Memetic Warfare Archive

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BANDWAGON

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The Bandwagon Effect refers to any situation in which people attempt to be part of a successful or popular endeavour merely for the sake of its popularity. People are pushed to make a choice because everyone else is doing it. Peer pressure can come into play as it is natural to want to be part of the majority.

The history of this technique is as old as interesting. Propagandist like some advertisers often tries to convince the audience that is almost too late to take advantage of the offer, to join the organization, to follow the fad… to get on the bandwagon. The word comes from the previous centuries when the circus came to town, the first wagon of the circus parade always carried the band. Being on the bandwagon became synonymous with being a leader. The pursuit of this kind of propaganda is to invite the subject to be a part of a successful endeavour merely for the sake of its popularity.

People are pushed to make a choice because everyone else is doing it, for example during the World War II propaganda posters stressed that everyone needed to be involved in the war effort. Is important to notice that also here not all users of the tactic are propagandists. This kind of persuasion is also used in advertisement and is essential to not melt the two concepts together.

[IMG BELOW] A meme could be even an event, like in the case of Storm Area 51, where mass collaboration is claimed like the only way to success.

See other propaganda techniques:
ASSERTION ◊ BANDWAGON ◊ CARD STACKING ◊ GLITTERING GENERALITIES ◊ FALSE DILEMMA ◊ THE LESSER OF TWO EVILS ◊ NAME CALLING ◊ PINPOINTING THE ENEMY ◊ PLAIN FOLKS ◊ TESTIMONIALS ◊ TRANSFER ◊ DESIRES AND FEARS