Context:This activity is for a language arts
classroom.The material generated from
the lesson could be used for a portfolio piece that demonstrates
audience
awareness.It may take up to two class
periods to complete. Learning
Goals:Following the activity,
students should:
Recognize the target audience
for a particular magazine ad.
Be able to analyze the
elements that appeal to the target audience.
Be able to choose a new
audience for the product, make a new ad, and give rationale for the
elements
they included in their ads.
Materials:
Magazine ads (perfume and
cigarette ads work really well) to analyze
"scrap" magazines
and art supplies to make new ads
writing materials
Preparation: None
Activity: 1.You
could begin by reminding students of
previous discussions of audience—show how this lesson fits into the big
scheme
of things.It could also be the
introduction to a new piece for their portfolio.
2.Give a
magazine ad to a small group
(4-5).In their group, the students will
discuss the following about their ad:
Who do you think is the
intended audience for this advertisement?Be
as specific as possible in your description.
What is the major
"theme" of the advertisement?What appeals
are working in the ad?
What elements contribute to
the theme or to the audience appeal?Consider
the use of color, images, composition (arrangement
of material
on the page), slogans or other words on the page, the amount of "hard
information" given about the product (or lack of it), or any other
element
you think helps make the ad appealing.
3.After about 5
minutes, ask students to
present their ads and findings to the other groups. 4.Now ask
the students to choose a new audience
for this product.For example, if the ad
is meant for young women, the new audience might be older women.If it's meant for men, the new audience might
be women.If it's an "expert"
audience, the new audience might be "new users of the product," etc. 5.Based on
this new audience, students should
change the ad to appeal to them.This
may involve changing one or two things about it, or it may involve
making an
entirely new ad.Students should use the
"scrap" magazines and other art supplies to come up with a new ad for
the new audience. 6.After
the students have made the new ad, they
should use the questions from #2 above to analyze what they have tried
to do
with the new advertisement.This
analytical skill comes in handy when they analyze their own writing for
the portfolio
reflection. 7.Again,
they can present their ads to the
rest of the class, get some feedback, and continue to revise it for
their
portfolios. Evaluation:The
piece generated at the end of the lesson
could be developed into a portfolio piece as a group or individually.