Lesson 9 — Activity 2:

Messages in Advertising

Many Canadians see hundreds of advertisements a day. Ads are in newspapers and magazines, on television, and online. They appear as brand name logos on T-shirts and hats, vehicles, billboards and signs, and in stores. Most Canadians see many advertisements every day.

Courtesy of Pixabay

Courtesy of Pixabay

Look around you right now. Do you see any ads? Are you or people around you wearing ads for brand names on their clothing? Are you looking at a poster or an ad online? Is there a magazine, newspaper, or vending machine close by advertising products and services for you to buy? People are so used to seeing advertisements in this country that sometimes ads are just passed by. Ads really are a part of our environment.

From morning until night, you are bombarded by media messages on the radio, television, and the Internet; in newspapers, magazines, and store windows; and on billboards and buses. Have you ever considered how much influence the mass media have on your knowledge, attitude, and behaviour?

What messages are these ads trying to get across? Of course, many of them are trying to get you to buy something. What are some other reasons behind the images and words that advertisers might have in their ads? Often, an image or lifestyle is communicated.

Many advertising campaigns are directed toward a target audience. The target audience is a particular group of people such as teens, retired people, or parents of young children.

Many products advertised through the mass media are aimed at the teenage market: clothing, footwear, personal accessories, soft drinks, video games, cellphones, and so on. What products have you been persuaded to purchase by clever advertising?

Courtesy of Pixabay

Below, you will look at some of these advertisements and see if you can determine the message that is being communicated and the target audience it is intended for.