Ad Design The goals of this exercise for students are 1) to identify and recognize the ability of advertising and to position an idea and influence the behavior of consumers and 2) to construct a poster which uses visual persuasion and influence.

Materials needed: newspapers and/or magazines, construction or poster paper, paints, crayons, markers, scissors, glue

This exercise comes in four sections to help you build it in to your existing curricula and lesson plans.

1. Your job as the teacher is to lead a discussion on the impact and influence of ideas presented through the visuals in persuasive advertising using the visual advertisements for both healthy lifestyle choices as well as tobacco and alcohol ads. Gather several examples of these kinds of ads to pass around during class as you have this discussion to create student interest. Have students discuss the contradictions and implications that result in the minds of consumers, such as the drinking of alcohol or smoking while participating in a sporting event.
2. Have your students explore magazines, the Internet and other media to locate other examples of how untruthful and misrepresentative messages are created. Have them bring magazine ads to school to discuss how messages are communicated, and what those messages are. Assign your students to write a short essay, journal entry or presentation on how television shows and advertisements communicate various unspoken messages.
3. Have your students design visual media concepts (as age appropriate) around their favorite medium (posters, web pages, billboards, magazine or radio ads) that realistically depict a product. (e.g A cigarette ad with a person on a ventilator.)
4. Have your students work in groups to develop an advertising campaign for a consumer product or service. Have them talk about the techniques they used to persuade their audience.