Hooking the Audience

Ads and commercials are paid announcements produced for targeted audiences to sell products or ideas. They are the economic force that finances commercial media.

Public service announcements (PSAs) inform the public about safety and health information, community services or public affairs. They are produced and programmed much like commercials, but usually are not produced for profit.

Your job is to create an ad or PSA using at least three persuasive techniques. Use the Persuasive Techniques Checklist for ideas about techniques that you might use. Following are steps to follow:

1. Decide what you want to “sell” to the audience. Do you want to use a product currently on the market or dream up your own product?

2. Decide on the specific message of your public service announcement. Your PSA should fit on a standard piece of paper.

3. Decide what audience you will be targeting.

4. Choose the idea or story of your ad or announcement -— the way you will tell the audience your message.

5. Decide exactly what the viewer will see and hear.

6. Determine what persuasive techniques you will use and label them.

7. Present your creation to the class.

Your project will be evaluated in the following manner:

1. Followed directions (1-10 points)
   (should be 81⁄2" x 11" in size and include at least three persuasive techniques)

2. Mental stimulation (1-20 points)
   (creative concept and strength of persuasive techniques)

3. Visual stimulation (1-10 points)
   (neat, legible and colorful)

4. Conventions (1-10 points)
   (correct punctuation, mechanics, usage/spelling and grammar)

 

Total Points Available: 50

Download a PDF file of the student handout, Hooking the Audience.