From politicians, influencers, wellness brands and conspirituality, we look at modern examples of the transfer technique and borrowing someone else’s authority.
What is Transfer in Propaganda?
The Transfer technique is when an idea, product, belief or ideology feels convincing and plausible because it’s borrowing authority from something else we already like and respect — and not because of it’s own merits.
It works by bypassing rational evaluation in favour of emotional triggers.
The credibility being borrowed could be a sense of patriotism from a national flag, trust from science-based terminology, images of nature, or maybe a well liked celebrity.
Communicators can make an ideology feel inherently moral or scientific without providing objective evidence.
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The transfer technique works by making people feel the message is trustworthy because it’s linked to someone or something they already respect.
We are influenced to accept the idea because the technique replaces evaluation with emotion. Once an idea feels patriotic, scientific, spiritual, or moral, questioning it can feel inappropriate.
Instead of guilt by association, it’s credibility by association.
Transfer Propaganda Examples
Below are a selection of examples of the propaganda technique of Transfer being used in our normal everyday lives.
Some have already been well presented on websites and in textbooks, with others being less documented but maybe even more familiar and pervasive.
Flags and Patriotism
A policy announcement framed in front of a national flag quietly implies: to oppose this is to oppose the country itself.
The flag transfers nationalistic emotion and pride to the speech or announcement while the policy slips through largely unscrutinised.
Greenwashing
Words like eco, green, or responsible often transfer environmental virtue without meaningful accountability or measurable impact.
By surrounding a dirty or industrial process with images or the language of nature, the company transfers the feeling of environmental friendliness to their brand.
Historical Hijacking
If your target audience are seen as rebellious or non-mainstream, you can use an image of Che Guevara to transfer the idea of anti-authority on to your product or ideology.
If you want to promote yourself as strong, defiant or victorious, you can use an image of Winston Churchill.
If you want your audience to accept you as fair, decent and upstanding, an image of George Washington is your friend.
Sports and Luxury
A luxury watch brand transfers adventure and peak performance of elite athletes to the consumer.
Wellness Culture
Images of forests, sunlight, water, and bare feet transfer purity, safety, and truth onto products that may be chemically identical to less poetic alternatives.
Celebrity Transfer
A well-liked celebrity promotes a cryptocurrency, wellness supplement, or political cause.
You like and admire the person involved, therefore this must be alright.
Conspirituality Borrowing Science
David Icke has been a central figure in the modern belief system loosely known as Conspirituality. Although he is now best known for promoting conspiracy theories, his work began in the language of spirituality, long before his claims about a secret global cabal of reptilian shapeshifters from another dimension took centre stage.
David Icke and modern wellness culture are two of many examples of belief systems which use scientific language to transfer authority to ideas that can’t be tested.
The appearance of science isn’t there to prove anything — it’s there to make the belief feel credible.
David Icke
Language Used
- Energy, frequency, vibration
Quantum fields
Interdimensional
Holographic reality
Purpose
The language of science legitimises spiritual, conspiratorial, or metaphysical claims. Scientific terms are used metaphorically, but are spoken as if literal.
The language implies: “This isn’t belief — it’s how reality actually works.”
The Transfer
The authority of physics is borrowed and transferred to spiritual belief. Questioning this belief is then seen as ignorance, not scepticism.
Wellness Brands & Influencers
Language Used
Balances energy
Raises vibration
Detoxifies at a cellular level
Backed by science
Purpose
The vocabulary suggests biology, but unlike science does not give evidence, only reassurance.
Scientific words appear
Scientific methods do not
Testimonials replace experiments and the scientific method
The Transfer
The authority of medical credibility is borrowed and transferred to supplements, rituals, and products
Doubt feels like being “negative” or “closed off”.
Looking for a Book about Transfer and other Propaganda techniques?
Edward Bernays treated Transfer as a foundational method of influence, not a trick — an idea developed at length in his famous book on the subject Propaganda.
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