Ad Deconstruction
Grade 10 Media Unit
When considering Advertisement
techniques there are 3 main areas to
consider..
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The Message of the Ad
Composition of Pictorial and Ad Copy
(Techno-Effects)
Summary Observations
The Message of the Ad
Background:

Where and when
does the
advertisement
appear? What is
the size of the print
ad or the length of
the TV or radio
commercial? What
product or service is
the ad selling?
Target Audience

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For whom is this
advertisement
intended?
What is the age, sex,
social class, values and
life-styles of the intended
audience?
What details suggest
this particular audience?
Hook and Story:

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How does the ad get
our attention?
What is happening
in the ad -- many ads
tell stories. What
"problems" will the
product solve?
What are the
advertisers trying to
get you to believe?
Primary Informational Message

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Some advertisements
provide you with knowledge
about a given product, but
many ads say nothing about
the actual product.
What actual
knowledge/facts, or lack of,
have been provided in the
ad?
For example, car
advertisements focus on
mileage, acceleration,
comfort and style.
Secondary Messages
(techniques of structure):

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These are the messages that
are designed to "seduce" the
potential consumer.
The may take the form of
appeals to emotion,
associations, or fear tactics.
They may appeal to the needs
and desires of individuals such
as: guilt, security,
sensuousness, social
interaction, self-improvement,
community, cleanliness, get up
and do, desire to own, status,
power, the need to help others.

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What are the
associations the ad
makes with the
product?
What are the
advertisers trying to
get you to believe?
What messages is
the ad trying to
send?
Advertising Claims (techniques
of language):

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What techniques of
language have been
used in the ad?
What claims do the
ads make?
What are the claims
really saying?
Skin cancer advertisement ->
Composition
of
Pictorial and Ad Copy
(Techno-Effects)
Characters:

What people
(number, male or
female, age,
etc), animals,
animated characters
are used in the ad?
Setting:

What place, decor,
time of day, era,
lighting, natural or
artificial surroundings
mark the ad?
Copy:

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What words ( whether
written or spoken), slogans
or catchy phrases, and logos
are used?
How many times does the
name of the product
appear?
Or how many times is it
spoken?
What is the location and
prominence of the product
itself in the ad?
How are captions used to
attract your attention?
Sound:

What voice (male or female), music,
natural noises, special sound effects are
used?
Visual:
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How are the elements in
the picture arranged?
Is there any blank
space? Does the ad
contain juxtaposition (
seemingly unrelated
items placed close
together or side by
side)?

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Who or what is being
emphasized? What are
the facial expressions?
What is the message
connected to body
language?
Who or what is in the
foreground?
Background?
What details may have
been left out?
Color and Lighting:
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Every color suggests a
mood or tone. Is the color
bright and cheerful?
Warm and
comforting? Cool and
professional?
What kind of lighting has
been incorporated: top
lighting, side lighting, bottom
lighting, back lighting
artificial lighting, or natural
lighting?
( Link to camera angles
and shots)
Point of View

What camera angles
have been used -- close
up, long shot, looking up
(low angle shot) or down
(high angle shot),
looking in or out, sharing
a person's perspective
(eye-level shot). (link to
cameral angles and
shots)
Details and Accessories

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What clothing,
jewelry, price tags
and other details are
displayed in the ad.
Remember that
every detail has
been chosen for a
purpose.
Summary
Observations
Intended and Unintended
Effects

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What are the intended
effects of the ad?
What are the products
trying to do?
Identify the unintended
effects of the ad.
What other meanings
(oppositional readings)
could audiences
construct from the ad?
What the Ad Does Not Show

What information is
withheld from the
audience? Labor
involved? Resources
Used? Environment
Issues? Health
concerns? etc...
Personal Reaction:

How effective is the ad?
Why does it work? not
work? Does the ad
conform to the
advertising codes in
existence? What codes
are violated? Is this ad
controversial? Does the
ad use shock value
through sexual means or
by raising social issues?