Ad Analysis - Myers

You can tell a great deal about the intended audience of a publication by the ads it carries. Advertisers target very narrow and specific audiences, so if the writing within the journal doesn't give away who it is intended for, the advertisers will. From looking closely at ads, you can often tell the following about the targeted audience:

• Age
• Occupation
• Income Level
• Gender
• Morals/Ethics/Values
• Leisure Time Activities
• Politics

Most importantly, ads tell us what the audience of the publication values.

In Groups...

1. In groups of 3-4, choose a sampling of three ads from a publication.
2. Describe the ads, and explain what can be learned about the audience by examining them. (Use the above criteria as a guide).
3. Report your findings to the class. Explain how you came to your conclusions.