Plain Folks

Commercials often use normal everyday looking people so that the intended audience can connect the product to their own lives. The plain folks approach is used to convince the audience that the spokesperson is from humble origins, someone they can trust and who has their interests at heart.  Any time a commercial shows average (not famous) people using or talking about a product, the "plain folks" technique is being used.

1^st EXAMPLE (Toyota Sienna):  Depiction of a typical Saturday morning yard sale

2nd EXAMPLE (Care More Insurance):  Depicts a Grandma sitting in her kitchen trying to understand all the new Medicare information.

3rd EXAMPLE (Obama in Ireland):  Pictures of Barack Obama drinking a pint of Guinness were symbolic in that it showed a president being able to enjoy the drink of the “plain folk” (working class) of Ireland.