Deconstructing Ads Assignment#1
You will be randomly chosen to complete one (1) of the following ads for deconstruction. You will
deconstruct the ads using the questions, and then post your answers online. Students must then
respond to two (2) of the posted deconstructions, discussing what they feel and what they might
have added. Please respect your peers (netiquette!!!!) when doing these peer reviews!
Deconstruct this magazine
ad using these questions:
1. Whose message is this? Who
created or paid for it? Why?
2. Who is the “target
audience”? What is their age,
ethnicity, class, profession,
interests, etc.? What words,
images or sounds suggest this?
3. What is the “text” of the
message? (What we actually
see and/or hear: written or
spoken words, photos,
drawings, logos, design, music,
sounds, etc.)
4. What is the “subtext” of the
message? (What do you think is
the hidden or unstated
meaning?)
5. What kind of lifestyle is
presented? Is it glamorized?
How?
6. What values are expressed?
7. What tools of persuasion are
used? See "The language of
persuasion"
8. What positive messages are
presented? What negative
messages are presented?
9. What groups of people does
this message empower? What
groups does it disempower?
How does this serve the media
maker's interests?
1. Whose message is this? Who created
or paid for it? Why?
2. Who is the “target audience”? What
is their age, ethnicity, class, profession,
interests, etc.? What words, images or
sounds suggest this?
3. What is the “text” of the message?
(What we actually see and/or hear:
written or spoken words, photos,
drawings, logos, design, music,
sounds, etc.)
4. What is the “subtext” of the
message? (What do you think is the
hidden or unstated meaning?)
5. What kind of lifestyle is presented?
Is it glamorized? How?
6. What values are expressed?
7. What tools of persuasion are used?
See "The language of persuasion"
8. What positive messages are
presented? What negative messages
are presented?
9. What groups of people does this
message empower? What groups does
it disempower? How does this serve
the media maker's interests?
Deconstruct this magazine ad using these
questions:
Who created this media message? Why?
Who is the target audience? What text,
images or sounds suggest this?
What is the text (literal meaning) of the
message?
What is the subtext (unstated or hidden
message)?
What kind of lifestyle is presented? Is it
glamorized? How?
What values are expressed?
What tools of persuasion are used?
See "The language of persuasion"
What healthy messages are
communicated? What unhealthy messages
are communicated?
What part of the story is not being told?
Deconstruct this magazine ad using these questions:
Who created this media message? Why?
Who is the target audience? What text, images or sounds suggest this?
What is the text (literal meaning) of the message?
What is the subtext (unstated or hidden message)?
What lifestyle is presented?
What values are expressed?
What tools of persuasion are used?
What healthy messages are communicated? What unhealthy messages are communicated?
What part of the story is not being told?