30 Seconds of Fame

Television ads are deemed one of the most influential media in the purchasing decisions made by consumers. This is why, in today's advanced society, it is important to be media literate. This regards all media but especially television and video ads.

Television ads usually have a persuasive connotation behind them and it’s always an asset to be able to analyse the underlying meaning of this type of media. These ads have the potential to make us buy things we don’t need or to make us desire certain a lifestyle and, believe it or not, TV commercials can influence what we do and what we desire in our lives. Television commercials are structured differently to adapt to different cultures and also mimic the way these cultures are socialised.

When looking at television commercials here are a few things we can ask ourselves:

• Who is the target audience?

• Is this information correct or should I do some more research into this product or service?

• Can you easily identify the product or services being advertised?

• Is there a hidden agenda? Is there a deeper meaning?

• What are the persuasive methods being used in this commercial?

• What is the general setting of this commercial? (music/lighting/characters)

Paying attention to these details and truely understanding what an ad is trying to tell us may save us time and money in the long run. It will also make us more aware of the deeper meanings of these persuasive TV commercials




Here we have an 8 minute collection of vintage ads, however, I want you to take a look at the first ad. This is a Band Aid ad from 1948. Take a look at this and try to analyse the claims made. Do you think everything in this ad is true?