Racy+Advertisements

In this unit of Applied Technical Communications II, we have just finished up discussing issues of "-isms." After reading Walter Dean Myers' book Monster, we have not only targeted the problem with racism in our society but also with ageism and sexism. We brought the court case of the protagonist, Steve Harmon, home by investigating a series of news articles focused on the criminal acts towards young adolescents by the judges of Luzerne County and the recent controversies surrounding them. Students watched and read a variety of articles from CNN, The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Wilkes-Barre Times Leader. After investigating the acts against children and how their lives will forever be affected, students started taking an interest in local problems and bullies who subscribe to "isms." Jumping off from this point, we initiated our own investigation of how "isms" play into advertising. Students are currently on a quest to look for "Racy Advertisements." Through this exercise, we discover how "isms" are socially acceptable in our environments and used for the benefit of advertising to certain demographics. The demoralization of women in footwear, the elderly in caffeinated soda ads and certain ethnic groups as superior athletes are just a few examples of the exposure to advertising that questions our moral code on a daily basis. To analyze these issues, students grouped together and created ten questions that are imperative to deconstructing what advertising companies are trying to manipulate through their target audiences. These are:  1. What does this advertise? 2. What appeal(s) are used to get your attention? 3. How does this ad make you think about the subject? 4. Many advertisements have multiple meanings. What are some intended and perhaps others are subliminal or interpreted by the individual.  5. What are some meanings behind your advertisement? 6. We have discussed that ads are created to appeal to certain demographics, for what demographic of people is your ad intended? 7. While your ad appeals to a certain demographic, it may oust others.  8. What is a group of people your advertisement does not appeal to and explain why? 9. Who would be most likely to purchase this product or align themselves with this way of thinking? 10. What could be done to improve this advertisement? After students completed these questions, they searched online to find 10 advertisements and their citations of where they are located to add to their arsenal of changing advertising. After students located their 10 adverts, they have now begun the process of evaluating their top two "raciest" adverts with the questions they created. What students are currently in the process of is posting these questions and the links to their ads to our Wikispace (see discussion page). The final goal of our little project is to not only analyze the subjegation of our weaknesses to sell products succesfully to intended demographics, but also to change the way we think about advertising by choosing a product and ad and revamp it by creating a new way to look at this product. As a final product, students will present the evolution of the advertisement they chose, their analysis of that ad, and create and scan a new alternative print ad they create as a PowerPoint Presentation given to the class.

This project not only allows them to conduct and create their own analysis, but points out our weakness as a society to buy what is sold through the subjugation of certain groups of ethnicity, gender and age. Students have the power not to buy these products or rather, to create a friendlier version of the ad that would be more appealing to more than just one intended demographic. The power for change is in the hands of the individual.