From politicians, influencers, wellness gurus, and conspiracy leaders, we look at modern examples of how the plain folks propaganda technique is used to persuade and influence us.
What is Plain Folks?
Plain Folks is a technique of propaganda when someone uses a “regular person” image or story to make themselves and their message seem more trustworthy and relatable.
Other names it goes by include Common Man, Common Folk, Plain Folks Appeal, and even the Average Joe tactic.
The message is basically: I’m one of you, so you should believe me.
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A guide to recognising the Plain Folks persuasion tactic by breaking down the signals used by tech leaders, influencers, celebrities, and politicians to appear like ordinary people.
- By Patrick
- Everyday Persuasion Articles, The Theory
- Reading Time 10 Minutes
Table of Contents
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Plain Folks Definition
When someone in the public eye rolls up their sleeves, talks about coming from a humble background, or is photographed doing normal everyday things, the aim is to present themselves as a regular, average person, just like you and me.
By doing this they aim to appear relatable and familiar, and to increase the chances that you’ll feel comfortable with them — and more open to what they’re trying to persuade you to believe or accept.
This is a method of persuasion called the Plain Folks Fallacy and is often used in politics and advertising to bypass critical thinking by appealing to emotion.
But there are many other figures who use the Plain Folks approach to build trust and shape opinion, and it’s usually far more subtle than when a politician does it.
Different Types of the Plain Folks Technique
There are all sorts of people who want to influence you and persuade you.
People with a story to sell will go out of their way to show you they are the same as you, that you have shared experiences and similar problems. They can relate to you and you can relate to them.
You are far more likely to trust someone like this, and it’s that trust which the persuader is aiming to exploit.
Plain Folks Propaganda Examples
The Plain Folks technique can go by other names, such as the Plain Folks Appeal, Common Man Fallacy, and Everyday Person Advertising, but the purpose is always the same.
Politicians
The most blatant use of the Plain Folk method.
This is the most obvious and cynical group who try to persuade you by showing you how they are “just like you”.
Going to the pub, eating burgers or fish and chips, and talking about how they grew up somewhere “just like this”.
Tech Billionaires
Working hard to appear informal.
Hoodies instead of suits, trainers instead of dress shoes, casual offices, messy desks, and stories about starting out in a garage or spare bedroom.
Wealth and influence are downplayed in favour of signals associated with normal working life.
Advertising
Just a regular family with a busy life, just like you
This is not seen as an advert from a global corporation who want to sell you their car, but instead a testimonial from people just like you.
“We’re just a regular family on a budget, and this car keeps us safe without costing the earth.”
Plain Folks Celebrities and Influencers
The influencer model is the Plain Folks persuasion method turbo-charged for a digital platform. What was once a single rhetorical technique has become an entire business model.
The Everyday Life Vlog
Lifestyle influencers are a natural choice for the plain folks technique.
A cluttered flat, doing laundry, dishes, and meal prep, shows that they are just like you.
The branded product sits on the kitchen counter.
Hey, I'm No Expert
A growing modern variation is the reluctant authority.
“I’m not a scientist, but…”
“I’m just asking questions…”
“I don’t have all the answers, I’m just a normal person…”
The Relatable Friend
It’s like you’re hanging out together, sharing tips and the things you’ve found.
A fashion influencer says they still work regular 9‑to‑5 hours, just like you.
And they promote clothing brands as “stuff I actually buy with my own pay-check.”
The Plain Folks with Personal Hardship and Poor Upbringings
A common variation of the Plain Folks technique is the personal setback story. This isn’t just about being “ordinary,” but about having suffered in a way the audience can easily recognise.
Like You, I've Suffered
Illness and suffering often appear in the back story.
David Icke sells his story as being just an ordinary man who happened to notice something wrong with the world, and with a career cut short by a debilitating illness.
It establishes him as someone humble, relatable, and suspicious of official systems that failed him.
The Accidental Leader
I’m not a guru, I’m one of you, we’re on this journey together.
Wellness personas, such as with Gwyneth Paltrow, are built around personal struggle.
“I used to struggle just like you”
“I didn’t trust doctors either”
“I’m not selling anything, I just want to help”
Poor Childhood
Hardship used as a credential. A survivor turned success story.
Andrew Tate’s story of wealth and authority are framed as being earned through pain, aligning him with disaffected men who feel cheated by the system.
Growing up poor
Being ignored or disrespected
- Having to “learn the real rules” outside institutions
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