different from persuasion, it also tries to change attitudes, but it uses much more sophisticated techniques. We resort to manipulation when we feel we cannot persuade the recipient to change their mind. The results may be short-lived, because the change is not in attitude but in behaviour, for example, if someone does something because they are sympathetic to the persuader, hope for a reward or want to please them.
The masterstroke of Nazi propaganda: Goebbels and the power of words
Joseph Goebbels, the propaganda minister of Nazi Germany, was a master of manipulating the masses. Goebbels went from a frustrated intellectual to one of the Third Reich’s most dangerous ideologues. Although he was initially not anti-Semitic at all, and even had a romantic relationship with a Jewish girl, it was broken off because of incompatibility with Nazi ideology.
However, Nazi propaganda did not begin with Goebbels, Hitler was already aware of its importance and devoted a special chapter to it in Mein Kampf. According to Hitler, the loss of the First World War was largely due to the fact that the British used propaganda more skilfully, demonising the Germans, while the Germans tended to ridicule the British. Hitler realised that this was not a good choice, because the soldiers coming to the front were shocked at how hard the ‘ridiculous’ English could fight and felt cheated.
Goebbels and Hitler recognised the opportunities presented by the economic crisis and the public mood. Their tactics were to blame the situation, blaming the foreigners, the weak hinterland, the left, the capitalists and the Jews. This fake victimhood, the legend of the dagger thrust, was the basis of Nazi propaganda, which claimed that it was because of these groups that the Germans lost the war.
Scapegoating and dehumanisation
Nazi propaganda was a master of scapegoating. They exploited people’s desire to belong(group identity). The proclamation of a common enemy to unite against strengthened group cohesion. People who were marginalised or visibly different from the group (e.g. Jews) were easy to turn into enemies. By emphasising Aryan superiority, Germans were made to believe that they were more valuable than the out-group, and they also used visual means to increase the distance, such as depicting Jews as worms and creepy-crawlies in newspapers, and even children’s books about them. This dehumanization and infrahumanization eliminated empathy and legitimized extreme violence and genocide.
Goebbels’ 6 points on how propaganda works:
- Avoid abstract thoughts and target emotions.
- Target them with few messages, but keep them coming.
- Use superficial, generalised opinions, stereotypes.
- The argument should be one-sided, never nuanced.
- Constantly criticise your opponent and look for an enemy image.
- Constantly defame the enemy’s image.
The manipulation of language
The manipulation of language played a major role. The linguist Professor Klemperer described how Nazism was drilled into the flesh and blood of the masses through individual words, turns of speech and sentence forms, repeated a million times. They used expressions such as: people’s festival, people’s party, people’s community.
They have sought to polarise, to instil a black and white mentality: there is only good or evil, love or hate, no room for reflection. The big lie technique is to say things so outlandish that no one can imagine that anyone could have made them up. Goebbels had created a meta-language and a mental space in which the primacy of meaning was lost and the interpretation of words was constantly being shaped.
The arsenal of manipulation: emotions instead of rationality
Hitler had been training in oratory since 1919, and was well versed in the techniques for whipping up strong emotions in people. Nothing was left to chance:
- Waiting: both Hitler and Goebbels kept the masses waiting, who by then were tired, exhausted and therefore less rational.
- Long, torrential speeches: Hitler used to talk for two hours, the audience would get tired.
- Effect-hunting tricks: at the end of the speeches, the most effective tricks were used, boosting the atmosphere to the point of ecstasy.
- Dynamic gesticulation: the gesticulation, waving and shouting of Hitler may seem grotesque today, but for people used to silent films at the time, it was perfectly acceptable.
- Emotional structure: the speeches had a clearly traceable emotional structure: first they aroused tension(fear), then came the scapegoating(anger, rage), and finally the presentation of a solution, the labelling of Hitler as a messiah(hope, piety).
When our emotional system is switched on, logical analysis is switched off. The feeling of threat really amplifies group cohesion.
Peer pressure and conformity
Peer pressure and conformity (conformity to the group norm) are very strong. When something appears to be a very strong social consensus, the dominant opinion is reinforced and the opposing opinion is marginalised. People prefer not to say what they think for fear of exclusion, which creates a so-called silence spiral.
Beyond words: the multisensory web
The Nazis extended their propaganda activities to all areas of life. Radio, the most modern means of communication at the time, also played a key role. Nazi propaganda was a multi-sensory code system that affected all the senses:
- Sight: Huge mass events, flags, banners, mobile columns.
- Sound: militant sounds (marching, shouts, slogans), Hitler salutes and anthems were used as branding.
- Body image: the body images of the Aryan ideal mobilised the target group positively, while the “inferior” qualities were represented by images that evoked negative body feelings.
- Taste and smell: Nutrition was not a private matter either, the idea of Vollkornbrot (wholemeal rye bread) was also economical and ideological.
- Tactile: War economy policy brought new materials and textiles into everyday life (man-made fibres, substitutes).
With the appropriation of the media system, the Nazi brand existed and spread not as an alternative, but as a combination of increasing internal and external pressures.
The secret weapon of modern advertising – or the Nazi legacy?
Today’s advertising uses many of Goebbels’ manipulation techniques, albeit with different aims and ethical frameworks:
- Emotional manipulation: they build on fear and desire to stimulate.
- Social proof: people tend to follow the example of the majority (“most popular”, “9 out of 10 customers recommend”).
- Scarcity (FOMO): ‘Today only’, ‘Limited edition’ messages encourage urgent purchases.
- Framing effect: “80% low fat” sounds better than “contains 20% fat”.
- Priming: the smell of fresh bread makes the bakery feel hungry.
- Anchoring: our judgement is influenced by the first information we receive (e.g. a higher initial price).
The impact of the digital revolution
The digital revolution and social media have amplified these techniques. Online marketing collects an incredible amount of data about users, enabling micro-targeted and personalised advertising. Retargeting, influencer marketing and platform algorithms all help the self-evolving process of manipulation.
How can you protect yourself?
Manipulation can hardly be eliminated, but it can be made aware and controlled. Here are some suggestions:
- Be critical of divisions: when it’s confronted with “there’s us and there’s them”, there’s always a purpose.
- Fight your prejudices: ask yourself: is this statement true for everyone in the group?
- Develop your empathy: Put yourself in the other person’s shoes.
- Get information from several sources: Follow a wide range of opinions and sites to get a more colourful picture.
- Be wary of messages with strong messages: news that appeals to very strong emotions can be suspicious.
The manipulation techniques used in advertising are deeply rooted in our understanding of human psychology. Much of human decision making is based on emotional and subconscious processes, because without emotions people are unable to make decisions.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
1. What is the difference between propaganda and advertising, and how has this boundary been blurred throughout history?
Propaganda and advertising are also tools of persuasion. The main differences lie in the objective (political vs. economic), the ethics (misleading vs. informing) and the degree of coercion. In Nazi Germany, propaganda exercised total control over the media. Today the two concepts are often difficult to distinguish.
2. What psychological mechanisms are used in advertising and propaganda and why are they so effective?
They rely on mechanisms such as emotional manipulation (fear, desire), social proof, the principle of scarcity, framing, pre-sounding and the anchor effect. They are effective because the emotional centre of our brain reacts faster than the part responsible for logical, critical thinking.
3. How did Nazi propaganda use psychological knowledge to manipulate the masses?
Their main methods were scapegoating, the “Big Lie” technique, polarisation and simplification, repetition of key words, emotionally constructed speeches, personality cult, dehumanisation and encouragement to conform.
4. What means were used to spread Nazi propaganda in the Third Reich and what was their effect?
The press, radio (Volksempfänger), film, books and educational material were all tools of propaganda. In addition, visual elements (posters, flags) and large-scale rituals (e.g. Nuremberg party congresses) were used. The effect was to completely shape the minds of the German people and to prepare for the Holocaust.
5. What was the role of Joseph Goebbels in building Nazi propaganda and what was his personality like?
Goebbels was the propaganda minister and the mastermind of the system. With extraordinary skill, he organised the propaganda machine, constructed Hitler’s image and used the modern media effectively. His personality was characterised by fanatical loyalty, radical anti-Semitism and a mastery of influencing the emotions of the masses.
6. What ethical issues does manipulation in advertising and propaganda raise and what are its social effects?
Manipulation undermines consumer autonomy, contributes to negative aspects of consumer culture, exploits vulnerable groups and erodes public trust. History has shown that propaganda can be the basis of totalitarian regimes and genocide.
7. How have online marketing and social media enhanced and transformed manipulation techniques?
Through data collection and micro-targeting, retargeting, influencer marketing, algorithms and A/B testing, online marketing has multiplied the scope of manipulation and made it often invisible.
8. How can we defend ourselves against manipulation and propaganda in today’s world?
The key is awareness, critical thinking, multi-source information, avoiding stereotypes, developing empathy and knowing manipulation techniques.
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Aletta Nagy-Kozma
