1. COMM 100 Introduction to Media Literacy Advertising: Understanding & Identifying “The Tools of Persuasion”
Jayne Cubbage, Ph.D.
Bowie State University
MDLAB 2017 Final Presentation
August 19, 2017

2. Course: COMM 100 “Introduction to Media Literacy”
This course (new) would be first REQUIRED course in sequence in Department of Communications
Fulfills program description Goal #2:
“To produce well-informed individuals who are able to cope with rapid social and technological changes within our society and to access information, evaluate it critically, and codify it into effective messages for various audiences”. (Bowie State University, 2016)
Seeks to serve as an entrée to the concepts of media literacy
Gateway to identification, production, analysis and synthesis of media skills, concepts and application

3. Assignment Introduction
This assignment is designed to highlight concepts from Dr. Sut Jhally’s presentation (mdlab17.org) which discussed the UBIQUITOUS nature of advertising in the world today and its alarming impact on society:
Ads are COLONIZING society
Ads are DISPLACING other societal narratives
Ads REFLECT VALUES
Ads celebrate CONSUMERISM
Media system delivers AUDIENCES to ADVERTISERS

4. Assignment Purpose/Learning Outcomes
After successful completion of this assignment student’s will be able to do/perform the following:
Identify three levels of ad techniques
Define elements in each level of ad techniques
Analyze how techniques are used to persuade
Evaluate ads and their messages
Future assignments
Own media usage

5. Module
Introduce topic of advertising and its PERVASIVENESS in our lives today
Infuse concepts from Dr. Jut’s presentation
Distribute Handout “Introduction to Media Literacy” (Media Literacy Project, 2012)
Discuss “Tools of Persuasion” and individual terms for each level…
Show Sample Ad from GEICO (GEICO Insurance, 2016)

6. Ad Sample/Ad Techniques
GEICO “Spy: It’s What You Do” Spot:
Beginning: Beautiful People, Humor; Association, Plain Folks
Intermediate: Glittering Generalities; Simple Solution; Symbols; Nostalgia
Advanced: Analogy; Cause vs. Correlation; Diversion

7. Interactive Feature After watching ad:
Students will be asked to identify techniques from each level
Beginning
Intermediate
Advanced
Discuss as a class
Comprehension
Assignment Value
Student Questions, Comments, Concerns

8. Assignment Students will be asked to select an ad of their own
found on YouTube
or other online search engine: DuckDuckGo
Asked to identify tools of persuasion for each level for selected ad
Write a list of techniques identified in ad
Post a video link of selected ad, list of techniques and analysis to WordPress blog

9. Evaluation/Assessment
Upon completion of this assignment students will be evaluated on the following criteria:
Ad analysis:
Identifies Terms
Clearly Written
Blog Post (WordPress):
Aesthetic Value/Neatness
Accessibility of Post
Quality of Presentation:
Active Learning
Student/Audience Engagement
Q&A (Audience Feedback & Questions)

10. Summary/Future Assignments
Once this assignment is completed the course will move on to the next modules on advertising
Module 2: “Advertising Deconstruction”
Module 3: “Advertising Creation”

11. Thank You!