Lesson 21 – It’s all about image

Warm up

1. What is your favorite advert and why do you like it?
2. How much influence do you think advertising can have on what we buy?
3. It is often said that ‘Advertising sells us a lifestyle or a self-image, not a product’. Whats your opinion?

Main Activity

1. Read these types of adverts.
   
2. Which type is most effective and why. Can you think of any other types?
3. You are going to become advertisers. Make groups of four.
   Read the instructions.
   Your company has five products to advertise:

   Advertising executives Your company has five products to advertise: small, plastic, three-wheel car (capable of carrying the driver and one passenger) toy tool sets for little girls, for working with wood very expensive, plastic jewelry (it might be a designer label product) disposable paper clothes (wear them and throw them away) hot air body drier (instead of towels for use after a bath or shower You have three budgets for each product: £ 1 million for media advertising £500,000 for poster advertising £200,000 for a publicity event You must think of the best way to spend your budget and the type of advert that you would use for media or posters. What would your ads be like? Media advertising costs National TV national radio day £20,000 day £10,000/minute evening £40,000 evening £5,000/minute national daily newspapers national monthly glossy magazines full page £20,000/minute full page £40,000/minute half page £10,000 half page £20,000/minute quarter £5,000 quarter £10,000 small £2,000 small £5,000 You also need to think of a publicity event that would catch people’s attention, e.g. using a celebrity to do something with your product.

4. Discuss the projects and choose two to advertise. You should think about the style of advert that you might use to sell the products.
5. You need to think in detail how you will advertise your chosen products. Product image-what can you emphasize the product to make it attractive?
   Target market – who will buy it?
   Budgets – where is the best place to advertise it and why?
   Style-what will the adverts be like? Describe your ads.
   Go around helping with ideas and language.
6. Choose your best advertising project and describe it to the class. You must also decide who will describe the different parts of your advertising plans.
7. Groups take turns to explain your plans to the class. Invite questions and comments.
8. Which products you might buy and how the adverts affected your choices?

Follow up

• Choose one of the products and design a TV or radio advert for it.
• Act the advert to the class. If you have the facilities, you can video or record the adverts.
• Vote on which advert:
  – uses the best English
  – is most creative
  – would be most likely to persuade them to spend their money

Exercises

Read the text and answer the questions!

In the world of advertising, making a good ad is like telling a captivating story. To do it well, you need to understand who you’re talking to — what they like, what they want. It’s like knowing your audience before you start writing your story. The story you tell should be clear and easy to remember, like a good bedtime tale. It should be short but leave a mark. The pictures or videos you use in your ad are like the illustrations in a storybook. They grab people’s attention and make the story interesting. In your story, make sure to talk about why your product or service is special. What makes it different from everything else out there? It’s like the exciting part of a story that keeps you hooked.

Use feelings in your story, just like how a good story makes you happy, excited, or nostalgic. Make people feel something, and they’ll remember your ad. Decide where your story will be told. Is it on social media, in a magazine, on TV, or online? Think about where your audience is most likely to see it. At the end of your story, tell people what you want them to do. Whether it’s buying something, visiting a website, or signing up — give them a clear instruction. It’s like the moral of the story, the lesson you want them to take away. Keep everything about your story the same. Your logo, colors, and message should always be consistent. It’s like making sure the characters in your story stay the same throughout.

Before you show your story to everyone, do a practice run. Test it with a small group and listen to what they say. It’s like practicing a play before opening night. When your story is ready, it’s time for the big performance. Pay attention to how people react. Are they clicking, buying, or sharing? These are like the reviews that tell you how well your story was received.

In the end, a good ad is not just about showing off. It’s about creating a story that people remember and want to be a part of. It’s about making your brand a familiar and trusted part of their lives.