Grade: 7 Lesson # 2

What strategies and persuasive techniques do advertisers use to

get you to buy their product?

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.7.RI.2.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they
are used in a text, including figurative, connotative, and technical
meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning
and tone..

LAFS.7.W.3.7 Conduct short research projects to answer a question,

drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused
questions for further research and investigation.

LAFS.7.SL.1.2 Analyze the main ideas and supporting details

presented in diverse media and formats

Image courtesy: The Graphic Fairy.com

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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

Lesson Number (1-15): 2

Correlated Florida Standards (See Full Text on Cover Page)

LAFS.7.RI.2.4, LAFS.7.W.3.7, LAFS.7.SL.1.2

Essential Question
What strategies and persuasive techniques do advertisers use to get you to buy their product?

Learning Goals/Objectives
 Identify a source’s incentive in providing information about a good or a service
 Understand strategies and persuasive techniques used by advertisers.
 Analyze advertisements with regard to quality and usefulness of information presented in
advertisements
 Understand that advertisements are created to get consumers to buy the goods and services being
advertised.

Overview
In this lesson, students will explore different techniques and incentives advertisers use in order to convey a
certain message. Through a variety of activities, students will be able to identify advertising strategies and
analyze advertisements with regard to the quality and the usefulness of the information presented. Students
will create their own advertisements using the strategies learned in this lesson.

Materials
 Computer/Internet Access Projector
 SmartBoard
 PowerPoint Presentation: Analyzing Advertisements (Included in Lesson 2 file)
 Handout #1 Advertising Strategies/Persuasive Techniques (Included in lesson)
 Handout #2 Advertisements (Included in lesson)
 Handout # 3 Creating an Advertisement Using Persuasive Techniques (Included in lesson)

Time
50 minutes

Activity Sequence
INTRODUCTION/HOOK (5 minutes)
Explain to students that in today’s lesson we will be examining advertising and advertisements. Ask
students: What is advertising? Write their responses on the board. Then ask: Why do companies use
advertising? Solicit answers from the students. Discuss responses. Next ask students if they can think of
different ways to advertise? (Possible answers Television, radio, newspapers, bus bench, bus, etc). Again
list their answers on the board and discuss.
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ACTIVITY
1. Explain to students that they are going to examine some advertisements and then investigate different
advertising techniques.
Ask students: How many of you actually think of what companies are trying to do when you come across
an advertisement? Tell students that advertisers use many different techniques to get you to buy their
goods or services. We are going to begin by watching a PowerPoint Presentation showing some of the
techniques used in advertising. Display the Analyzing Advertisement PowerPoint presentation (Included
in Lesson 2 File). Each slide presents an advertising technique that students will be using in Handout #1.
Advertising techniques are presented in the same order as the Handout. Work through each slide
discussing the technique and how it applies to the images presented in the slides. (5 minutes)
2. Distribute Handouts 1 and 2. Explain to students that they will be completing an activity with Handout
#1 in a few minutes. But, for now they are just going to concentrate on learning about the advertising
techniques shown on the chart. Explain that these are the same techniques presented in the earlier
PowerPoint presentation. Review and discuss each technique. (Do not give examples at this time as
students will be doing that on their own later) After discussion of each technique have students look at
Handout #2 and identify the technique used in each advertisement. (Answer key for Handout # 2 is
included) (5 minutes)
3. Divide the class into small groups. Explain to students that they will have a few minutes to discuss the
advertising techniques on Handout # 1. Then, working as a group, they are to decide on the best
examples of each technique from advertisements familiar to them. List 1 or 2 examples in the space
provided. (5 minutes)
4. Have each group share the advertising technique examples. Review and discuss the chosen
advertisements. (5 minutes)
5. Now explain to students that it is their time to create advertisements using the techniques they have
examined today. (You may choose to have students work individually or in small groups to complete
this activity) Distribute Handout # 3 and explain the task:
 Choose one of the Advertising Strategies that we have studied today. You may use Handout # 1 as a
reference. In the first section of each box list the Strategy/Persuasive Technique you will be using in
your advertisement. Please use a different strategy for each advertisement you create.
 Choose a product that you would like to advertise (It may be an actual product or you may make up
your own product). Write the name of the product in the space provided.
 Now, create an advertisement for your product using the selected technique.
 Be creative! Who knows, you may have a future in advertising! ( 15 minutes)
6. Have students share some of the advertisements they have created. (5 min)

CLOSURE (5 minutes)
Revisit the lesson’s Essential Question and discuss how advertising affects each of them individually. Ask if
they will view advertisements differently as a result of this lesson. How so? If time permits, show the video:
Intro To Persuasive Text using TV Commercials: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azttKmT0rVc (2 min 26
seconds) This video is a collection of 4 commercials for students to decide which persuasive techniques are
being used.

OPTIONAL EXTENSION SUGGESTION/HOME LEARNING

1. Compare and contrast different advertisements
2. Make a chart to keep track of advertisements they see to and from school, watching TV, magazines
and newspapers etc. and what persuasive techniques are used
3. Analyze different forms of advertisements
4. Research the different mediums available for advertisers and how advertisers choose which ones to use.
5. Additional analyzing advertising activities in the following lesson plan:

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 http://www.econedlink.org/teacher-lesson/634
http://www.econedlink.org/teacher-lesson/645
http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/persuasive-techniques-advertising-
1166.html?tab=4
http://mediasmarts.ca/sites/mediasmarts/files/pdfs/lesson-
plan/Lesson_Advertising_All_Around_Us.pdf

Sources/Bibliographic Information that contributed to this lesson:

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=advertising&view=detailv2&&id=9384F1EB7750C9A3C22C02836
C06DFD0212BDA0A&selectedIndex=1&ccid=v0d%2fljlS&simid=607999715939649914&thid=OIP.Mbf4
77f963952f4e30fd4edc444bb9979H0&ajaxhist=0

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=advertisements&go=Submit&qs=n&form=QBILPG&pq=advertisem
ents&sc=8-14&sp=-1&sk=

http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson1166/PersuasiveTechniques.pdf

http://www.econedlink.org/teacher-lesson/634

http://www.econedlink.org/teacher-lesson/645

http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/persuasive-techniques-advertising-
1166.html?tab=4

http://mediasmarts.ca/sites/mediasmarts/files/pdfs/lesson-plan/Lesson_Advertising_All_Around_Us.pdf

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 Handout # 1 Advertising Strategies/Persuasive Techniques

In each box below, give an example of an advertisement that uses that strategy. The
first one has been done for you as an example

Expert Opinion Testimonial Magic Ingredients

 Experts approve this product,
so you should use it
Example(s):
Four out of five dentists
recommend that you should
chew our sugarless gum.
 A well-known person supports
a product or service
Example(s):
 A miraculous discovery or
ingredient makes the product
effective
Example(s):

Emotional Appeal Bandwagon Plain Folks

 A person is made to have  join the crowd  Product is practical
strong feelings about a  everyone is using the product  Product is a good value
situation or product so you should too  Product is for ordinary people

Example(s): Example(s): Example(s):

Snob Appeal Bribery Slogan

 Use of product makes you part  offers something extra  A catchy phrase or statement
of an elite group  example: buy one get one free often used to sell a service or a
 Luxurious and glamorous product
lifestyle
Example(s): Example(s): Example(s):

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 Handout # 2 Advertisements

1. ___________________________

http://www.bing.com/images/sear
ch?q=Food+Advertisements&vie
w=detailv2&&id=7BCA1B030C2
183A263B3A5E23D99FE2F0869
A721&selectedIndex=14&ccid=z
khONqZv&simid=608025485808
110631&thid=OIP.Mce484e36a66
f69af3b5d70939cb89d22H0&ajax
hist=0

2.____________

www.skjdmnvkjwnvk
ads.com

3.______________________

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 Handout # 2 Advertisements Answer Key

1. Bandwagon

2. Bribery

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q
=Food+Advertisements&view=detailv
2&&id=7BCA1B030C2183A263B3A5
E23D99FE2F0869A721&selectedInde
x=14&ccid=zkhONqZv&simid=60802
5485808110631&thid=OIP.Mce484e3
6a66f69af3b5d70939cb89d22H0&ajax
hist=0

3. Testimonial

www.celebrityendorsementads.com

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 Handout # 3 Creating an Advertisement Using Advertising Strategies/Persuasive Techniques
Strategy/Persuasive Technique you will be using: Strategy/Persuasive Technique you will be using:

__________________________________ __________________________________
Your Product:____________________________ Your Product:____________________________
Your Advertisement: Your Advertisement:

Strategy/Persuasive Technique you will be using: Strategy/Persuasive Technique you will be using:

__________________________________ __________________________________

Your Product:____________________________ Your Product:__________________

Your Advertisement: Your Advertisement:

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