Advertisements bring fill-o-sophies through its images/messages. How do we help young people engage with such fill-o-sophies? Here’s an activity that can help young people understand and interpret advertisements.
Components of an advertisement
- Presentation ( Picture)
- Purpose ( Product)
- Promotion ( Philosophy of Life)
- Personalization ( participants)
Step 1: Distribute copies of advertisements. You can xerox them from different magazines ( outlook, India Today, Week, Filmfare etc).
Headline: Change your view Subhead: Bodycopy: Experience the Ray Ban 2005 collection. Choose from over 250 styles at your nearest authorized Ray-Ban dealer. Baseline: Genuine since 1937
Step 2: Form small groups for interaction. Ask the group to identify a) the pictures b) product c) philosophy of life d) participants/audience
Step 3: Discussion in groups
I.Picture questions
- Describe the overall design. Who are the participants? What do they do?
- What images are foregrounded ?Which ones are backgrounded?
- What significance might all of these features have for the intended viewers/readers/listeners?
II. Product questions
- What exactly is being advertised?
- What key objects are featured?
- With what is the product associated?
III. Fill-o-sophy of life questions
- What does the product symbolize?
- What part is played by words (choice of words, typography/voiceover)?
- What cultural assumptions and values seem to be involved?
- Identify the felt-needs that the tag line seek to address.
- What is the message sent out? What do you think about this?
IV. Participation questions
- Who appears to be the intended audience? What parts of the ad suggest this?
- What does the ad suggest about gender roles/class/ethnicity/ or self-identity?
- How else does the ad seek your involvement?
