HOW TO ANALYZE A TELEVISION
COMMERCIAL
Business Essentials (Unit 11)
Ms. Hawkins
Source: Understand Media (Santa Monica College, California State University)
http://www.understandmedia.com/media-theory/110-how-to-analyze-a-televisioncommercial
HOW TO ANALYZE A TELEVISION
COMMERCIAL
Some Statistics...
 98.1% of American households
have a television, while 99% of
people in America can read.
 This means that being able to
read barely beats out having a
television in your home.
 Most of us were taught to read
when we were very young, but
did we ever learn how to watch
television?
HOW TO ANALYZE A TELEVISION
COMMERCIAL
What is a Commercial Ad?
 It is a span of television
programming produced and paid
for by an organization that conveys a message,
typically one intended to market a product.
 It is a selling tool and reflects the business needs
of the corporations that pay for it.
 Advertisements are also cultural indicators,
though often distorted ones.
 Public Service Announcements (PSAs) convey
messages to promote the public good.
HOW TO ANALYZE A TELEVISION
COMMERCIAL
Why Commercials?
 They are the main ways for a
television station to make
money—the station sells
commercial time.
HOW TO ANALYZE A TELEVISION
COMMERCIAL
How Do Commercials Impact Us?
 Buy things we don't need
 Vote a way we might not normally vote
 Desire a lifestyle that we wouldn't necessarily
agree with
HOW TO ANALYZE A TELEVISION
COMMERCIAL
Why Analyze Commercials?
 So we don’t get snookered and WASTE
MONEY!!!.
HOW TO ANALYZE A TELEVISION
COMMERCIAL
Analysis—Seven Things to Consider
What is the product or service being sold?
 Can you easily figure out what the product is?
 Is there a product?
 What attributes and qualities of the product or
service is the commercial trying to sell?
HOW TO ANALYZE A TELEVISION
COMMERCIAL
Analysis—Seven Things to Consider
Who is the company sponsoring the product or
service being sold?
 Can you easily figure out who the sponsoring
company is?
 Is this a new product or service for this company?
HOW TO ANALYZE A TELEVISION
COMMERCIAL
Analysis—Seven Things to Consider
Who is this commercial aimed towards
(target market)?
 Who is the sponsoring company trying to sell to?
 Consider demographic characteristics such as
age, gender, income, educational level, etc.
 What are some examples of target markets?

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
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White women in their 30s (race and age)
Divorced males (family status)
Senior citizens (age)
African-American teenagers (race and
age)
HOW TO ANALYZE A TELEVISION
COMMERCIAL
Analysis—Seven Things to Consider
What is the message of the commercial?
 What is the central idea that the creators of the
commercial want the target audience to believe?

Examples:
“This face cream will make
you look younger and feel more
attractive”
“If you shop at our supermarket
you will save a lot of money”
HOW TO ANALYZE A TELEVISION
COMMERCIAL
Analysis—Seven Things to Consider
How does the commercial try to get your
attention?
 What methods are the advertisers using to make
us interested?
 What Persuasive Methods are used
(see class handout)
HOW TO ANALYZE A TELEVISION
COMMERCIAL
Analysis—Seven Things to Consider
How does the commercial try to get your
attention? (continued)...
 Does it use flashy
graphics
with fast
music?
 Does it alter the way
we see the world,
either
through the use
of special
effects or through
the story
line?
HOW TO ANALYZE A TELEVISION
COMMERCIAL
Analysis—Seven Things to Consider
How does the soundtrack play a role in your
interpretation of the commercial?
 Is the music cheery, dreary, suspenseful,
whimsical, fun, or exciting?
 Does the music affect our perception of the mood?
 Is there a voice-over of someone telling us
something?
 Would our perception of the voice change if the
voice was of a different gender or race?
 Does the commercial jingle stick in your head?
HOW TO ANALYZE A TELEVISION
COMMERCIAL
Analysis—Seven Things to Consider
How do the actors playing the characters affect
your interpretation of the commercial?
 Would your interpretation change if the
characters were of a different race or gender?
 What if the characters dressed differently or
spoke differently?
 How would that change your perception of the
character?