This document provides instructions for a coursework task analyzing two print advertisements aimed at different target audiences. Students are asked to choose two magazine ads for specific products and provide a detailed deconstruction of each. The deconstruction should include a description of visual and presentational elements, any messages conveyed by images or text, the type of audience targeted and how the student knows, and where the ad would typically be placed. Key terms are provided to include such as target audience, representation, decoding, and language. The goal is for students to write approximately 500 words analyzing the ads and handing in the print ads.

1. Deconstructing advertisements
Coursework Task 1: Analysis of two print adverts (name of products)
Choose two magazine advertisements, aimed at different target
audiences,that you find interesting, difficult to understand, or
intriguing. Your advertisement should be for a specific product, not
a service, or shop etc.
Applying what you have learned in your work on reading
advertisements, make a detailed deconstruction of your chosen
advertisements. Use the following tasks to help you prepare your
essay.
1. Describe very precisely the advertisement, paying particular
attention to the photographic and presentational devices that
have been used e.g. camera angle, framing, use of text. First
make a detailed denotation, describing exactly what you can
see. Include colour, lighting, angle, distance, people, clothes,
hair, posture, gesture, positioning, age, gender, race, objects,
setting.
The Media Studies Department / GCSE Media Studies / Year 10 / Advertising / Lesson 3 / - 1 -

2. 2. Describe any anchorage in the advertisement, and the effect
this has upon it.
3. What are the connotations that each or all of these elements
bring to the advertisement?
4. What kind of audience do you think the advert would be
targeting and how do you know? Remember to write about their
personality type, not just their age and gender.
5. In which magazine or type of magazine would you normally
expect to see the advert? Why? How do you know?
6. How successful are the adverts in terms of selling the products?
You should aim to write approximately 500 words. Make sure you
hand in the adverts with your writing. Please keep your advert in
good condition.
The Media Studies Department / GCSE Media Studies / Year 10 / Advertising / Lesson 3 / - 2 -
KEY TERMS TO INCLUDE
ADVERTISING DECONSTRUCTION TARGET AUDIENCE
REPRESENTATION DECODING INSTITUTION LANGUAGE FONT
COMMUNICATE TARGETTED ANCHORAGE DENOTATION
CONNOTATION CROPPING TEXT BRAND COLOUR
LIFESTYLE DEMOGRAPHIC/PSYCHOGRAPHIC PROFILING
AIM MESSAGE STEREOTYPE / STEREOTYPICAL
SIGNIFIES IMAGES CONSUMER TARGET AUDIENCE
SLOGAN LANGUAGE LOGO SYMBOLISES CONSUMER

3. The Media Studies Department / GCSE Media Studies / Year 10 / Advertising / Lesson 3 / - 3 -