Lesson #2: What are the components of an effective advertisement?


Goals

Students will be able to:
discuss and analyze the components of a successful advertisement and describe how the visual elements and the design principles contribute to its effectiveness
use the internet to identify successful public service ads.
Materials
A variety of public service ads
Resources
The Internet
Demonstration: 
Students will be shown a variety of public service ads. For each one discuss:
  • What message is being communicated to the viewer?
  • Who is paying for this ad?
  • Who is the audience?
  • What are the components of the ad?
  • Why is the slogan memorable?
  • How does the choice of font relate to the message?
  • How does the image contribute to the effectiveness of the message?
  • How does this image relate to our culture?
  • How does color add to this message? Shape? Line?
  • How does the overall composition contribute to its effectiveness?
Using the Internet, students will work in pairs to locate one successful public service ad on a topic of their choice. (Suggestions: go to Google, click images and type in public service ads; adcouncil.org/campaigns.)They will analyze it by answering the following questions in writing:
  • What is the message being communicated?
  • Who is paying for the ad?
  • What are the components of this ad?
  • Why is the slogan memorable?
  • How does the choice of font relate to the message and/or design?
  • How does the image contribute to the effectiveness of the message?
  • How does the placement of all the components contribute to its effectiveness?
Their chosen ad, with their responses, will be printed and collected.