Ad-aptations

 
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.