# Are There 'Hidden Persuaders' Among Us? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 18, 2005, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-hidden-persuaders-among-us/299900 "2005-04-18T15:11:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Surreal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@Surreal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surreal)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2005, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-hidden-persuaders-among-us/299900/1 "2005-04-18T15:11:14Z")
As I understand it, there are some marketing firms out there that hire field representatives to surreptitiously attempt to influence people’s purchasing decisions. The theory behind this being that it only takes a few of these ‘influentials’ to initiate a trend, but once the trends starts thousands more sheople will follow their lead. I’ve heard that some of these firms even use a ‘grassroots’ internet approach, sending people out to join online communities, blend in with them, gain their trust, achieve popularity, and once they’ve become sufficiently influential there they start promoting the products they’ve been paid to promote. Is this accurate? Do you suspect that something like this has happened here, or could happen here? How would we be able to identify it if they did?? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2005, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-hidden-persuaders-among-us/299900/2 "2005-04-18T15:28:23Z")
That’s an interesting question. I’ll get back to you with an answer after I think about it while drinking a cool, refreshing Pepsi One®. It’s a new low-carb, low calorie soft drink from the makers of Pepsi Cola® and Diet Pepsi®. ---
**Author:** ![picker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/picker/32/13969_2.png) [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2005, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-hidden-persuaders-among-us/299900/3 "2005-04-18T15:47:26Z")
I’m pretty sure we’re safe here at the SDMB. :: swigs a Pepsi One :: ---
**Author:** ![andrewdt85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/71e660/32.png) [@andrewdt85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andrewdt85)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2005, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-hidden-persuaders-among-us/299900/4 "2005-04-18T15:51:49Z")
**C** ould **O** ne really **K** eep a sense of **E** asiness in an environment like that? ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2005, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-hidden-persuaders-among-us/299900/5 "2005-04-18T15:58:10Z")
I think Chewlies Gum Company tried something along these lines once. It didn’t end too well for the representative. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ea5d25/32.png) [@Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Scrappy_Hero_Pup)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2005, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-hidden-persuaders-among-us/299900/6 "2005-04-18T16:05:21Z")
Wayne and Garth spoke out pretty strongly against the evils of sponsorship in _Wayne’s World_. [sub]_curse you, UrbanChic, for stealing the joke I came to make_[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2005, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-hidden-persuaders-among-us/299900/7 "2005-04-18T16:08:20Z")
Hidden you have a small penis if you drink PepsiPersuaders would be an excellent User Name! ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2005, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-hidden-persuaders-among-us/299900/8 "2005-04-18T16:38:31Z")
> [@Happy Scrappy Hero Pup](#): > > [sub]_curse you, UrbanChic, for stealing the joke I came to make_[/sub] You know, I don’t normally reply to such things. I usually just bask in an ersatz glow of smug self-satisfaction. Considering your userid, however, I almost feel guilty. Almost. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2005, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-hidden-persuaders-among-us/299900/9 "2005-04-18T17:06:34Z")
I recently was persusing for some want ads and came across one that included “Internet Newsgroups and Guerilla Marketing”. Screw that. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2005, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-hidden-persuaders-among-us/299900/10 "2005-04-18T17:09:46Z")
I’ve seen some “internship” postings for radio stations that are really ads for unpaid street-team and message-board guerrilla marketers. Robin ---
**Author:** ![THespos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@THespos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/THespos)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2005, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-hidden-persuaders-among-us/299900/11 "2005-04-18T17:14:51Z")
[This](http://www.womma.org/ethics.htm) is the ethics code for the recently-formed Word Of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA). Their code calls for honesty with regard to affiliation. Now, ask yourself why such a code would be needed in the first place. Are there “Hidden Persuaders” among us? My guess would be yes. ---
**Author:** ![jimmmy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/73ab20/32.png) [@jimmmy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimmmy)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2005, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-hidden-persuaders-among-us/299900/12 "2005-04-18T18:09:29Z")
They are probably here, 50,000 members is probably just about where they would target. I’d look for them on Cafe Society mainly. I would look for things that seem odd. If someone says “\* I really am excited about the New Star Wars movie next month\*” that doesn’t strike me as odd. I know 6 "real people " who have said the same thing. But howabout “_YoYoYo you all!! OMG you know what is going to drop on May 6th? I’ll give y’all the 411: The new Don Cheadle/Sandra Bullock/Matt Damon movie **Crash**. You I know I’m going to get my Moms to drive me to the mall to check that out that first day. It is going to be a mad happening_” Name: MickyR — Location: 90210y’all It is very subtle but if it seems like a little too much heat, trying a little too hard to get you excited about something almost no one in their right mind would be excited about (or really that you never met anyone who was excited about it in its target audience). You can look forward to the person posting in July about Johnny Knoxville and Jessica Simpson in Dukes of Hazard – and you start becoming suspicious. Then you look for the start a thread about persuaders in IMHO to throw everyone off the trail … :dubious: j/k 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![andrewdt85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/71e660/32.png) [@andrewdt85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andrewdt85)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2005, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-hidden-persuaders-among-us/299900/13 "2005-04-18T18:27:26Z")
Now maybe you are j/k and maybe you aren’t- I’m starting to wonder who I can trust here and who could be a rat. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2005, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-hidden-persuaders-among-us/299900/14 "2005-04-18T18:34:50Z")
I’m not sure it would work in any case. I’ve been going on about the sheer joy that is spotted dick, faggots and steak and kidney pies for five years now - and American sales don’t seem to have increased. go and get some lovely faggots. Have them, with your spotted dick…you will obey ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2005, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-hidden-persuaders-among-us/299900/15 "2005-04-18T20:08:59Z")
I **f** a **n** y **o** ne he **r** e were to **d** o that – **f** or sure the teemi **n** g milli **o** ns would **r** ecognize such **d** eception quickly? ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2005, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-hidden-persuaders-among-us/299900/16 "2005-04-18T20:23:39Z")
Not necessarily, a very skilled agent provacateur/propagandist could be very subtle. I fear the **true political and government affiliated propagandists and agents provacateurs** that have surely infiltrated our ranks here (specifically in Great Debates.) - they are much more nefarious than any marketing campaign or branding attempt. ---
**Author:** ![Scott\_Plaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Scott\_Plaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scott_Plaid)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2005, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-hidden-persuaders-among-us/299900/17 "2005-04-18T22:01:29Z")
fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord > [@twickster](#): > > I **f** a **n** y **o** ne he **r** e were to **d** o that – **f** or sure the teemi **n** g milli **o** ns would **r** ecognize such **d** eception quickly? fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord Notice what?fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord fnord ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2005, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-hidden-persuaders-among-us/299900/18 "2005-04-18T22:17:25Z")
> [@devilsknew](#): > > I fear the **true political and government affiliated propagandists and agents provacateurs** that have surely infiltrated our ranks here (specifically in Great Debates.) - they are much more nefarious than any marketing campaign or branding attempt. Now, now… **Sam Stone** has stated repeatedly that he’s from Canada. Of course, that’s what you’d expect a government-affiliated propagandist to say… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![js\_africanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@js\_africanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/js_africanus)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2005, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-hidden-persuaders-among-us/299900/19 "2005-04-18T22:20:38Z")
> [@Shirley Ujest](#): > > Hidden you have a small penis if you drink PepsiPersuaders would be an excellent User Name! I’m really thirsty, but I just don’t want to drink that you have a loose vagina if you drink Coke Pepsi® in the fridge. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2005, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-hidden-persuaders-among-us/299900/20 "2005-04-19T00:36:21Z")
Suddenly, for no reason, I have a craving for loose vagina. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-hidden-persuaders-among-us/299900.md?page=2)