What do companies hope to gain through advertising?
How does one evaluate the helpfulness and reliability of information
presented in advertisements?
SS.8.FL.2.2 Analyze a source’s incentives in providing information about a good or
service, and how a consumer can better assess the quality and usefulness of the
information.
Correlated Literacy Standards:
LAFS.6.RI.1.1
Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the
text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from
the text.
LAFS.6.RI.3.8
Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims
in a text, distinguishing claims that are supported by
reasons and evidence from claims that are not.
Image: Wieden + Kennedy
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SS.8.FL.2.2 Analyze a source’s incentives in providing information about a good or service, and how a
consumer can better assess the quality and usefulness of the information.
Analyzing Advertisements: They Said…Whaaat?
Grade 6 Lesson Plan
Correlated Florida Standards (See Full Text on Cover Page)
 LAFS.6.RI.1.1
 LAFS.6.RI.3.8
Essential Questions
 What do companies hope to gain through advertising?

What techniques do advertisers use to sell their products or services?

How does one evaluate the helpfulness and reliability of information presented in advertisements?
Learning Goals/Objectives
 Identify companies’ motives for advertising.
 Understand how businesses get consumers to purchase their products
 Evaluate the helpfulness and reliability of information presented in advertisements
 Complete a “Document Analysis” of a print advertisement
Overview
 Students will discuss and evaluate the motivations and incentives for advertising. They will then review a
variety of print advertisements, discuss advertising techniques, analyze the advertisements, and complete
a document analysis worksheet for a selected advertisement.
Materials
 Handout #1 “The Why and Where of Advertising” (included)
 PowerPoint Presentation: Advertising and Persuasive Techniques



http://teach.clarkschools.net/jbernhard/literacy_web/persuasion/CommonPersuasiveTechniques.ppt
Reliable Source Comparison Sheet (included)
Newspaper or Magazine Ads (Either have these available in the classroom, or assign students to bring
them from home- see Home Learning)
Document Analysis Worksheet (included)
Time
 50 minutes
Activity Sequence
INTRODUCTION/HOOK
 Tell students that today’s class will be devoted to advertising. Brainstorm as to what advertising means.
Then ask students if they think they are affected by advertising? Why or Why not? (2 minutes)
 Now tell students that you are going to present some phrases. They are to respond with their first thought
when they hear the phrase.
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“Have it your way” (Burger King)
“Zoom, zoom” (Mazda)
“I’m loving it” (McDonald’s)
“Eat fresh” (Subway)
“Taste the rainbow” (Skittles)
“It’s way better than fast food” (Wendy’s)
“Just do it” (Nike)
“Keeps going and going and going” (Energizer)
“Finger lickin’ good” (KFC)
“Melts in your mouth, not in your hands” (M&Ms)
“You’re in good hands with…” (Allstate)
Tell students that the above phrases are all advertising slogans. How many did they know? Research
showed that exposure to advertising slogans influenced personal spending intentions and also influenced
actual spending behavior. (3 minutes)
ACTIVITY
1. The Why and Where of Advertising. Distribute Handout #1 “The Why and Where of Advertising.”
Discuss why companies advertise and the different modes of advertisement. Have students fill out the grid on
the handout. Provide time for follow-up discussion (Answer Guide with Possible Solutions included) (8
minutes)
2. View and Discuss PowerPoint Presentation – Persuasive Techniques Used in Advertising. The ppt will
introduce different advertising techniques and give examples of each. Students will then be given a number
of advertisements to analyze. For each advertisement, students are to determine its’: a) purpose; b) target
audience; and c) persuasive technique. (PowerPoint by Jennifer Bernhard Literacy Specialist Clark County
Schools) (12 minutes)
3. Reliable Sources: The Federal Trade Commission, or FTC, works to protect consumers from being hurt
by advertising. According to the Federal trade commission: “Advertisers are required by law to tell the
truth, and that most advertisers work hard to do this. At the same time, the government does not review
ads before they run. That’s why it’s important for students to ask three key questions when they see ads.
1) Who is responsible for the ad?
2) What is the ad actually saying?
3) What does the ad want me to do?”
Explain to students that companies often use endorsements as product recommendations. Ask students why it
is important to consider the expertise of the source to recommend a product. Would you purchase a
medication for an upset stomach on the recommendation from your postal carrier? Maybe not, yet many
people would purchase it because their favorite basketball player recommended it. Is either qualified to make
the recommendation?
Distribute (or Project on the Smart board) the “Reliable Source Comparison Sheet. Read and discuss with
students (10 minutes)
CLOSURE
Distribute advertisements to students. Have them analyze their particular advertisement and complete the
Document Analysis Worksheet. Provide time for students to share their work. Review the Lesson’s Essential
Questions. (20 minutes)
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OPTIONAL EXTENSION SUGGESTION/HOME LEARNING
 Home learning assignment for this lesson should be given the previous day. Students are to bring in a
print advertisement for analysis in class. Suggestions: magazine or newspaper ad; junk mail
advertisement
 Home Learning/extension Assign students to view and analyze a television commercial. Have them
answer the following questions:
What product or service was advertised?
Was a slogan and/or jingle used? If so, what was the slogan or jingle?
What advertising technique(s) were used? Explain how the technique was used.
Who was the target audience for the advertisement?
What might the commercial be conveying about the people who use this product or
service?
Did the commercial have an endorsement? If so, was the endorsement a reliable
source?
What television show(s) was/were on before and after the commercial?
Did you enjoy or like this commercial? Why?
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HANDOUT # 1: THE “WHY” AND “WHERE” OF ADVERTISING
Manufacturers advertise so that they can:




introduce people to their new product or service
increase the demand for an existing product or service
make sure that people are aware of and continue to buy their service or product especially
when there are many similar products and services available.
INCREASE PROFIT
Try and fill the grid below with the names of places where or ways in which, you
have experienced advertising. (See examples to get started)
Bus
shelter
Newspapers
Billboards
Adapted from:ConsumerClassroom.eu
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Possible Answers to Handout #1
You will find below a completed grid, but this is not meant to be an exhaustive list. You or your
students may come up with alternative answers.
Ask students to fill in the grid with places or ways in which they experience advertising in their
everyday lives. You may need to prompt students to get them thinking after they have written
down some of the more obvious ones.
TV
commercials
Sporting
occasions
Signs
Taxis
E-mail
Cars / Vans
Radio
Shopping
bags
Magazines
Movies
Buses
Logos
Food
packets/
boxes
Buses
Billboards
Internet
Bus Stops
Newspapers
Flyers
Trucks
Video
Games
Airports
Clothes
Mobile
phones
Adapted from:ConsumerClassroom.eu
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Reliable Sources
The following images are actual celebrity endorsement advertisements. Do you think each of the celebrities is a
“reliable source” to recommend the product? Why or Why not?
Former NFL Quarterback Joe Namath for Beautymist Pantyhose
(Yes, those are actually his legs in the pantyhose)
Justin Bieber for Nicole Nail Polish
Ozzie Osbourne for I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter
Charles Barkley for Weight Watchers
Reliable Source or Not?
Doctor recommending heartburn medication
Appliance Repairman recommending mouthwash
Astronaut giving tax advice
Dentist recommending a toothpaste
Media Specialist recommending a book
Carpenter giving sewing tips
Ballerina recommending sports equipment
Accountant recommending tax preparation services
____________
____________
____________
____________
____________
____________
____________
____________
Give 5 examples of reliable sources for product recommendations (list source and product)
1.____________________________________________
2._____________________________________________
3._____________________________________________
4._____________________________________________
5. _____________________________________________
Always remember to ask three key questions when you consider advertisements.
1) Who is responsible for the ad?
2) What is the ad actually saying?
3) What does the ad want me to do?”
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Document Analysis Worksheet
1.
Type of Document
2.
What Company produced the advertisement?
3.
What product or service is being advertised?
4.
What is the target audience for this advertisement? What makes you think that?
5.
What techniques does the advertisement use?
6.
What does the ad say about the product or service advertised?
7.
Do you consider this ad helpful? Why or Why not?
8.
If the ad had a product recommendation, do you consider the source reliable> Why or Why
not?
9.
What are 2 things you found interesting about the ad?
10. As an informed consumer, would you purchase this product or service based on this
advertisement? Why or Why not?
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