Celebrity Endorsement/Expert Opinion: Celebrities are seen as models in society. They are famous and usually have a fan base. Experts are very knowledgeable about a particular domain because they have done a lot of research about their area. Audiences will buy the product because the celebrity has said it is something they use or the expert has said it is a good product.
Testimonials: These are from people who have used the product and are satisfied or happy with the result. This encourages an audience to believe that the product will work for them too.
Imperatives/Call to action/Special TV offer: Infomercials rely on audience members calling immediately to buy products. These techniques encourage the viewer to take quick action.
Repetition: Presenters may repeat phrases or facts and information about a product to make it appear that they are speaking the truth. The audience will be more likely to believe them and buy the product.
Rhetorical questions/speaking directly to the audience: These techniques are used as a way for the presenter to form a relationship with the viewer, as though they are the audience’s friend.
Comparisons: The advertiser’s product is compared to a similar product to show why their product is superior.
Superlatives/Hyperbole/Exaggeration: These are all used as a way of emphasising that a product is the best one available.
Alliteration: This makes a presenter sound smooth and attracts the audience’s attention.
Identify the Techniques
RNCT, NET Section, CDI, EDB, HKSAR Worksheet 2D.5: Identify the Techniques
Name:_______________________ Class: ____ ( )
Below are some common advertising language techniques used in infomercials. Watch the infomercials and write the example you hear in the advertisement.
Technique Infomercial 1 Infomercial 2 Infomercial 3 Infomercial 4
Celebrity Endorsement (e.g. Cilla Bling is here today to …)
Imperatives/Call to action (e.g. Call now. Pick up the phone.)
Repetition (e.g. You’re going to be in a great mood. You’re going to be …)
Rhetorical questions (e.g. Do you want a slimmer body?)
Comparisons(e.g. between older and newer products or between similar products)
Technique Infomercial 1 Infomercial 2 Infomercial 3 Infomercial 4
Worksheet 2D.5:
Identify the Techniques
Summary of Techniques
RNCT, NET Section, CDI, EDB, HKSAR Worksheet 2D.3: Summary of Techniques
Name:_________________________ Class: ____ ( )
Fill in circles 1, 2 and 3 below with the techniques used in each type of advertisement as you learn about them in class. When all three circles are completed, fill in the overlapping circles with common techniques used in all the advertisement types.
2. Infomercials
3. Internet Advertisements 1. Print Advertisements
Worksheet 2D.3: Summary of Techniques Suggested Procedures
1. Type ‘infomercial examples’ into YouTube. Select several infomercials from YouTube to show students (e.g. Neato XV-11, Bullet Express, ProActive, Turbo Jam).
2. Go over Worksheet 2D.5: Identify the Techniques with students to ensure they understand all the techniques they are looking for.
3. Students watch and listen to infomercials and complete the worksheet. Infomercials may need to be seen more than once or may be stopped as techniques arise for students to record their answers.
82 Part 2: Unit D
Advertisements and Commercials
Internet Advertisements
In this section, students consider what kinds of advertisements are found on the Internet, the techniques they use and how they are similar to and/or different from more traditional forms of advertisements.
Worksheet 2D.6: Internet Advertising is designed to be used as a place to brainstorm and record information about common types of advertisements students can find on the Internet. Students then fill in the graphic organiser on Worksheet 2D.3: Summary of Techniques comparing Internet advertisements with print and infomercial advertisements.
This lesson could be done in two ways. Take students to the computer room to work independently on the worksheets or, alternatively, go through examples of Internet advertising in the classroom using a computer linked to the Internet, projector and screen.
Examples of advertisements seen on the Internet are: banner advertisements on blogs, emails and places such as YouTube; spam in email accounts; advertisements before videos on news programmes; and pop-ups on websites.
Students may raise the issue of unsolicited pornographic advertising on the Internet and teachers will need to decide how best to deal with this issue.
Suggested Procedures
Internet Advertising
RNCT, NET Section, CDI, EDB, HKSAR Worksheet 2D.6: Internet Advertising
Name:_____________________ Class: ____ ( )
1. Find as many different types of advertising on the Internet as you can. Write the advertising type name in the circles, then the techniques you can see in that kind of advertisement in the linking rectangular boxes.
2. Add more boxes as you need them.
Internet Advertising
Worksheet 2D.6:
Internet Advertising
Summary of Techniques
RNCT, NET Section, CDI, EDB, HKSAR Worksheet 2D.3: Summary of Techniques
Name:_________________________ Class: ____ ( )
Fill in circles 1, 2 and 3 below with the techniques used in each type of advertisement as you learn about them in class. When all three circles are completed, fill in the overlapping circles with common techniques used in all the advertisement types.
2. Infomercials
3. Internet Advertisements 1. Print Advertisements
Worksheet 2D.3: Summary of Techniques
1. Put students into pairs. Give each pair Worksheet 2D.6: Internet Advertising.
2. Students work together to identify different types of advertisements that can be found on the Internet. As they identify advertisement types, students also need to note techniques that the advertisements use.
3. Students share their ideas and information with the whole class.
4. Students go back to Worksheet 2D.3: Summary of Techniques. They complete the circle on Internet advertisement techniques. Students complete the central circles
84 Part 2: Unit D
Advertisements and Commercials
Worksheet 2D.7:
Presentation Preparation Template
Assessment 2D.1:
Advertisement Presentation
Presentation Preparation Template RNCT, NET Section, CDI, EDB, HKSAR Worksheet2D.7:Presentation Preparation Template
Name:______________________ Class: ____ ( ) 1. Take noteson the following areas of your chosen advertisements. Name the strategiesused and give examplesfromeach advertisement to support your points. 2. Once you have taken notes, write information into sentencesfor your presentation.Decide who will talk about each advertisement. Advertisement 1Advertisement 2Advertisement 3 1.Introduction What it advertises, why we chose it, popular culture aspect 2.Body of presentation Image(s) and effect Textand effect Eye movementand effect Compositionand effect
In this section, students:
1) work in groups to apply knowledge they have gained when analysing advertisements;
2) find three advertisements from within popular culture that target teenagers;
3) analyse and compare the advertisements; and
4) present their findings to the class in an oral presentation.
Worksheet 2D.7: Presentation Preparation Template is designed to give students a template for analysing and comparing advertisements in preparation for their presentation. The template is generic so that students can use it for one particular type of advertising, such as print based, or for a variety of advertisements. The Assessment 2D.1: Advertisement Presentation can be used by students as a form of peer assessment. Teachers can also use the assessment form for assessment purposes. Students can hand in their scripts as part of their assessment.
Suggested Procedures
Advertisement Presentation
RNCT, NET Section, CDI, EDB, HKSAR Assessment 2D.1: Advertisement Presentation Group Names: _____________________________________________________________
Category 1 2 3 4
Posture and Eye Contact
Slouches or appears too casual and does not maintain eye contact with audience during presentation.
Slouches or appears too casual but establishes good eye contact with audience during most of presentation.
Stands straight. Maintains eye contact with audience during most of presentation.
Stands straight and looks confident and relaxed.
Maintains eye contact with audience during most of presentation.
Clarity Often mumbles, cannot be understood or mispronounces a lot of words.
Speaks clearly and distinctly most of the time. Mispronounces a few words.
Speaks clearly and distinctly almost all the time, but mispronounces a few words.
Speaks clearly and distinctly almost all the time.
No mispronunciations
Enthusiasm Very little use of facial expression or body language. Does not generate much interest in topic being presented.
Facial expressions and body language are used to try to generate enthusiasm, but seem insincere.
Facial expressions and body language sometimes generate a strong interest and enthusiasm about the topic in others.
Facial expressions and body language generate a strong interest and enthusiasm about the topic in others.
Does not show an adequate understanding of the topic.
Content Understands the main
points of the topic and presents those with ease.
Clearly understands the topic fully and presents information with ease.
Understands the topic fully and presents information convincingly.
Analysis Has trouble picking out the dominant elements and/or describing their effects.
Describes a few dominant techniques used by the advertisers, but has difficulty describing their effects.
Accurately describes some dominant techniques used by the advertisers and begins to describe their effects.
Accurately describes several dominant techniques used by the advertisers and accurately describes their effects.
Few ideas are presented in a logical order and are difficult to follow.
Organisation Most ideas are
presented in a logical order that is mostly easy to follow.
Ideas are presented in a fairly logical order that makes it reasonably easy to follow.
Ideas are presented in a logical order that makes it easy and interesting to follow.
Vocabulary Uses words or phrases that are not understood by the audience. Uses very few advertising terms and phrases.
Uses vocabulary appropriate to the audience. Occasionally uses advertising terms and phrases in explanations.
Uses vocabulary appropriate to the audience. Uses some advertising terms and phrases correctly in explanations.
Uses vocabulary appropriate to the audience. Uses many advertising terms and phrases correctly in explanations.
1. Put students into groups of 3. Inform students that they will be preparing and presenting a short review of three advertisements. Go over the evaluation form with students. Point out that the content as well as their presentation skills will be assessed.
2. Using pages 34-37 of Unit 2 in the NETworking: Workplace Communication in the English Classroom book, go over key points that may be useful for your students’
presentations. Focus on the areas of purpose, planning, oral presentation techniques that could be useful, and tips for practice.
3. Give each group Worksheet 2D.7: Presentation Preparation Template. Group members use the template to make notes about each advertisement and plan their presentation.
4. Students decide who will present each advertisement. They use their notes to write their presentation. Stronger students may be able to present their ideas using only their notes.
5. Students practise their presentations.
6. Students present their advertisement reviews. They should display their advertisements under a visualiser or from the Internet.
7. Other groups use Assessment 2D.1: Advertisment Presentation to peer mark the presentation.