This document outlines stages for a school media studies project on advertising techniques targeted at different demographics. It introduces key terms like demographics, brands, and persuasive techniques. It then has students identify with a demographic, find magazine ads for that group, analyze techniques used in one ad, and agree on common techniques seen across ads for their demographic. The goal is for students to understand how advertisers use specific visuals, fonts, language and other elements to target different age groups, genders or income levels.

1. MEDIA CYCLE 2MEDIA CYCLE 2
YOUR GROUP DEMOGRAPHIC IS (circle):
1. Tweenagers, 8-12 (aspire/aim to be seen as teens, rely on pocket money)
2. Teenagers, 13-17 (pre-adult, still at school, may have own part-time job)
3. Young adults, 18-24 (more independent, at work, university; own income)
4. Male
5. Female
6. Wealthy (also referred to as ABC1s, while less well off are classified C2DE)
Year 9 Media Studies 1
NAME:
CLASS:
KEY TERMS:
1: PESTER POWER: children nagging parents to buy products (think of sweets at
checkouts!)
2: DEMOGRAPHICS: breaking down a population (audience) into categories.
Advertisers consider many demographics, plus wider characteristics, but always:
gender: (fe)male; age: young/old, divided into many sub-groups; wealth: high/low
disposable [can spend it] income (also written as ABC1 v C2DE)
3: BRAND, PRODUCT: Nike is the brand represented by the logo, Nike Air an example of
a product. We are encouraged to associate values and ideas with brands: brand image
4: PERSUASIVE TECHNIQUES: As the huge popularity of ad-blockers on smartphones
shows, we don’t like ads! They have to work hard to persuade us to like the brand, buy
the product, using a variety of common techniques – some of which you will use in yours!
5: FONT: The term for lettering: Comic Sans (shudder!) is the go-to font for young
students – there are smarter options, like ‘Grilled Cheese’; bold colour and bubble fonts
are also common for children. Advertisers often use handwriting style fonts to target
women. Fonts can also refer to wider culture: this one references a classic movie.
STAGE TWO: Each find, save and share at least ONE magazine ad aimed at your
demographic [each group should aim for 10 images saved]
STAGE ONE: List brands/products you would identify with
your demographic [everyone must contribute at least one; everyone must
write down others’ ideas]
BELOW: QR
CODE FOR
YEAR 9
BLOG

2. From the initial lessons we considered a wide range of techniques:
• uniqueness (USP or distinctive, maybe odd, look)
• product shot (and how its being used)
• background, location
• colour
• font: style (and possible links to something else); size; positioning; use of UPPER case
(capitals) or lower case (or even a mix of the two); effects on the fonts;
• slogans
• humour
• links/references to wider culture
• social media links (perhaps a viral style)
• positive, persuasive language - perhaps suggesting what type of benefits you get or person
you become by using it
• statistics - they have to be factual by law, governed by the ASA (Advertising Standards
Authority)
• quotes, reviews
• model: perhaps a direct representation of the audience targeted; an aspirational figure (a
type of person the audience would like to be, or be seen as); a celebrity (also an
aspirational figure)
Year 9 Media Studies 2
STAGE THREE: Each person analyse at least ONE ad, describing BRIEFLY (as bullet
points) the persuasive techniques they see used [groups should aim to consider about 10 ads]
AD: TECHNIQUES:
STAGE FOUR: Each person feedback your findings. One person or more note ALL the
techniques listed, then agree on 5 or more key techniques used to target your
demographic. Ideally you will have 2 or more specific examples for each of the 5.
TECHNIQUE 1:
EXAMPLE/S:
TECHNIQUE 2:
EXAMPLE/S:
TECHNIQUE 3:
EXAMPLE/S:
TECHNIQUE 4:
EXAMPLE/S:
TECHNIQUE 5:
EXAMPLE/S: