80% analysis 20% evidence
General Description
Every media construction aims to sell something. This assignment requires that you perform a close reading of an advertisement in order to examine and explain the advertiser’s techniques and why they were chosen/ how they function in selling a product. You will also use primary and secondary research to strengthen your analysis.
A close reading is an analysis that uses textual evidence to make an argument. A close reading not only explains the major features of the text, but also how and why they relate to a particular larger point.
Your Task (SLOS 1-5) Choose one advertisement from a printed magazine or an online source. Come up with an argumentative thesis with a “so what” about the advertiser’s techniques and why they were chosen/ how they function in selling a product. Using evidence from the ad and additional primary and/or secondary research, support your argument.
Attach your advertisement (either the link or the printed ad) to your completed essay.
Helpful Hints
1. A good thesis will not merely describe the ad, but will say something about why the marketers have constructed the ad this way and what this construction says about a larger issue.
2. Strong analysis answers why and how particular choices function in the ad. For example: How does the color scheme suggest a gendered audience? Why target women with this product?
3. A strong essay will use statistics and other data to argue for why the advertisers have chosen to design the advertisement this way. The research in this case should provide data about consumers and advertising practices in order to support your analysis of the ad itself.
Formatting
You must submit the paper in MLA format, with one-inch margins throughout, a reasonable 12-point font (only Times or Times New Roman), and a works-cited page. You must print the paper, and in black ink. Length: 6-7 pages