Bandwagon vs Testimonial
What is the difference, when does each apply, and can both be at work at once.
Bandwagon
Urging the audience to adopt a belief or a product because everyone else already has, so that the fear of being left out replaces a judgment of the thing itself.
Testimonial
Having a respected or admired person endorse an idea, product, or candidate, so that the audience's regard for the person stands in for a judgment of the thing endorsed.
The differences
| Bandwagon | Testimonial | |
|---|---|---|
| The lever | Everyone else: the number of people who already believe or buy. | Someone in particular: a respected, admired, or hated person who endorses or condemns. |
| What it exploits | Social proof and the fear of being left out. | Authority, admiration, and the halo effect. |
| Shape of the claim | "Millions have switched." "Join the movement." "Don't be the last." | "Nine out of ten dentists." "As used by…" "I'm not a doctor, but…" |
| Where it shows up | Rallies, crowd shots, sales figures, trending lists, follower counts. | Endorsements, celebrity campaigns, expert panels, influencer posts. |
| The counter-move | Would the claim be any less true if you were the only person who believed it? | Is this person an authority on this, and are they paid? |
| The tell | A number of people offered as the reason. | A name offered as the reason. |
"America's fastest-growing network. Over two million families have already made the switch." Nothing is said about what the network does. The crowd is the argument.
A film star in a white coat recommends a brand of toothpaste. The star has no dental training; the coat and the fame do the work.
Frequently, and the combination is a staple of advertising: "Join the millions who trust the brand that doctors recommend." The two devices answer different questions, how many and who, and a message that supplies both is trying to close off both lines of doubt at once. Take them separately. Ask what the number proves, then ask what the name proves, and notice that neither says anything about the product.