1. The Power of Advertising
Lesson 11
The Power of Advertising
WALT:
To be able to discuss and understand the power and influence of advertising.
To understand the rules for advertisements which target children.
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2. Starter Think and discuss the following question in pairs:
Why do we advertise?

3. The influence of advertising
Everywhere you go there are advertisements. Where have you seen advertisements?
Advertisers know that the more visible their product is, the more likely you are to buy it. They are therefore willing to spend large sums of money to promote their goods or services.

4. An advert which interrupts the programme you are watching at peak time on TV may last for less than a minute but the advertiser is willing to pay the TV company hundreds of thousands of pounds to broadcast it.
What benefit does the TV broadcasters get from advertising?

5. Is Advertising Good or Bad?
Some people would argue that it is wrong to use advertising to persuade people to buy things, especially things they might not really need. They also think that many advertisements are not strictly truthful when they claim that ‘this washing powder is new and improved’, or that ‘cats love this particular brand of cat food’.

6. Is Advertising Good or Bad?
On the other side of the argument is that without advertising people would be less aware of what was available for them to buy. Also, that if manufacturers compete with one another to produce goods then they must compete to sell them as well, which would mean competitive prices for products.

7. Answer the following questions.
How much do you think you are influenced by advertisements?
Discuss your favourite TV advert and why you like them.
Are they for products you are likely to go out and buy? If so, do you think the adverts have made you more likely to go out and buy them?

8. Think ! What else influences you to go out and buy a product?
Discuss the following statements:
‘Advertising encourages you to be materialistic and to want things they don’t really need’
‘There’s nothing wrong with advertising. It keeps people informed and encourages competition which everyone benefits everybody’.

9. Advertising and Children.
The Advertising Standards Authority regulates the content of advertisements and has codes for TV, radio and all other forms of other advertising.
The codes contain special rules for advertisers who target children aged 15 and below.
The advertisement must not include material which may result in harm to them either physically, mentally or morally.

10. Advertising and Children
Read the advertising for children guidelines.
Do you agree with all of the Rules?
Would you make up any other rules?

11. Plenary Complete either one of these statements:
I agree with advertising because….. Or
I disagree with advertising because…..