Social Studies 9 Unit 5: Consumerism

Understanding Advertisements Assignments

Task:
Advertising is arguably one of the strongest influences on our
behaviors as consumers; it can also be argued that, through a
variety of techniques, advertising drives consumer spending, and
therefore promotes consumerism.
Your task is to analyze some current advertisements that can be
found online, or in print magazines and examine how they may
influence consumer behavior.
Learning Intentions/Curricular Outcomes
Students will demonstrate through this assignment the following:
 An understanding of advertising techniques and how they
influence consumer behavior.
This goes along with the following curricular point from the Alberta
Social Studies 9 Program of Studies:
 How does marketing impact consumerism and how does individual consumer behavior
impact Quality of Life? (9.2.5)
Instructions:
Step 1: Find Advertisement
Look through a magazine, either print or online, and find two advertisements that appeal to you
 If in print, cut out the ad nicely and paste neatly onto the back of your breakdown of the
advertisement.
 If using an online source, then copy and paste into a blank page in your google doc file to
be printed out with your explanation
Step 2: Examine the Advertisements
For this ad you must explain the following in full sentences, paragraph format:
 Identify the advertising technique(s) used (as discussed in class)
 Explain how this technique is being used and whether or not it is used effectively to
promote the product/service (is it convincing the consumer to buy the product)
 Explain whether the message misleading or honest? Support your point using evidence
from the ad.
 Who do you think the ad intended audience is? (Who are the trying to appeal to)

Step 3: Big Picture

In a third paragraph answer the following question:
 How do you think advertising affects consumerism? And then by association, how does
consumerism affect an individual or societies quality of life?
 Be sure to consider positive and negative impacts

Assignment Due Date: _________________________________________________________________

Social Studies 9 Unit 5: Consumerism

Exemplar/Formatting:
Your assignment should be formatted in one of the following ways:

Format Option 1
Use this format if both your explanations cannot fit on one page:
 Page 1 – First Advertisement
 Page 2 – Breakdown of First Advertisement Paragraph
 Page 3 – Second Advertisement
 Page 4 – Breakdown of Second Advertisement Paragraph
 Page 5 – Quality of Life Paragraph
Format Option 2
Use this format if both your explanations can fit on one page:
 Page 1 – First Advertisement
 Page 2 – Second Advertisement
 Page 3 – Breakdown of First and Second Advertisements
 Page 4 – Quality of Life Paragraph

Make sure if doing format 2 that it is clear which breakdown goes with which advertisement!

Evaluation:
You will be evaluated according to the following rubric.
Exemplary (5) Proficient (4) Acceptable (3) Satisfactory (2) Limited (1)
Content x2 Exceptionally and Proficiently examines Acceptably Satisfactorily Inadequately
(Ad Breakdown) comprehensively advertisement examines examines examines
examines advertisement advertisement advertisement
advertisement
Content Shows an exceptional Shows a proficient Shows an Shows a Shows a limited
(Quality of Life understanding of the understanding of the acceptable satisfactory understanding of the
Paragraph) connection between connection between understanding of understanding of connection between
advertising, advertising, the connection the connection advertising,
consumerism, and consumerism, and between advertising, between advertising, consumerism, and
quality of life. quality of life. consumerism, and consumerism, and quality of life.
quality of life. quality of life.
Conventions There are no spelling, There are few spelling, There are some There are many There are numerous
grammar, punctuation, grammar, spelling, grammar, spelling, grammar, spelling, grammar,
or capitalization errors. punctuation, or punctuation, or punctuation, or punctuation, or
capitalization errors. capitalization errors. capitalization errors. capitalization errors
that detract from the
writing.
Total: /20