Blended Learning Lesson – Monday, 2 September
What is an Effective Ad?

This is an assignment to be done individually.
You will each do an in-class, short (1 to 2 minutes), verbal presentation on Tuesday, 3 September.

Find an example of what you consider to be an effective ad. It can be a print ad in a newspaper or magazine; an online ad; a TV ad; an ad from a website or YouTube; a radio ad; or a billboard ad.

You must bring a copy of the ad to show it to the class. So if you want to use a TV ad or billboard, you must either find a copy of the ad somewhere online, or you must record it, or take a picture of the billboard. If the ad is on the radio, record it.

You must explain why you consider the ad to be effective, using the following criteria:

1. Be noticed – or your message is going nowhere. * Does your ad grab the viewer’s attention? How?

2. Know your audience – understand the cage * Who is your audience – is the ad targeted towards a general audience, or a specific audience, based on age, race, social class, family style, gender, culture, or region?

3. Be real – understand how your product intersects with people’s lives * Does your ad appeal to the viewer’s emotions? * Does the ad establish a strong positive, negative, or mixed tone that clearly advances its argument and the effect of that argument? * Is it is clear how the ad wants viewers to feel? and does the ad achieve the desired emotional effect?

4. Be truthful – believability is vital * Does your ad present specific factual claims with clear references to reliable sources.

5. Be clear – creativity should enhance, not obscure meaning * The best creativity shows things in a fresh light but in a way that makes people go ‘Aha’ – not ‘What the…?’ - does your ad do this? * Is the central issue clearly defined, and is the importance of this issue demonstrated? Does the ad make an argument that convinces with logic and evidence? Is the ad’s point of view presented strongly?

6. Be true to the brand – reflect the core values * Every piece of communication should reinforce what you want your brand to stand for –does your ad do this?

7. Be single-minded – one ad, one idea * Does the ad’s use of moving and still images, sounds, music, editing, and transitions together succeed in communicating ideas, organizing complex arguments, and creating a powerful dramatic effect?

Note:

* The seven criteria above are discussed in the article, Seven rules for effective advertising.

* Another excellent short article is, What Makes an Effective Ad?

* If you are searching for ads online, look at the sites listed on the page, Web Links.