Jean Kilbourne

Paper instructions:
Select a single, full-page magazine advertisement that is selling a product. It may be perfume or cologne, footwear, an article of clothing, a timepiece, jewelry, a vehicle, a beverage, etc. Whatever you select, you’re more than likely going to have an increased opportunity for success with an ad that has at minimum a visual component or components, text, and a headline. From the magazine, carefully slice out fully and completely the advertisement, and then securely staple it to the end of the essay. No parody ads, please.

By referring as needed to key aspects of the ad, the composition will offer an overview of the promotion’s purpose and message, and then, by deconstructing its various components, it will analyze how the various elements of the advertisement work both independently and collectively to convey its message. If any logic fallacies are present, be sure to note them in your essay and the effect it has on the promotion. Cite sources as needed to increase the logos of your paper and the ethos of you as writer. Some books on the meanings behind certain fonts or font styles might be appropriate, as would be some literature on color/visual analysis. Perhaps some graphic design books by Robin Williams (no, not the comic) might be helpful, such as The Non-Designer’s Design Book, or Can’t Buy My Love: How Advertising Changes the Way We Think and Feel or Deadly Persuasion: Why Women and Girls Must Fight the Addictive Power of Advertising , both by Jean Kilbourne. There are other sources of information on these topics, of course.