Consumer Text Features

Consumer Text Examples

• Advertisements * VCR manual• Flyers * Menus• Magazine ads *Recipes• Sales ads * Food labels• Newspaper inserts * Telephone book• Hunter safety booklet• Driver’s manual

Propaganda Techniques

• Transfer: associating a symbol or feeling with the product. This is intended to cause the consumer to think buying the product is the American thing to do.

• Glittering generality: information that is so general that it sounds like it might be a fact, but it isn’t. A broad, general statement about the product.

Propaganda Techniques

• Bandwagon: stresses the popularity of the product. Everybody is buying this, and you should too.

• Plain folks: suggests that the product is for the common everyday person, just like you.

• Testimonial: someone well known endorses the product OR someone not necessarily well known but someone the consumer can identify with, such as a respected pediatrician.

Propaganda Techniques

• Snob appeal: the product is advertised as if it is a symbol of wealth, beauty, etc. If you buy this product, you, too, will have those things.

• Card-stacking: lists facts as to give only good impressions. Negative aspects are left out. May list numerous positive attributes of the product.

Language in Consumer Text

• Precise language:– Strong verbs– Specific nouns– Adjectives– Adverbs

* Very apparent in card stacking technique

Predictions and Inferences

• How do we make predictions?

• What information do we have that helps us make these predictions? Inferences?

• When we assume who the ad might be targeting, we’re predicting or making inferences.

Author’s Viewpoint

Looking at an article:

• How does the author seem to feel about the topic?

• What clues from the passage suggest that?

Author’s Viewpoint

• Choose another article and with a partner, discuss the author’s feelings about the topic

• What from the article suggests this?

• Be ready to share with the class after everyone has shared with their partner

Advertisements

• Pick an ad to share

• What it the propaganda technique used?

• Who is most likely to read this ad?

• Who is the audience your ad appeals to and why?

• How does the author seem to feel about the product?

Propaganda Technique Practice

• With a partner, study an advertisement from your magazine– Identify the propaganda technique used in the

advertisement– What is the purpose of the ad? What does the advertiser

want to achieve? Is it explicit?– Who are the imagined users (audience) of the product?– What are some of the explicit values or attitudes assumed

to be shared by the readers/viewers?– What are some of the more implicit or taken for granted

points of consensus, in relation to class, gender or generation.

Inferences and Summary

With your partner, read another ad and:• Who is the intended audience of your

advertisement?• To whom might it appeal?• What from the advertisement suggests this?• Summarize the information you get from

the advertisement• Be prepared to share your information with

the class

Questions to Consider

• What key words or phrases are often used with particular propaganda techniques?

• Why is the use of precise language necessary in advertising?

Review from Yesterday• Using advertisement provided:

– Identify the propaganda technique used

– Explain the author’s viewpoint• How does the author feel about the topic?

• What are the clues?

– Identify details from the ad that support your answers

– Identify precise language

– Predict who the ad targets as its audience

Why Analyze Ads?

• Learn to identify techniques being used.

• Determine the advertisers goal

• Become informed

Analyzing Consumer Text

• Why do you read?

• What kinds of things do you read in a day?

• Where do you find the various things you read each day?

• Does it have to be a book, magazine, etc.?

Things You Read Each Day

• Signs

• Product labels

• Instructions

• Video game screens

• Text books

• Silent reading books

• Magazines

Consumer Text Questions

• What kinds of things do the authors/publishers do/use in their consumer text to make it more interesting and to help the audience read and understand the information presented?

Non-Fiction Features of Consumer Texts

• Titles * Font type

• Headings * All capitals

• Bold-colored type * Labels

• Italics * Numbered steps

• Bullets * Graphics

• Captions * Font size

Create Your Own Ad• Pick a product:

– It can be anything you want – Be sure to use precise language – Identify the propaganda technique

used– Be certain to consider your audience– Document two details from your ad to

support your choices

Products Used to Create Ad• Fast food restaurant * Baseball bat

• Clothing store * Golf glove

• Dish soap * Laundry

• Running shoes detergent

• Sports drink * Gorilla glue

• Soft drink * Granola bars

• Any others I approve * Plunger

* Spinach

Propaganda Techniques

Remember to use at least 1

1. Transfer

2. Glittering generality

3. Bandwagon

4. Plain folks

5. Testimonial

6. Snob appeal

7. Card stacking

Compare/Contrast

• What does it mean to compare?

• What does it mean to contrast?

• What kinds of graphic organizers are appropriate for comparing and contrasting?

Compare/Contrast

You will each receive 2 pieces of “Trash”

Compare/Contrast

With a partner:• Compare two food labels, searching for

common text features such as bullets, all capital letters, italics, titles, headings, font size and type, etc.

• Contrast the two labels as well– Use the graphic organizer provided to record

your information– Be prepared to share your information with the

class

Compare/Contrast G.O.

Shared features

Counter Ads

• Choose an ad from a magazine.

• Read and analyze the ad.

• Determine the propaganda technique used.

• Using the same propaganda technique create a counter ad for this product.

Deconstruct Your Ad

• Look at all the words used (even the small print)

• Look at the images (pictures)• What’s the layout? (position of words and

images on the page and in relationship to one another)

• Answer the questions on the handout provided.

Counter-Ad examples

http://www.adbusters.org/

Did you know that every product pictured here is owned by Phillip Morris, the world's largest cigarette company? Chances are that you've been helping to promote Marlboro cigarettes without even knowing it.  

Be sure to:

• Tell the “truth” about your product. • Include pertinent information omitted from the

original ad.• Clearly articulate your target audience• Add a slogan• Maybe include packaging (if not previously

used)• An image of the product (though not an

idealized or “beautiful food” shot)• Responsible testimony• Nutritional information

You Can

• Cut and paste pictures from other ads

• Copy slogans

• Copy headlines

Create your Counter-Advertisement

Be creative!!