Economics & Business · Year 7

Active learning ideas

Marketing and Consumer Behavior

Active learning works for Marketing and Consumer Behavior because students need to experience persuasion firsthand to recognize its techniques. When learners analyze real ads, role-play choices, and redesign campaigns, they connect abstract psychology concepts to everyday decisions they see around them.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9HE7K03

• 30–50 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Gallery Walk
• 45 min · Small Groups

Gallery Walk: Persuasive Techniques Hunt

Display 10-12 real ad posters around the room. In small groups, students rotate every 5 minutes to identify and note techniques like testimonials or scarcity on worksheets. Conclude with a whole-class share-out of findings.

Analyze the persuasive techniques used in modern advertising campaigns.

Facilitation Tip

During the Gallery Walk, position yourself to observe which groups linger longest on specific persuasive techniques to guide follow-up questioning.

What to look for

Present students with two advertisements for similar products (e.g., two different breakfast cereals). Ask: 'Which advertisement is more persuasive and why? Identify at least two specific techniques used in each. How might brand loyalty affect a consumer's choice between these two products?'

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Activity 02

• Document Mystery
• 30 min · Pairs

Pairs Role-Play: Brand Loyalty Dilemma

Pairs receive scenarios with two brands offering similar products at different prices. One student acts as a loyal buyer defending their choice, the other challenges with alternatives. Switch roles and discuss influencing factors.

Explain how brand loyalty influences consumer purchasing decisions.

Facilitation Tip

In the Role-Play activity, circulate with a checklist to note pairs who struggle to articulate psychological pulls versus those who clearly demonstrate social proof or urgency.

What to look for

Provide students with a short scenario describing how a company collects personal data (e.g., website browsing history, app usage). Ask them to write two sentences explaining one potential ethical concern related to using this data for targeted advertising.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Management
• Decision-Making

Activity 03

• Document Mystery
• 50 min · Small Groups

Small Groups: Ethical Ad Redesign

Provide examples of targeted ads. Groups critique ethical issues, then redesign them to be more transparent. Present revisions to the class for feedback on improvements.

Critique the ethical implications of targeted advertising based on personal data.

Facilitation Tip

For the Ethical Ad Redesign, assign roles within groups so every student contributes—a quiet writer can analyze ethics while an artistic student designs, ensuring participation.

What to look for

On an exit ticket, ask students to name one persuasive technique they observed in an advertisement today and explain in one sentence how it aimed to influence them. They should also write one sentence about why brand loyalty is important for businesses.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Management
• Decision-Making

Activity 04

• Document Mystery
• 40 min · Whole Class

Whole Class Debate: Data-Driven Ads

Divide class into two teams to argue for or against targeted advertising. Provide evidence cards beforehand. Moderator facilitates turns, followed by a vote and reflection.

Analyze the persuasive techniques used in modern advertising campaigns.

What to look for

Present students with two advertisements for similar products (e.g., two different breakfast cereals). Ask: 'Which advertisement is more persuasive and why? Identify at least two specific techniques used in each. How might brand loyalty affect a consumer's choice between these two products?'

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Management
• Decision-Making

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers should introduce this topic by grounding it in students’ lived experiences with ads and brands. Avoid lecturing on theory without examples; instead, use guided analysis of ads students already know to build schema. Research shows role-playing consumer scenarios helps students recognize subconscious influences they previously overlooked.

Students will confidently identify persuasive techniques in ads, explain how psychology shapes buying habits, and critique ethical concerns in marketing. Successful learning shows when learners move from passive observation to active questioning and creative problem-solving.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During the Gallery Walk: Persuasive Techniques Hunt, some students may assume all ads use the same obvious tricks.

  During the Gallery Walk, direct students to categorize techniques into emotional appeals, social proof, and urgency creation, asking them to find at least one example in each category to highlight the variety of methods.

• During the Pairs Role-Play: Brand Loyalty Dilemma, students might think their choices are entirely their own.

  During the Pairs Role-Play, provide scenarios that include social pressure or habit cues, then ask students to reflect afterward on which external factors influenced their decision.

• During the Whole Class Debate: Data-Driven Ads, students may believe targeted advertising only helps them.

  During the Whole Class Debate, assign half the class to argue benefits and half to argue risks, requiring them to use examples from their Ethical Ad Redesign research to support claims.

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Methods used in this brief

• Gallery Walk
• Document Mystery