Dr. Lee McGaan  

  Office:  WH 308  (ph. 309-457-2155);  email lee@monmouthcollege.edu
  Home:  418 North Sunny Lane (ph. 309-734-5431, cell 309-333-5447)

Fall 2016 Office Hours:   MWF:  9:30 - 10am, 11am - Noon & 1 -2pm TTh:  2-3pm & by apt.  |  copyright (c) by Lee McGaan, 2006-2016



 

last updated 10/8/2013

What Ads Reveal

    1. Who the advertiser is (usually it's obvious or in a tag) -- (but sometimes it is not clear and you should ask why!)
       
    2. Who is the intended audience - think about it!  These features can reveal who the ad is targeting.

    3.  
      • Where the ad is placed in the publication, or website, or programming
      • Who is in the ad and how they are treated
      • What direct verbal references are there to the intended audience
      • Who does the music and other pop culture identifiers connect with (or is associated with a particular audience).
      • Who appears as the source of the message (who will the audience identify with)
      • What style/ lifestyle is shown (the lifestyle depicted and who wants it)

Distortions of Social Reality in Ads

    • U.S. ads are dominated by attractive young women, BUT
    • There are more men directly associated with products than women in ads
    • Americans disappear from ads as they age
       
    • Ads generally focus on material possessions and connect personal worth and fulfilling social needs to materiality
       
    • Ads imply "normality" and, thus, narrow diversity of social reality
    • Stereotypes (a form of schemata) often appear in ads by ...
      • Ethnicity
      • GenderOccupation
      • Role
      • Values

  In-class Discussion Assignment for Thursday/Tuesday

Find an advertisement (commercial, public service, political, etc.) in a magazine and bring it to class (or view an ad in another medium and write a description of it in some detail).  Be prepared to discuss:

  • What does the ad reveal (see 1 and 2 above)?

  • What does the ad says about the "nature of social reality" in our lives?

    • personal and social values implied

    • relationship styles implied

    • distortions of reality

    • schemata

  • Why you think the ad works to accomplish its purpose (or does not)?