Produced by Idaho Public Television
for the Idaho Department of Health & Welfare

MESSAGES FROM THE MEDIA

Objective

• Students will understand the ways media uses sex to sell products.
• Students will be able to identify stereotypical images in advertising.
• Students will be able to identify and describe how visual and implied images are used as techniques of persuasion.
  

Materials

• Popular magazines that have advertising. Preferably ones that are targeted at the teen market.
• Scissors.
• Poster board.
• Glue.
• Worksheet.

Procedures

Students will need to cut out four to six advertisements selling different types of products. Students are to select advertisements that appeal to them based on their design and not the product being sold. Have students set aside their ads during presentation.

1. Show students eight to ten popular advertisements (can be video clips or print).
2. Ask students to recall what products were being sold.
3. Write down responses.
4. Ask students to recall what images they saw in each of the ads.
5. Write down responses.
6. Ask students if they remember seeing other subliminal images in the ads. A good example are the old coffee ads where there is a woman in the steam rising off the cup.
7. After recording examples, review the advertisements. Ask students if they need to revise any of the lists.
8. Discuss what images/messages seemed to be prevalent. Why?
9. Review the images one at a time and have students comment on the woman/man in each of the ads: What type of person is this? What do they do for a living? Are they successful? How can you tell? Are they sexy? Why? If you buy this product, what is it going to do for you? Do you know anyone who looks like that that uses this product?
10. What types of men and women are displayed? Discuss with students stereotypical images and the use of stereotypes in advertising. (A good mother/housewife buys these products for her family).
11. Explain to students that advertisers use specific techniques to appeal to consumers to get them to buy their products.
12. Ask students what techniques or messages might be used to sell products:
    
    • Healthy and Fit: People who use this product are young, active and outgoing. If you use this product, others will think you are fit, active and outgoing.
    • Popular: People who use this product will have lots of friends and will be attractive to the opposite sex.
    • Responsible: People who use this product love their family and are trying to do the "right" thing.
      
13. Explain to students that many advertisers use sex to sell their products. Ask if students can think of any ads that do this. (Jeans, beer, lotion, cigarettes, perfume)
14. Have students re-examine advertisements they cut out and analyze based on the worksheet.

Have students complete worksheet and arrange ads and findings on poster board to be displayed in the hall or classroom.

Discuss with students their perception on products and product advertising and how it makes them feel. Why is sex used so much in advertising? What messages using this type of advertising send?