Hedges in TikTok Advertisements: Their Persuasive Impact on the Viewers

Hedges introduce caution or qualification into statements, contributing to nuanced and flexible communication by expressing varying degrees of confidence. This study analyzed the use of hedges in TikTok advertisements and their persuasive impact on viewers. An exploratory sequential design was employed, beginning with a qualitative phase analyzing ten TikTok ads for hedge usage, followed by a quantitative phase using a survey to measure their persuasive impact on viewers. Thirty-five students of Tangub City Global College (TCGC) participated as respondents. Findings revealed that TikTok ads frequently use hedges such as noun phrases, modals verbs like can, will, and should, adverbial phrases like as fast as, subjective phrases like what I love about this, and conditional clauses like if symptoms persist. These hedges manage expectations, convey flexibility, and acknowledge uncertainty. Viewers generally found hedges to enhance the persuasiveness of advertisements, though some had reservations about complete trustworthiness of the products. Recommendations include engaging students in discussions on the ethical implications of hedges, integrating media literacy into education, and encouraging consumers to seek additional information about advertised products or services.