The purpose of this assignment is to recognize how audience plays a role in our everyday
encounters.
Advertisers have to know their audience to be able to market the products they are trying to sell.
The audience will dictate what the print advertisement is going to look like (the colors, who is
represented, what the models will wear, the placement of people and items, etc.) or how a
commercial will be scripted and filmed. This is what will catch their eye to make them want to
go out and try/purchase the product the advertisers are helping to sell.
For this assignment, I would like you to be more aware of the advertisements you encounter. To
begin, you will choose a product category listed below; then you will find 2 different
advertisements (they can be either print advertisements from a magazine or a commercial) for
that product (preferably with different intended audiences), and then you will identify who the
intended audience is and analyze how the ad/commercial is put together to reach that intended
audience.
Product Categories:
Vehicles
Insurance
Restaurant
Vacation Spot
Cleaning Supply
Medication
Personal Care Item
Candy
Your analysis will then answer these questions:
1. What category did you chose? What are the two ads/commercials you chose? Who would
you say is the target audience for those ads? Do you fit in the target audience of either,
whether primary or secondary? If you encountered these within a magazine or on live
TV, you could also address how the ads fit into the intended audience for the magazine or
TV program you were watching.
2. Provide a description of both of the ads that includes any words that pop out to you to
describe the item; people involved in the ad; colors used in the ad; how the product is
placed in the ad; etc.
3. What advertisement/commercial(s) did you find the most appealing and why? What did
the advertisers do best to reach their target audience?
4. Is there anything you would change in either advertisement to make it better to make sure
it appeals more to its intended audience? If so, what and why?
5. Provide your final thoughts overall on the experience and why you think knowing your
audience is important
