Unit(s): MASS COMMUNICATION
Purpose:
For students to understand the persuasive techniques used in advertising and utilize them in writing their own advertisements.
Objective:
Students will be able to identify specific language used in advertising, select more effective advertising writing, and write a speech to sell a product to an audience.
Materials:
- "List: ADVERTISING WORDS"
- "Writing An Ad" forms
- Guidelines for Selling a Product
- Copies of Critique "Selling a Product"
Procedure:
Activity I:
- Students should bring in advertising copy from newspapers, magazines, or clothing.
- Divide class into groups of 4 to 6 students. Allow time for students to exchange advertising copy and discuss them.
- Emphasize the ad design and style of writing, particularly noting the use of advertising words.
- Hand out copies of "List: ADVERTISING WORDS" and briefly review them.
- Students find how many of these words appear in the ads the students have examined. Tally the frequency of these words and compare it with other groups.
Activity II:
- Hand out copies of "Writing an Ad" for an individual assignment. Tell students to think of a favorite product--stereo, mountain bike, car, jeans, etc.
- Complete the worksheet, and write an advertisement for this product. They should focus on its special features and why the reader would benefit from it.
- Students can use "List: ADVERTISING WORDS." They can also consider coining NEW WORDS associated with their product.
- Divide students into groups of 4 to 6 members. Each student should read his/her ad. Students find how many "List: ADVERTISING WORDS" and NEW WORDS coined for their product appear in the ads.
- Each group should pick the best ad(s) and one member of the group should report the selection (read ad, explicate, and reveal author) to the class.
Activity III:
- Each student will plan a 2 to 4 minute speech to sell a product or service using Guidelines for Selling a Product.
On the day of the speech, students will turn in an outline. The outline will follow this format:
| TITLE | |
|---|---|
| (skip a line) | |
| INTRODUCTION: Written verbatim | |
| (skip a line) | |
| BODY: Outlined | |
| (skip a line) | |
| CONCLUSION: Written verbatim | |
low average high
Attention getter 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Motivation step 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Organization 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Verbal support 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Originality 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Visual Aids 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Action step 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Poise 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Eye Contact 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Enthusiasm 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Total Points________________
Additional COMMENTS:
When companies advertise, they try to highlight the best features of their products or services. These words are known to have audience appeal--they help sell the product or service.
| best |
health |
proven |
| better | high (technology, fashion)
| quality |
| brand new | hurry | reduce |
| choose | improved | results |
| comfort | inexpensive | safety |
| courteous | introducing | satisfaction
|
| discovery | love | save |
| don't (wait, delay, miss) |
money
| service |
| easy | new | simple |
| experience | now | special |
| free | order (today, now) | successful
|
| fresh | perfect | take |
| gift | prize | unique |
| grand | professional | valuable |
| greatest | proof | warranty |
| guaranteed | protect | well-known
|
Answer these questions and write an advertisement:
1. What is the name of your product?
2. What are at least three positive features of it?
3. What might a customer like about your product?
4. How would a customer benefit from the product?
5. What would be a catchy headline to start your advertisement?
Write your ad: