The Most Basic Method of Propaganda: Increasing Visibility?

I worked in London between 2008-2010. During this period, I often went to the British Ministry of Defense. These visits were as a part of the routine activities organized to inform all attachés about the missions given from Turkey or the military policies of the British authorities.

In the first days of my assignment, I did not see any uniformed officers or soldiers during these visits and while traveling around London.[1] I thought they only wore uniforms inside the Ministry of Defense, not outside. I asked the liaison officers at the Department of Defense and found out that this was true.

After a while, military members of the navy began to appear outside in uniform one day a week. Then the personnel of other forces followed suit. After about a year, I started to meet military people dressed in military uniforms on the streets on different days of the week, and this situation aroused my curiosity.

So, when I was invited to a briefing at the Ministry of Defense, I asked an admiral about this issue over coffee before the briefing. His answer was quite interesting. Admiral briefly; “We are trying to increase our visibility.” said. Hearing this, some thoughts immediately popped up in my head. Because at that time, the British press was writing in a way that made fun of the Navy.

These articles are generally; “The UK has 21 ships but we have 22 admirals. If all of them are captains of a ship, one of them remains idle. Is the government wasting our taxes? What is the idle admiral doing? Moreover, the United Kingdom has not participated in a naval war for a long time. Battles take place on land and in the form of low-intensity conflict. Need an extra admiral?" They were talking about things like

I thought it was about these broadcasts. To be sure of this, I asked the admiral: “Can you unpack this a bit? Why are you trying to increase your visibility?” The Admiral said in summary: “We noticed that the support for the army decreased when the public did not see anyone in military uniform on the street. This situation was also reflected in the press and the criticism towards the army increased. Moreover, we have problems in finding young people who want to be soldiers. As we understand from the research we have done, the fact that the soldier is away from the public's eyes also causes him to stay away from his heart. When the public sees no one in uniform, their belief that the army is an important and necessary institution dwindles. That's why we're trying to be more visible to the public."

I was very surprised to hear these statements. “So does this do any good?” I asked. Sailors first started this practice because it received the most criticism. Surveys and studies have revealed that increasing visibility has a positive effect on public opinion. Thereupon, other forces joined the practice. The practice of coming to work in uniform, which started as one day a week at first, was later extended to two days. The reactions received showed that this practice led to a positive development. Like everything I learned and thought was important, I immediately reported this to Ankara.

I am not writing this to recount my memories or to talk about military matters. I'm just mentioning it because it's a very interesting example of how important visibility is. Visibility is very important for everyone, whether it's a private or legal person. Because every being wants to be known and in order to be known, it is necessary to be visible. You must have seen people who understand the importance of this in your daily life. For example, some artists try to appear on television screens every day. Moreover, some do not wait for an invitation. They send underhand news to the paparazzi and tell others where to go. When they see the journalists in front of them, it is as if they have no news; “Aaaa! Where did you hear that I'm coming here?" They act like.

I would like to briefly talk about my very interesting experience in this regard. Years ago we were having dinner somewhere with friends one day. There were several people in the group that I did not know. “Sing a song so we can find our joy.” They said something like The boy immediately began to sing without making any fuss. She was saying well, too. When the song is over I “You sing pretty well, you'd be a singer. Make a tape, I think." the boy was surprised. "Are you kidding me?" He looked at me and then at my friends. A friend must have noticed that something strange had happened, so he immediately intervened.

"I suppose you don't read a lot of newspapers these days?" she said. I said, "What's the matter?" When he said, “This singing friend ……… sold 700 thousand copies of the cassette in a week. All Turkey knows. Very famous." she replied. I looked at the boy, he was someone I had never seen. Although at that time I had just returned from a long-term eastern mission and did not know much about what was going on in the country. Moreover, the song he sang was of a genre I hadn't heard much back then.

I was very surprised to hear that. Involuntarily; “I also liked the song 

It's the first time I've heard the name of it." When he said, our singer broke down a little. When you realize this; “Oh please don't be offended. I was on the job for a long time. I don't know what's going on in my country because I don't read a newspaper or anything. But you say it very well. It's no coincidence that his tape sold well." I tried to win your heart. Our singer was a little relieved when he heard this. "Might be my dear. It has already happened in the last week that my name has been heard all over the country. Moreover, it happened because of an interesting coincidence.” said.

Hearing this, I asked him what he did before. Then our singer began to explain. He was a singer for as long as he knew himself. He's been singing in restaurants for a while. He also released his tape about three months before he became famous. But the cassette hardly sold. One day, while singing in a drunk restaurant, a customer wrote a song title on a piece of paper and sent it. But our singer did not know this song. That's why he didn't say. The man sent another paper a little later. But since he didn't know the song on that paper, he didn't sing it either.

The client must be someone who is looking for trouble, which he has made a matter of pride. As he jumped onto the stage, he took the organ and put it on our singer's head. Sure, it's messy. The client was calmed and sent. They took the singer to the hospital and had the wounds on his head treated. Somehow, this incident reached the ears of the paparazzi. They went to the hospital and took pictures of themselves. The next day, with big headlines in the newspapers, “Singer ……. he was beaten. The singer whose cassette tape was released ….. the organ broke in his head when he did not sing the song the customer wanted.” ' they said very loudly. Some television channels also reported on this. From the next day, cassette sales exploded.

When the singer explained this, he said, “Get well soon, brother. Hopefully there is no permanent damage to your head. Did you take the man to court?" I said. The singer looked at me strangely and said, "Brother, am I crazy, why should I take it to court? After leaving the hospital, I found the first businessman and kissed his hand. ‘Brother, where have you been all this time? I wish we had met before so you could break the organ in my head before.' I said and invited him to my place of work. But I told him to ask for songs from the tape, I don't know the old songs. I still see him." he replied.

That's what it means to increase visibility. A single cassette that has not been sold for three months makes 700 thousand copies sold in a week. He turns a bar singer whom no one knows into a famous person known all over the country in one day.

Apart from artists, big companies are the ones who understand the importance of visibility best. They advertise nonstop. You will constantly see the advertisements of these companies on television, on the Internet, and on the billboard that appears when you stop at a red light while driving. In these advertisements, something is written or said. But it doesn't matter that much what is written. The best ad is the one with the fewest words. So people don't get confused. It is enough to have a few effective words that can be easily memorized. It is more important than words to see their names and, if any, the colors/shapes that represent their products by seeing them all the time.

One of the areas where visibility is most important is politics. That's why mayors (especially some) even if they drive a nail somewhere, immediately write in big letters, "This is business…. It was made by the municipality.” and hang banners with their own names on the bottom. Some politicians often give interviews to newspapers. Or they go on TV and talk. Ozal was probably the first politician who understood the importance of television very well. That's why he used to appear on television regularly in a program broadcast under the name of "İcraat Inside" and had the nation watch himself.

You don't need to be on TV to be visible now, though. There is a medium called social media, which I think has become more important than television. Because, as far as I can see from my own children, the new generation neither reads the newspaper nor watches television. They learn everything from social media and internet newspapers. Especially, they are circulating on channels such as Youtube and Tiktok. Those who watch television are middle-aged and above. Their population is decreasing every year. The rapid decline in newspaper sales also shows this.

As such, it is much easier to increase visibility today than in the past. But for some reason, opposition parties do nothing but waste their time blaming "pool media" and TRT. They can show themselves to the public without the channels they mention. For example, they can open an account on all social media platforms and call out to the public. If these shares are shared by party leaders in each province and district (a planning should be done and instructions should be given), it is possible to reach more than half of the country.

On the other hand, they can also install internet television. You don't need a lot of money to set up. Internet sites can be set up and broadcasts can be made there. Not only for the party leaders, but also for the deputies and party administrators. 

they can write or speak in a controlled manner within the moment. Yotubube and Tiktok can be shot and broadcast. For example, videos can be shot in which the general situation of the country is evaluated on a certain day and time every week. If this is done continuously, an environment that those who are curious can always follow will be created. If attention can be drawn, the entire public will wait for a week's broadcast.

Most importantly, both party presidents and party administrators should visit tradesmen, farmers and industrialists. Deputies can also go to the provinces where they are elected frequently and meet with the public. The interviews made during these visits are published in video and text. In addition, videos can be made about the detected problems and solutions for them can be explained. As far as I understand, this is a method that will increase the vote rate the fastest. People have been complaining about not being able to see politicians for a while. In times of distress, people need someone they can contact one-on-one and talk to about their troubles. I am not much interested in politics, but as far as I have heard from those who are interested, they say that the vote rate of that party has increased rapidly in the polls made after the tradesmen's visits by the leader of a political party.

There is another side benefit of these trips and visits, as well as sharing articles and videos on social media. If the head of a political party goes on a tour of the country, holds a rally or just visits the shopkeepers or farmers, the televisions that do not show him on the screen have to talk about him. Because the trip and rally organized by a political party leader is newsworthy for everyone.

Thus, it is possible to break the embargo. Oh, the channels in question can only broadcast their news from a critical point of view while showing these trips. But that doesn't matter. Advertising is not good or bad. Enough to increase your visibility. Because to be visible; I'm here too, I'm here and I'm very close to you. It means notice me. That's why, from seven to seventy, almost everyone shares their pictures, where they go, and even what they eat and drink on their social media accounts. In short, being visible is everything.

footnotes

[1] British military personnel in general; Colonels and Generals were classified as officers and soldiers. Since military service was not compulsory, all soldiers consisted of professional personnel. The sergeants, called Warrant Officers, had a separate position within the soldiers' classification. Colonels had a privileged place among officers. Not every officer could become a colonel, and since they commanded the garrison, colonels were treated similarly to generals. I was a lieutenant colonel when I took office. About a month later I became a colonel. I could clearly see the difference in their treatment of me after I got promoted.