The Psychology Behind Advertising: Persuading the Masses Lauren Ochs Warrensburg-Latham High School Spring 2009 Students will examine advertisements for products from the early 1900’s alongside their modern counterparts and analyze the psychological persuasion techniques behind the “sell.” Overview/ Materials/LOC Resources/Standards/ Procedures/Evaluation/Rubric/Handouts/Extension Overview Objectives Recommended time frame Grade level Curriculum fit Materials Back to Navigation Bar Students will: • determine persuasion techniques aimed at consumers • analyze advertisements for specific persuasion techniques used • identify key behaviors or traits that make people more susceptible to persuasion techniques • compare historical ads to determine how techniques have changed or stayed the same • answer the essential questions: o Has advertising changed over the years? o Does the change say about the values, opinions, or attitudes of people during an advertisements time period? o How does advertising shape people’s perceptions or image of products or services? Four 82-minute periods 9-12 Psychology • Back issues of magazines with advertisements (use a Teaching with Primary Sources Illinois State University variety of types of magazines food, home, entertainment, news, etc.) • Advertisement Analysis Worksheet • Creating an Advertisement Rubric ã ẵ sheets of poster board Art supplies – markers, colored pencils, crayons, construction paper, glue Illinois State Learning Standards Back to Navigation Bar Language Arts: Goal 1: Read with understanding and fluency • Procedures 1.C Comprehend a broad range of reading materials • 1.C.4c Interpret, evaluate and apply information from a variety of sources to other situations (e.g., academic, vocational, technical, personal) • 1.C.4e Analyze how authors and illustrators use text and art to express and emphasize their ideas (e.g., imagery, multiple points of view) • 1.C.5c Critically evaluate information from multiple sources • 1.C.5e Evaluate how authors and illustrators use text and art across materials to express their ideas (e.g., complex dialogue, persuasive techniques) Back to Navigation Bar Day One: • Have students journal about the advertising that they see every day and how it affects their attitudes about a product or a brand • Discuss as a class the process people go through before purchasing a specific product • Need vs want • Cost analysis • Comparison • Social factors (do my friends have it, is it name brand), etc • Break students into small groups to discuss what advertisers to sway your opinion toward their product and the effectiveness of their persuasion techniques Really focus on the thought process behind the advertisement • Attention getter • Appeal to emotions Teaching with Primary Sources Illinois State University • • • • Hype • Target demographics Discuss answers as a whole class Discuss persuasion fallacies Pass out handout Predict how advertisements today differ from advertisements at the turn of the century Were the same persuasion techniques used? Choose a historical advertisement from the Resource Table to pair with a chose modern advertisement Discuss the persuasion techniques used in the historical advertisement vs the modern advertisement How did each work to persuade consumers in their eras to buy the product? List any similarities and differences Teacher may need to provide background information about what was going on during the time period of the historical advertisement Day Two: • Divide students into six groups Assign each group a historical advertisement from the Resource Table and give them magazines to look through for advertisements for similar products • Students should complete the Advertisement Analysis Worksheet for each advertisement • Assign students the Creating an Advertisement project to complete in their groups Students will use the persuasion techniques they have observed in the historical or modern advertisements to sell their classmates a product for which they will create a poster advertisement Day Three: • Finish Project Day Four: • Student present projects • Class discussion of the most effective persuasion techniques for advertisements How does persuasion work? Are some people more susceptible to persuasion techniques than others? Evaluation Back to Navigation Bar Teaching with Primary Sources Illinois State University • Extension Students will be evaluated on their completion of the Advertising Analysis Worksheet and the Creating an Advertisement Project using the rubric These assignments will show the students grasp of the thought processes and persuasion techniques behind advertisements from the historical and modern perspective Back to Navigation Bar To extend this activity, the teacher could work with the Business or Consumer Economics teacher to discuss the purpose of advertising and the benefits of advertising from a profit perspective Teaching with Primary Sources Illinois State University Primary Resources from the Library of Congress Back to Navigation Bar Image Description Maxwell House Coffee; Phenix Cheese [Kentucky] Ave and Boardwalk As antiquated as Hoop Skirts The always welcome gift A Kodak Citation Emergence of Advertising In America: 1850 – 1920 Part of: R.C Maxwell Company Collection Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library, Duke University Digital ID, ncdeaa M0478 http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.aw ard/ncdeaa.M0478 Emergence of Advertising In America: 1850 – 1920 Part of: R.C Maxwell Company Collection Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library, Duke University Digital ID: ncdeaa L0052 http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.aw ard/ncdeaa.L0052 Emergence of Advertising In America: 1850 – 1920 Part of: R.C Maxwell Company Collection Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library, Duke University Digital ID: ncdeaa K0481 http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.aw ard/ncdeaa.K0481 Permanent URL http://memory.loc.gov /cgi-bin/query/r? ammem/eaa:@field(D OCID+@lit(eaa00248 9)) http://memory.loc.gov /cgi-bin/query/r? ammem/eaa:@field(D OCID+@lit(eaa00194 7)) http://memory.loc.gov /cgi-bin/query/r? ammem/eaa:@field(D OCID+@lit(eaa00169 8)) Teaching with Primary Sources Illinois State University Another Great Underwear Sale Cereal Foods and How to Cook Them First! Cheapest! Best! After the Bath Emergence of Advertising In America: 1850 – 1920 Part of: R.C Maxwell Company Collection Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library, Duke University Digital ID: ncdeaa A0659 http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.aw ard/ncdeaa.A0659 Emergence of Advertising In America: 1850 – 1920 Part of: R.C Maxwell Company Collection Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library, Duke University Digital ID: ncdeaa CK0006 http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.aw ard/ncdeaa.CK0006 Emergence of Advertising In America: 1850 – 1920 Part of: R.C Maxwell Company Collection Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library, Duke University Digital ID: ncdeaa A0426 http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.aw ard/ncdeaa.A0426 Emergence of Advertising In America: 1850 – 1920 Part of: R.C Maxwell Company Collection Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library, Duke http://memory.loc.gov /cgi-bin/query/r? ammem/eaa:@field(D OCID+@lit(eaa00069 5)) http://memory.loc.gov /cgi-bin/query/r? ammem/eaa:@field(D OCID+@lit(eaa00047 4)) http://memory.loc.gov /cgi-bin/query/r? ammem/eaa:@field(D OCID+@lit(eaa00083 8)) http://memory.loc.gov /cgi-bin/query/r? ammem/eaa:@field(D OCID+@lit(eaa00259 3)) Teaching with Primary Sources Illinois State University University Digital ID: ncdeaa P0041 http://hdl.loc.gov/lo c.award/ncdeaa.P0 041 Teaching with Primary Sources Illinois State University Rubric Back to Navigation Bar Category Persuasion Technique Students' persuasion Students' persuasion Students' persuasion Student did not use technique is clear technique is technique is not clear persuasion and valid somewhat clear and or valid technique valid Graphics Originality Several of the graphics used on the poster reflect a exceptional degree of student creativity in their creation and/or display One or two of the graphics used on the poster reflect student creativity in their creation and/or display Graphics Relevance All graphics are related to the topic and make it easier to understand All graphics are All graphics relate to Graphics not related to the topic the topic relate to the topic and most make it easier to understand Attractiveness The poster is exceptionally attractive in terms of design, layout, and neatness The poster is attractive in terms of design, layout and neatness The poster is acceptably attractive though it may be a bit messy Mechanics Capitalization and punctuation are correct throughout the poster There is error in capitalization or punctuation There are errors in There are more than capitalization or errors in punctuation capitalization or punctuation Use of Class Time Used time well during each class period Focused on getting the project done Never distracted others Used time well during each class period Usually focused on getting the project done and never distracted others Used some of the time well during each class period There was some focus on getting the project done but occasionally distracted others The graphics are No graphics made by made by the student, the student are but are based on the included designs or ideas of others The poster is distractingly messy or very poorly designed It is not attractive Did not use class time to focus on the project OR often distracted others Teaching with Primary Sources Illinois State University Handouts Back to Navigation Bar Advertisement Analysis Worksheet Directions: Answer the following questions using your groups’ observations about the historical advertisement and the modern advertisement Make sure to clearly label which advertisement you are discussing What product or service is being advertised? Who is the primary audience for the advertised product or service? What about the advertisement grabs your attention? What lifestyles, opinions, values, or points of view are reflected in the advertisement? What persuasion technique does the advertisement use to attempt to sway the consumer’s opinion? Are the persuasion techniques used in the advertisement effective? Additional Comments or Observations: Teaching with Primary Sources Illinois State University ... evaluated on their completion of the Advertising Analysis Worksheet and the Creating an Advertisement Project using the rubric These assignments will show the students grasp of the thought processes... getting the project done but occasionally distracted others The graphics are No graphics made by made by the student, the student are but are based on the included designs or ideas of others The. .. advertisers to sway your opinion toward their product and the effectiveness of their persuasion techniques Really focus on the thought process behind the advertisement • Attention getter • Appeal