Utolsó frissítés: 2026.06.02. — Szerző: Anti-Propaganda News Blog
A Plain Folks This technique is one of the most frequently used tools in populist political communication and modern marketing. The essence of the method is that the propagandist—who is often a member of the political, economic, or intellectual elite—creates the impression that He is just one of many: an ordinary, everyday, simple person, who shares the values, everyday concerns, and lifestyle of the general public.
The Institute for Propaganda Analysis (IPA) points out that this technique is the to build trust builds. If the audience believes that the speaker is „one of them,” they automatically assume that the politician represents their true interests, thereby significantly reducing their critical stance toward his or her proposals.
A Propaganda Critic Based on a detailed analysis, the technique appears in the following recurring forms:
1. Visual and stylistic consistency
Politicians and their advisors know exactly how to present themselves in front of the cameras to win the public’s favor:
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Dress code: During the campaign season, expensive designer suits and dresses are replaced by rolled-up sleeves, plaid shirts, jeans, or work jackets.
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Everyday activities: A series of photos and videos showing the politician visiting the market, eating at local eateries (bread with lard, hamburgers, or lángos), drinking beer at the local pub, or chopping wood and doing yard work.
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Language: Instead of complex legal, economic, or academic jargon, they deliberately use direct, colloquial, and sometimes informal or slang expressions to connect with voters.
2. Emphasizing family background
Speakers often cite their origins to justify their status as „ordinary people,” even if they are now millionaires or wield considerable power:
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They often mention that their parents or grandparents were manual laborers, factory workers, farmers, or immigrants.
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They’re building a narrative that they themselves achieved their success through hard work starting from the bottom, so they know exactly what it’s like to „count their pennies at the end of the month.”.
3. The Fight Against the „Elite” (The Driving Force Behind Populism)
An essential part of this technique is that the propagandist draws a sharp line between „decent, ordinary people” (to whom he belongs) and the „Corrupt/Metropolitan/Global Elite.” By attacking groups portrayed as bureaucrats, intellectuals, or bankers, he reinforces the impression that he is the people’s brave defender against the privileged.
Mental Self-Defense: Questions About the „Simple People” Technique
When you see a political figure conspicuously emphasizing their ordinariness, you can use the following questions—based on the IPA methodology—to break down this manipulative performance:
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Who is this person really, when we consider their actual social standing, wealth, education, and political power? Do they truly live the life of an ordinary person?
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Why does it matter what a politician eats, what clothes they wear, or what kind of pet they have? Does any of this have anything to do with their professional competence or the quality of their proposed agenda?
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If you completely set aside the speaker’s direct, friendly style and folksy expressions, what are his specific, concrete political or economic measures?
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Does the program he proposes truly serve the long-term interests of ordinary people, or does it only benefit a small group that is trying to hide behind the image of „ordinary people”?
