Volume 3, Number 3

1996 Indiana University - The Center for Adolescent Studies

Truth in Advertising?

Lesson Objectives:

Students will be able to identify advertising strategies that try to get them to use a product.

Grade Level and Subject Area:

9-12: Health Education

Materials:

Sample advertisements of alcohol and tobacco products.

Activities and Strategies:

• Have students study the sample ads and answer the following questions:
  
  • To what group are these advertisements appealing?
    
  • How do you know this?
    
• Discuss the following:
  
  • What is the purpose of advertising?
    
  • What is the motivation of the advertiser?
    
  • How effective do you think the warnings are? Why?
    
  • What are some ways to get the warning messages across to the public more effectively?
    
  • In what ways do these ads influence teenagers?

• Use real ads cut from magazines and newspapers
  
• Have the students create their own anti-smoking or alcohol ad using the same types of appeal used in ads for tobacco product or alcohol ads.

Adapted from Substance Abuse Prevention Activities for Secondary Students. By Patricia J. Gerne and Timothy A. Gerne. Published by Prentice Hall in 1991.