Persuasive Advertising Techniques

Overview

This 60-minute lesson is designed for 9th-grade English FAL (First Additional Language) students to develop their understanding of persuasive advertising techniques while adhering to US Education Standards. The focus will be on using technology to analyze and create advertisements. By the end of the class, students will be able to critically evaluate advertising strategies and apply their understanding to create their own ad, fostering both critical thinking and creativity.

Curriculum Area

• Subject: English Language Arts
• Standard: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.9-10.6
  "Determine an author's point of view or purpose in a text and analyze how an author uses rhetoric to advance that point of view or purpose."

This lesson integrates technology to build media literacy, a critical skill in the digital age for US high school students.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

1. Identify persuasive techniques (e.g., ethos, pathos, logos) used in advertisements.
2. Analyze digital advertisements critically to identify target audiences and strategies.
3. Use graphic design tools to create a digital advertisement targeted at a specific audience.

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Materials Needed

• Interactive whiteboard or projector
• Digital devices (computers/tablets) for students (45 total, or pairs if unavailable)
• A video compilation of TV or online advertisements (pre-downloaded)
• Worksheet: “Persuasive Techniques in Advertising” template (physical or digital)
• Access to a free design app or platform like Canva or Google Slides
• Printed step-by-step guides for graphic design tools (optional, if tech confidence varies)

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Lesson Plan

1. Warm-Up Activity (10 Minutes)

Goal: Activate prior knowledge and set the tone for the lesson.

• Display five still images of popular advertisements on the board. Ensure the ads are diversified in tone, purpose, and audience (e.g., a Nike sports ad, an anti-smoking PSA, and an ad for soda).
• Prompt Discussion:
  1. "What do all of these have in common?"
  2. "What do you notice about the language, visuals, and tone used?"
  3. "How do these ads make you feel? Why?"
• Chart students' answers on the board to create a word cloud of key descriptive terms (e.g., persuasive, emotional, relatable).

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2. Direct Instruction (15 Minutes)

Goal: Teach key concepts related to persuasive advertising techniques.

1. Introduce students to the three core persuasive techniques:

   • Ethos (Credibility)
   • Pathos (Emotion)
   • Logos (Logic)
     Use brief, high-interest examples for each (e.g., a testimonial from a celebrity for ethos, a tear-jerking charity ad for pathos).

2. Discuss how advertisers use these techniques to target specific audiences. Break the audience characteristics into categories (e.g., age, interests, cultural relevance).

   • Example: "Why are sugary cereals marketed differently to kids than to adults?"

3. Play a 2-minute video compilation of diverse advertisements and pause after each example to identify and discuss the technique(s) used.

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3. Collaborative Activity (15 Minutes)

Goal: Practice analysis skills by working in groups to dissect and evaluate an advertisement.

1. Divide students into 9 groups of 5.
2. Hand out the “Persuasive Techniques in Advertising” template worksheet.
3. Assign each group a different ad to analyze (these can be screenshots or video links provided on their devices).
   • Questions to Answer:
     • What persuasive techniques are used?
     • Who is the target audience?
     • How effective is the ad? Why?
4. Once analysis is complete, choose one student from each group to present a brief 30-second summary of their conclusions.

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4. Creation and Application (15 Minutes)

Goal: Foster creativity and apply understanding by designing an original ad.

1. Students will create a 30-second digital advertisement in pairs using the free design platform.
   • Prompt: "Design an ad for a product or cause targeted at 9th graders like yourselves. Think about what YOU would buy or respond to!"
   • Provide a checklist:
     • Eye-catching headline
     • Relevant visuals (students can select free images or draw digitally)
     • Use one clear persuasive technique (ethos, pathos, or logos)
   • Give simple time reminders: 7 minutes to plan content, 5 minutes to design, and 3 minutes for finalizing details.

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5. Reflection and Exit Slip (5 Minutes)

Goal: Recap the lesson and ensure comprehension.

1. Display student-created ads on the board in a slideshow-style review. Encourage brief, positive comments.
2. Hand out Exit Slips:
   • "What two techniques did you find most effective in advertising, and why?"
   • "What did you learn today that surprised you or stood out the most?"
3. Students drop their completed slips into a basket before leaving.

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Differentiation Strategies

• For struggling learners: Provide sentence stems and more structured templates (“This ad uses [technique] to make the audience feel [emotion].”).
• For advanced learners: Challenge students to analyze multiple techniques in a single ad or create a bilingual ad.
• For ELL students: Include visual aids and glossaries for technical terms like "credibility" or "emotional appeal."

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Assessment

• Formative Assessment: Walk around during group analysis and ad creation to monitor engagement and clarify misconceptions.
• Summative Assessment: Review completed digital ads and exit slips. Evaluate based on clarity, use of persuasive techniques, and creativity.

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Teacher Reflection Questions

1. Were students using critical thinking when analyzing the advertisements?
2. Did their ad creations demonstrate an understanding of persuasive techniques?
3. How can I support students who struggled with understanding the techniques or using the design tool?

With this technology-enhanced, interactive approach to understanding persuasive techniques, students will walk away inspired and empowered to analyze the media around them critically.