View Content #23184

Overview: In this activity students will pretend they are marketing students and watch a video about different techniques advertisers use to get people to buy their products. Then students will find an ad online that’s directed toward either men or women and post it to class discussion board. Then students will select two of the ads in the discussion board and find examples of the techniques they just learned about. Then they will pretend to be parents and explain to their children why they chose a certain product for them. As an extension, can create their own advertisement.

Learning objectives: Students will be able to select advertisements directed towards a specific population of people. Students will be able to identify, highlight and give an example of the advertising techniques they learned in a video. Students will be able to explain why they chose a particular product over another.

Modes: Interpretive Listening, Interpersonal Communication

Materials needed:  Handout

Procedure:

1.)Set the stage for students; they are marketing interns tasked with making a successful advertisement. They need to learn as much as they can about it.

2.)Have students watch the video “The Secret Science of Advertising.” They will take notes and make a list of the different techniques mentioned in the video.

3.)Have students research and select an advertisement that is clearly targeted towards men or women that uses at least three techniques mentioned in the video. They must upload this advertisement to the class discussion board where other students can see it.

4.)Next students find two advertisements posted on the class discussion board. They watch them and take notes on the techniques present, using the handout as guidance.

5.)Now students pretend that they are a mother or father who is at the store trying to buy the product featured in the ads for your teenage kids (one boy and one girl), and they have to share it. Explain to your children which product you chose and why. (This can be recorded and uploaded or done in class)

6.)Extension: Students create their own advertisement.

Notes: This activity focuses on video advertisements, but you can also do this same process for print ads as well.