Persuasive Voices and Opinions · Term 2

Persuasive Devices in Advertising

Analyzing how posters and commercials use color, font, and words to sell products.

About This Topic

Persuasive devices in advertising are all around us, from cereal boxes to YouTube ads. This topic teaches Year 2 students to become 'ad detectives', identifying how visual and linguistic choices are used to grab attention and influence behavior. They explore the use of bright colors, catchy slogans, and 'emotive' words. This aligns with ACARA's focus on how multimodal texts use different elements to convey meaning and persuade an audience. Students might even look at Australian public health ads or community posters to see these devices in action.

By deconstructing advertisements, students develop media literacy. They learn that every choice in an ad, from the font size to the person pictured, is intentional. This topic is most effective when students engage in collaborative investigations, where they can pull apart real-world examples and see the 'tricks of the trade' for themselves.

Learning Objectives

• Identify persuasive techniques used in print advertisements and television commercials.
• Explain how specific visual elements, such as color and font, contribute to the persuasive message of an advertisement.
• Analyze the word choices in advertisements to determine their intended emotional impact on the audience.
• Compare the persuasive strategies used in two different advertisements for similar products.
• Create a simple advertisement using at least two persuasive techniques to promote a classroom object.

Before You Start

Identifying Text Features

Why: Students need to be able to recognize different parts of a text, like headings and images, before they can analyze how these features are used persuasively.

Understanding Purpose of Texts

Why: Students should have a basic understanding that different texts have different purposes, such as to inform or entertain, to grasp the persuasive purpose of advertisements.

Key Vocabulary

Persuasion	The act of trying to convince someone to believe something or do something. Advertisers use persuasion to make people buy their products.
Slogan	A short, memorable phrase used in advertising to represent a product or company. Catchy slogans help people remember the advertisement.
Target Audience	The specific group of people that an advertisement is trying to reach. Advertisers choose words and images that will appeal to this group.
Visual Appeal	How attractive or eye-catching an advertisement looks. This includes the use of colors, images, and layout.
Emotional Appeal	Using words or images that make people feel certain emotions, like happiness or excitement, to encourage them to buy something.

Active Learning Ideas

Inquiry Circle: Ad Detectives

Small groups are given a variety of magazine ads or posters. They use a checklist to find 'persuasive tricks' like bright colours, happy faces, or 'bossy verbs' (imperatives), then present their findings to the class.

⏱ 30 min·Small Groups

Generate mission

Simulation Game: The Slogan Factory

Pairs are given a 'mystery product' (e.g., a new type of healthy snack). They must create a catchy slogan using alliteration or rhyme and choose two 'power colours' for their packaging, explaining why those choices will help it sell.

⏱ 25 min·Pairs

Generate mission

Gallery Walk: Poster Critique

Display student-made posters around the room. Classmates walk around and use 'eye stickers' to mark where their eyes were drawn first, then discuss why certain images or words were so eye-catching.

⏱ 20 min·Whole Class

Generate mission

Real-World Connections

Marketing professionals at companies like Vegemite or Arnott's Biscuits regularly analyze consumer data to design advertisements that appeal to specific age groups and interests.

Graphic designers create eye-catching posters for community events or public service announcements, carefully selecting fonts and colors to grab attention and convey important messages.

Children's television channels often feature commercials for toys and snacks, where advertisers use bright colors and energetic characters to persuade young viewers and their parents.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Students often think ads only tell the truth about a product.

What to Teach Instead

Teach that ads are designed to show the 'best version' of something. A 'Reality vs. Ad' comparison (e.g., a real burger vs. a photo of one) helps students see how lighting and styling are used to persuade.

Common Misconception

Children may believe that bright colours are just for decoration.

What to Teach Instead

Explain that colours can make us feel things (e.g., red for excitement, green for health). Using a 'Colour Emotion' chart during group work helps students choose colours with a persuasive purpose in mind.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

Show students a print advertisement. Ask them to point to one element (color, word, image) that tries to persuade them and explain in one sentence what it is trying to make them do or feel.

Exit Ticket

Provide students with two different advertisements. Ask them to write down one similarity in how they try to persuade viewers and one difference. For example, 'Both use bright colors, but one uses a famous person and the other uses a cartoon.'

Discussion Prompt

Ask students: 'Imagine you are creating an advertisement for a new type of pencil. What would you say in your slogan, and what color would you use for the advertisement? Explain why you chose those things to make people want the pencil.'

Frequently Asked Questions

What are 'bossy verbs' in advertising?

These are imperative verbs that tell the reader what to do, like 'Buy', 'Eat', 'Join', or 'Visit'. They are very common in ads because they create a sense of urgency. Encourage students to look for these when they are doing their 'Ad Detective' work.

How do I teach media literacy to seven-year-olds?

Keep it simple by asking three questions: 'Who made this?', 'Who is it for?', and 'What do they want me to do?'. This helps students move from being passive consumers to active thinkers who can see the intent behind the media they see every day.

How can active learning help students understand advertising?

Active learning allows students to 'pull back the curtain' on how ads are made. When they have to create their own slogan or choose a colour scheme to persuade a friend, they are using the same strategies as professional advertisers. This hands-on experience makes the abstract concept of 'influence' much more tangible.

Why is it important to look at 'multimodal' texts?

In the modern world, most persuasion happens through a mix of words, images, and sounds. ACARA emphasises multimodal literacy because it reflects how students actually consume information. Understanding how these elements work together is a key part of being a literate citizen.