Advertisement Analysis-Evaluation Essay
Cora Agatucci, Writing 121 & Writing 122, 1997-1999
Essay Directions | Analyzing & Evaluating Advertisements | Evaluation Checklist |
Example Student Essays: "The Sky Is the Limit," by Andrew Elster |
"Mints with the Kung-Fu Grip," by Chad Brown |
"California Tan Heliotherapy: Heterosexual Tanning Formula?
Or Just a Sexual One?" by Tammy Bender

Helpful Links:

"Affluenza." PBS Online: KCTS/Seattle & Oregon Public Broadcasting.
Prod. John de Graaf and Vivia Boe. Host: Scott Simon. 1997.
URL: http://www.pbs.org/kcts/affluenza/ [last accessed Aug. 2002]
History of "Affluenza": Consuming Moments in History
URL: http://www.pbs.org/kcts/affluenza/diag/history.html

The On-Line Visual Literacy Project, Pomona College, Claremont, CA; 1998.
What Is Visual Literacy? | The Basic Visual Elements:
Dot, Line, Shape, Direction, Texture, Hue, Saturation, Value, Scale, Dimension, Motion
URL: http://www.pomona.edu/Academics/courserelated/classprojects/Visual-lit/intro/intro.html
[last accessed Aug. 2002]

ESSAY DIRECTIONS

Yourlastname 1

Your Name
Writing 122, Dr. C. Agatucci
Essay #4: Ad Analysis-Evaluation Essay
8 March 1999

Directions: Advertisement Analysis-Evaluation Essay

Deadlines: [linked to course plan]

Late policy & Revision Option: [linked to course syllabus]

General Directions:

1. Write Essay #4 on one (or more) print advertisement(s) of your choice with a persuasive purpose, appearing in a magazine or other type of portable print publication that you have [so that you can also analyze the rhetorical context and targeted audience(s) for the advertisement(s)]. You may choose to analyze and evaluate a single advertisement, or you may choose to compare/contrast two advertisements (for the same type or different products/services, or multiple (say three) advertisements for the same product appearing in a print publication.
2. This assignment is an essay: thus, you must have a clear thesis, which unifies your essay analysis and evaluation of the advertisement(s); the essay must be well organized and coherent, all points must be well developed, etc.
3. As stated in the syllabus, the Ad Analysis-Evaluation Essay is worth 15% of your course grade, and the suggested length is 3-to-5 typed/wordprocessed double-spaced --or as long as your Analysis-Evaluation Essay needs to be to get the tasks described below done well.
4. Manuscript Format and Title: Please follow the MLA-based manuscript format (for headings, margins, etc.), given previously in class, for the Final Draft of your Ad Analysis-Evaluation Essay #4. Give your analysis-evaluation essay a title that is descriptive of the contents of your essay. For example:

Analysis-Evaluation of MacDonald’s "Girls, Girls, Girls"

However, you may choose to create a more interesting title reflective of the evaluative thesis and emphasis of your Ad Analysis-Evaluation Essay: for example:

MacDonald’s "Girls, Girls, Girls":
How Dumb Do Advertisers Really Think We Are?

If you don’t know the official title of your advertisement, make up a working title (one that reflects the advertisement’s contents and/or the corporate producer) and use this ad title consistently to refer to your selected advertisement.

I. ESSAY INTRODUCTION

1. Briefly introduce your Wr 122 audience to your topic—i.e. the advertisement(s) to be analyzed/evaluated in your Essay #4: Give your ad a title (whether official or a working title of your own device), formally introduce the product/service/organization being sold, the ad's creator, and the print publication in which the ad(s) appeared. (This section of your introduction functions very like the brief formal introductory summary of the AofA reading that you analyzed/evaluated in Essay #1.)

2. Present your Thesis and Key Supporting Reasons

(a) Assert your Thesis judgment of the subject--i.e. your chosen advertisement(s)--based on conclusion(s) you have reached after close description, analysis, and evaluation of your selected ad(s); 
and
(b) Preview the main reasons supporting your thesis judgment, explicitly stating or clearly implying evaluation criteria and reasons . . . 

--that will (probably) be accepted by (most of) your readers as appropriate and persuasive for judging the given advertisement(s);
and
--that you can demonstrate, in the body of your essay, the  particular advertisement(s) under discussion does or does not meet.

To help you formulate your thesis judgment and supporting reasons--consider these models & leading questions:

• This advertisement is or is not effective in achieving X (state the ad's persuasive purpose/s) with X (identify the targeted audience(s) because [preview your evaluation criteria for judging the ad's effectiveness and make clear in what respects the selected ad does and/ror does not meet each criterion].
  Example Student Essays using this Thesis formula:
  "The Sky Is the Limit," by Andrew Elster:
  "Mints with the Kung-Fu Grip," by Chad Brown:
• I approve or disapprove of this advertisement because it does or does not use good or bad (e.g. ethical/socially responsible) methods to appeal to its targeted audience. 
  Example Student Essay: "California Tan Heliotherapy: Heterosexual Tanning Formula? Or Just a Sexual One?" by Tammy Bender
• It is useful or valuable to analyze closely this advertisement  because . . . .
  For example, you can use this essay assignment to demonstrate that learning to "read"/view and analyze image-based advertising more critically helps us all become wiser and more thoughtful consumers.
  Example Student Essay using this formula: "California Tan Heliotherapy: Heterosexual Tanning Formula? Or Just a Sexual One?" by Tammy Bender
•  

3. Optional Preview of Main Supporting Points. If, in your introduction, you choose to preview the organization, major points and/or evaluation criteria you will discuss in your ad analysis-evaluation, be sure (a) to identify all major points to be discussed and (b) to list them in the order that they are actually discussed in the body of your essay. Remember such previews can strengthen coherence by helping your readers accurately predict what’s coming and in what order.

II. ESSAY BODY: Remember what you have learned about sound composition principles for writing essays. In particular:

1. Organization: Choose an organizational strategy that seems most effective and select body points for discussion that are most important to achieving your Essay #4 thesis/purpose.
2. Unity: Everything in your Essay #4 should contribute to your thesis/purposes. Provide timely thesis transitions to connect your body points to your thesis/purpose. Use qualifications, exceptions, concessions, precise word choices, etc., as needed. Develop and emphasize body points most important to achieving your thesis/persuasive purpose in Essay #4.
3. Manuscript Form & Source Citation: Follow correct manuscript format as directed for previous essays. If you quote/paraphrase from WR 122 handouts, AofA, and/or other outside sources, you will need to cite them as you have been learning to do in Essays #1 and #2. You must avoid plagiarism and give credit where credit is due.
4. Body Development. Cora will also expect you to apply what you have learned from Wr 122 (handout/AofA readings, class discussions, slide presentation, etc.) about advertisement analysis/evaluation relevant to the task at hand. In particular, you will be expected to incorporate the following types of analysis into the body of Essay #4:

• Rhetorical Context and Targeted Audience(s) of the Advertisement. While you are asked to introduce briefly and formally the ad(s) and aspects of the rhetorical context in your introductory paragraph, you will want to analyze in more detail in the body of your essay the rhetorical context of the ad—with special attention to the positioning of the ad(s) within the print publication and the targeted audience(s) for the ad. The ad’s positioning, what else is placed next to/near it, and the type of publication can influence who sees the ad and how it will be received by the viewers/consumers. In describing whom you have decided the target audience is, be sure to support your decision with evidence from the ad itself, the assumptions the ad seems to make about its audience and how to sell to that targeted audience, the rhetorical context where you found the ad, the advertiser’s corporate image, etc.—that is, explain what in the advertisement and its rhetorical context has led you to identify this likely target audience(s). You may also wish to apply what you have learned from WR 122 handouts and class presentations regarding the nature, goals and methods of the U.S. corporate advertising business as relevant to your analysis of the rhetorical context of the ad(s) and your Essay #4 thesis/persuasive purpose.

• Detailed Descriptive Analysis of the . . .

1. Overall Visual "look" and impact of the ad, and how that look/impact is created through description of the advertisement(s)
2. Visual & Verbal Content (visual compositional elements) of the ad(s), and
3. Visual Design/Layout (visual relationships among the compositional elements) of the ad(s).

Describe both images and "copy" (i.e. words). Focus on any special features important to understanding how the ad "works" visually, what message(s) the ad sends, and what persuasive appeals the ad uses to reach its targeted audience(s). Be sure to develop and emphasize aspects of the ad(s) most important to achieving your Essay #4 thesis/purpose.

Note Well: You have been instructed to bring your print ad(s) to class for workshop group analysis, and you must attach the ad(s) to the final draft of your Ad Analysis-Evaluation Essay. However, don’t expect the ad to describe itself or speak for itself. Don’t assume that all your Wr 122 readers will see, "read," emphasize, and interpret the ad in the same way, or with the same close attention to its rhetorical context and targeted audience(s), or with the same persuasive purpose/thesis in mind, that you do. It may be most helpful to proceed as if your readers cannot or have not seen the advertisement(s) for themselves. Try to make your visual description in words detailed enough to re-create a strong visual "picture" of the ad even for Wr 122 readers who have not viewed it.

• Analysis and Evaluation of the types of Persuasive Appeal(s) used and the Message(s) communicated by the advertisement(s) under discussion, in relation to the targeted audience(s) and rhetorical context of the ad(s). You should take care to connect your analysis/evaluation of persuasive appeals and messages to how these are communicated through the Visual look/impact, content, and design/layout of the ad(s). Cite described visual features of the ad that support and illustrate your interpretation of the persuasive appeals and messages of the ad(s). Single out, develop and emphasize those aspects of the ad(s) which are most important to your essay’s thesis and persuasive purpose.

III. ESSAY CONCLUSION. Re-emphasize or summarize key points of your analysis-evaluation; reaffirm your thesis and persuasive purpose in writing this essay and perhaps deliver an appropriate call to action from your readers; provide a satisfying sense of closure

ANALYZING & EVALUATING ADVERTISEMENTS
1. Rhetorical Context & Targeted Audience: Questions to Consider |
2.  Descriptive Analysis of Ad & Its Messages:
 

Caveat emptor (Latin) —"Let the buyer beware"
People, both young and old, need critical analysis tools
to separate the message from the advertiser's intention to make a sale.

"Affluenza Bug Busting Tip #4. Become an advertising critic.
Don't be sucked in by efforts to make you feel inadequate
so you'll buy more stuff you don't need."
URL: http://www.pbs.org/kcts/affluenza/treat/tips.html

3. Analysis-Evaluation of Persuasive Appeals Used & Messages Communicated

Select what you have learned from analyzing and evaluating (1) the rhetorical context and targeted audience;  and (2) the visual impact and content of the ad(s), to explain how the advertisement works to achieve its purposes.  the task of (3) demonstrating how the advertisement worksidentifying, analyzing and evaluating the types of persuasive appeals used and messages communicated. Remember that advertisers spent a lot of money, have carefully taken all these elements into account and must make them all work together to achieve the advertisers’ persuasive purposes. Advertisers must get their ads seen and by the right, targeted audience. And they must carefully determine what visual approach conveying what types of messages and appeals are most likely to influence that audience to buy.

Advertisers rarely use the kinds of logical appeals of argument to sound reasoning and evidence that we emphasize in Wr 122 to sell a product, service, or corporate image. Today, many advertisers choose to sell desirable “images” they want consumers to associate with the product, service, or the corporation producing the product, rather than trying to sell a product/service based on its own merits. Appeals to emotions (such as desire, fantasies, envy, fear, anxiety)—not necessarily fair, honest, or ethical--predominate in advertising. Review of AofA Ch. 7 may help you identify and analyze appeals to emotions and values. Remember, too, that

The following are some common "arguments" used by advertisers, most derived from Consuming Passions, by Ellen Mohr Catalano and Nina Sonenberg (and cited in "Affluenza"):

If you use this product or service you will...

1. Join a wonderful group of people.
2. Feel appreciated.
3. Be rewarded.
4. Become "cool" and beautiful.
5. Be held in high esteem and be envied by others.
6. Will have more love, romance, or sexual gratification in your life.
7. Will enjoy more fun and adventure in your life.
8. Will escape your boring, miserable self and energize your boring, miserable life.
9. Will be more like famous, beautiful, or wealthy people.
10. Will be associated with success, humor, sophistication, rebellion, tradition or modernity.
11. Will find deep satisfaction that you’d never find otherwise.
12. Will enjoy safety or security

And, if you do not use this product or service you will face...

1. Not having or being one or more of the qualities listed above.
2. Social isolation
3. Career failure
4. Failing health or death.
5. Having to live your boring everyday life with your boring, miserable self

When you analyze a print advertisement and make analysis notes,
consider the following questions & analytical tools.
[NOTE:  The following guide to analyzing & evaluating advertisements is meant to augment
In-Class Slide Presentation, developed by George Jolokai, Instructor of Photography at COCC]
You need NOT address all the questions or use all the analytical tools in each section!
Select and focus on those most relevant to your chosen advertisements.

1. Rhetorical Context & Targeted Audience(s)
In analyzing the rhetorical context, you are trying to determine:

• why the advertiser chose this particular publication, at this time of the year, to feature this particular ad for this type of product, service, corporation.
• who the targeted audience is—i.e. who is most likely to read this kind of magazine, and be attracted and influenced by this kind of ad?
• how the rhetorical context (e.g. the type of publication in which the ad is placed--and where in that publication this ad is placed)  influences the meaning and reception of the advertisement.

Questions to Consider:
a. Who has created/sponsored the ad? Who is the advertiser/product creator/distributor?
b. What is the advertiser's purpose(s)? Of course, with advertisements, the ultimate persuasive purpose would be to sell something, usually a product or a service. What service or product is being sold? Note that the product or service is not always the main focus in today’s ads; in fact, it’s not always immediately apparent what product/service is being sold. Rather, advertisers are often selling a certain image—of the audience and/or of the corporate producer—to be associated favorably with the product/service. If this is the case, how would you describe that image, attitude, feeling, etc. conveyed by the ad and its producer?
c. Where, when, in what context(s) did you find the ad? Review the magazine to determine as much as you can about what kind of publication it is; what kinds of interests it caters to; what kinds of articles, features, and other ads it contains; the date and source of publication. Is the ad geared toward a particular time of the year, season, current fashion, topical issue in the news, or theme prevalent in the magazine?
d. Where, physically, in the print publication does the ad appear? Is the ad in a conspicuous place (e.g., front or back cover, near the lead article)? If the ad is sandwiched among other ads, how did it manage to catch your eye? What other kinds of ads and/or articles surround it? How do the ad’s surroundings affect how you view it? Is the ad distinctively different in any visual way from the ads/articles surrounding it?
e. Is the ad part of a multiple ad compaign?—that is, do ads for this product/service appear more than once, or do other products/services of the same corporate producer also appear in the same publication? Do these other ads share a common look or any common visual features? Was this ad already familiar to you—that is, have you seen this same type of ad in other locations? Is there a sight recognition factor at work in drawing attention to this ad?
f. Who are the readers of this type of publication most likely to be? Consider the type of publication, the type of ad, the product/service/corporate producer being sold, to help you determine who the "target audience" is for the advertisement. Advertisers are typically interested only in "market share"—that is, what at least 1,000 people will buy as a group. Remember, advertisers do extensive research on who’s buying and not buying their products, services, corporate images--and why or why not. They may be trying to keep an existing audience buying, or to expand a "market" and attract a new target audience to a product/service.
g.  Now, try to describe that intended "target" audience more specifically. What assumptions does the ad suggest that advertisers are making about the target audience and what will appeal to this target audience?  Focus on factors that would seem most significant to this particular advertisement and its publication/rhetorical context: e.g. age/generation (e.g. teens, baby-boomers), gender and sexual orientation, national identity (e.g. the US of A), regional identity (e.g. urban/rural, Pacific Northwest or Middle West, etc.), "race"/ethnicity,  values and beliefs (e.g. ethics, politics, religion), socio-economic class, professional group, leisure preferences, sexual orientation, social/family roles, educational level, other life style choices or circumstances--as well as desires and fears, stereotypes and self-images, etc., of the targeted groups.
h. Are you a member of this targeted audience? Keep in mind that how well the ad works with you to achieve its persuasive purpose, and how challenging it will be for you to analyze the ad critically, may depend on whether or not you are within the target group range, and the ad’s appeals are designed for someone like you (or what the advertisers imagine the target audience to be).  
i.  Look again, closely, at the ad and describe/imagine/research the impression that the ad(s) is likely to create with its targeted audience.  Especially if you have decided you are not within the targeted audience, you might wish to show the ad to others who are in the targeted audience: ask them to describe the initial impression and impact the ad makes. That is, test your reactions to the ad against those of others who are in the targeted consumer group: how do the reactions compare or contrast? Re-examine the ad closely, and use the questions and considerations below to try to figure out how the ad created audience impressions and impact. Consider also whether you perceive a gap between the imagined target audience (what the advertiser imagines or projects the targeted consumers to be, or want to be)--and the actual people likely to see this ad in this publication. What assumptions does the ad suggest that advertisers are making about the target audience, and what will appeal to this target audience? Are the advertisers wrong or right in their assumptions?

2. Descriptive Analysis of the Ad's Visual Impact, Content & Message(s):
Key goals (and not necessarily in this order):

• Describe the overall visual impact of the ad; then explain how that impact is created by considering its visual style or "look," its layout and design, its visual and verbal content.
• Analyze how
• Interpret the visual and verbal message(s) or meanings communicated by the ad.
• Analyze how that visual look/impact and visual/verbal message(s) have been created through descriptive analysis of the ad’s visual content (its compositional elements, including images, "copy" or words, and "negative space") and its layout/design (visual relationships created among the compositional elements).

A. Visual and Verbal Content: Describe and analyze what is visually depicted and verbally stated in the advertisement.  (Images, Words, & other compositional elements - Terms & Concepts to help you explain, in words, what you see.)

1. Images:

• What kind of visual images are used (photographs, hand-created drawings and/or paintings, etc.)?
• How many images are used? Is a collage, photomontage, or composite "paste-up" of several images from various sources used? Are images "superimposed" over each other?
• Do any of the images seem to stand for or symbolize something else? If so, what? Are corporate logos included in the design? Were you already familiar with this logo?
• Read" the image(s). Describe what is visually depicted in the advertisement. Who or what is depicted in the ad, in what kind of setting, wearing what kind of clothes and other adornments, with what kind of props, in what kind of situation? What seems to be going on? If people are depicted, who are the models? Describe the body language of the models in the ad. What does the body language say?
• Do the images suggest a story or social situation? What kind of world is depicted? Does the ad create a certain feeling, mood, or attitude?
• Comment on ways (and reasons why) the image(s) in the advertisement were selected, placed,  "composed,"  "manipulated" or "touched up" to achieve desired visual effects on the viewer.
  --Remember:  Even seemingly realistic photographs and film do not simply represent "reality" as it is.  Photographic and filmed images are carefully selected, placed, and "composed" to achieve particular effects, and their so-called "reality" is a visual  illusion.  Because of increasingly sophisticated technology, they can be altered and manipulated, created and re-invented, to achieve particular effects.

2. Words / : Approach the letters and words of the ad (the "copy"), as well as its images, as imparting not only a verbal message, but also a visual message as part of the visual look and design of the ad(s).

• Verbal Messages: Summarize the message, what is said. Do the words try to appeal to the senses (taste, touch, sight, sound, smell)? Do the verbal messages carry particular persuasive appeals (see below)?
• Visual Messages: Describe the visual design of the copy (e.g., typeface style, font, size, layout and placement, color, line, shape, etc.).
• Verbal + Visual Messages: Consider placement, groupings, isolation of copy and image. What is your eye invited to connect or isolate by placement and layout? Is the copy placed near particular images so they work together to convey meaning? How do the verbal messages and visual design of the type relate to the ad's images? Do the words and images complement and support each other? And/or contrast to each other? In what way(s)?

3. Other Compositional Elements: Terms & Concepts to help you explain (in words) what you see are provided and illustrated in this helpful web site:

The Basic Visual Elements:
Dot, Line, Shape, Direction, Texture, Hue, Saturation, Value, Scale, Dimension, Motion
The On-Line Visual Literacy Project (Pomona College, Claremont, CA; 1998.)
http://www.pomona.edu/Academics/courserelated/classprojects/Visual-lit/intro/intro.html
[last accessed Aug. 2002]

• Color: see Hue (e.g. red, green yellow-what most of us think of as "color"), Value (intensity), Saturation (tone/gradations: e.g., "cool" tones like bluish black & white ads and green/blue/violent for color ads; or "warm" tones like sepia/brownish-black for black & white ads, and red, orange, yellow for color ads)
• Line (continuous or interrupted, or dotted lines--straight edges created by copy and edges of images) - see also Dot
• Shape (e.g. circles, squares, cones, triangles, etc.)
• Size and Proportion
• Volume (e.g., heavy, airy, depth) - see also Scale
• Texture
• Lighting (may be natural or "available" light, or unnatural, special effects lighting; "high key" = light, bright, white; "low key" =dark, shadowy; backlighting = lighting from behind an object to silhouette, define, keep object from merging with the background)
• Lights and shadows - see also Dimension
• Contrast (visual differences among compositional elements)
• Direction and Motion/movement

Overall Impact, Visual Style or "Look," Layout & Design of the advertisement.

Describe your first impressions upon seeing the ad. Pay attention to what first caught your eye, attracted and then held your attention.  (After all, you are bombarded with ads and images everyday, so consider the reasons why you singled out this advertisement.)

Now try to account for how the ad's visual impact is created by analyzing its visual style or "look," its layout and design.

Questions to Consider:

• What is the ad’s focal point or center of visual interest? (Consider how the ad first caught your eye and attracted your attention.) The focal point is the part of the ad that holds the greatest attraction to the eye. Where is the viewer’s eye drawn first? Why? What compositional elements seem to predominate?--e.g. image and/or words (ad "copy").
  --Remember the Rule of 1/3’s: If you divided the frame into three equal parts horizontally and then again vertically, imagine where these lines would intersect: the center of visual interest is often placed just off center at one of these intersections.
• Directional (Eye) Movement: Ad layout may be designed to control the viewer’s eye movement in certain directions. After analyzing what attracts your eye first, notice where your eye is invited to go second, third, fourth, etc. Does this directional movement seem to move your eye vertically, horizontally, diagonally, or does it circle? Is your eye led off the page, or invited to stay within the ad? What visual features (line, color, size, proportions, volume, overlapping or separated images, etc.) seem to be guiding or directing your eye movement—and to what?
• Does the use of lights and darks, color or black/white, people and situation, or other elements create a dominant mood or feeling?
• Do compositional elements seem balanced or imbalanced to your eye? Does the design seem top-heavy? bottom-heavy? vertically, horizontally, or diagonally aligned? Are elements and groupings symmetrical, evenly distributed, or assymmetrical? What is the visual impact—interesting or boring?
• Is the ad visually simple and clean, or visually complex and busy? Are there large sections of "negative space" or is every available space filled with image and/or copy?
  --Negative Space: Assume that "negative space" (or so-called "empty" space of the background and/or field on which copy and image appear) is also carefully designed. How is such negative space organized and used?
• Would you describe the ad(s) as naturalistic and realistic--or abstract, distorted, fantastic (e..g, clearly beyond our perceptions of what is "natural" and "realistic")?
• Does the ad seem polished, smooth, and sophisticated (perhaps because of high-tech, enhanced or digitally manipulated imagery)--or grainy, gritty, and raw?
• Do you get an overall impression of visual clarity or visual confusion? For example, are the images sharply defined and focused, or blurry and out of focus? Is the lighting harsh or delicate? Do colors complement each other, or do they seem to clash and vibrate against each other? If an effect of visual confusion is created, does it serve the purpose of the ad?
• Does the ad suggest illusions of movement or depth, or is the ad visually static and flat? (…because of image/text  size and relationships, color, line, rhythm, continued or interrupted lines, superimposed images, etc.?)
• Where are visual elements placed in relation to each other? How are elements grouped, merged, blended, and do some overlap each other? And what does their visual/thematic relationship seem to be? Which elements are separated or isolated (and thus emphasized?) and why? What seems to be the "visual logic" of this layout and design?
• What is in the Foreground? What is in the Background? Do some elements jump forward (seem nearest), while others recede (seem farther away)? What do forward/near elements seem to be emphasizing, and receding/distanced elements seem to be de-emphasizing or more subtly suggesting?
• Perspective & Dimension: Does the layout create an illusion of depth (3-D)? Or does the ad seem flat (2-D)?  Perspective or depth illusion can be created by the relative size of objects.  "Normal" perception expects larger objects to be closer, smaller objects to be more distant. The convergence of lines and relative variations of tone also create the illusion of depth and volume.
• Contrast and Continuity: Are there any visual contrasts or abrupt changes, mergings or isolations among the visual elements? What visual effects do these contrasts/changes or mergings/isolations yield? Do they create visual emphasis on certain compositional elements?
• Patterns and Repetitions: Do visual patterns and repetitions (of color, shape, size, etc.) invite the eye to connect visually certain parts of ad and create "visual unity? Or do discordant elements of visual diversity and discontinuity, seem to fragment the ad’s visual imagery? If so, why?
• Visual Vantage Point: What is the dominant visual vantage point from which the images are viewed? Are the images shot from an usual angle?—e.g. from a high angle (from above looking down on the scene ), or low angle (shot from below looking up at the scene)? What emotional impact or visual message does this point of view produce?
• Framing and Bleeding: Is the ad or image framed by clear, self-contained borders?--or are your eyes invited to move off the page? Do images seem complete and self-contained, or does part of the "complete" image seem to be left out or to "bleed" across other images or off the page? What effect does such visual framing or bleeding seem to have?

EVALUATION CHECKLIST: Ad Analysis-Evaluation Essay

Evaluation Essay #4                                      Name______________________________
Ad Analysis-Evaluation
WR 122, C. Agatucci, Winter 1999                    Grade__________________

___Requirement #1 - Print Advertisement(s) is/are selected as the subject of Essay #4, the ad(s) is/are appropriate for an analysis/evaluation essay, and the Magazine/Print Source(s) from which the ad(s) came is/are submitted with the Final Draft of Essay #4.

___Requirement #2 –Genre & Focus:  this assignment is written in essay form to support an appropriate thesis, and the topic/thesis is well enough focused to achieve the student-author’s persuasive purpose(s) in 3-to-5 double-spaced, typed/wordprocessed pages.

___Requirement #3 – Learning Applications:  It is clear that the student- author has been attentive to class presentations and handouts, and has made a good faith attempt to apply at least some of the tools introduced in class for analysis and evaluation the chosen advertisement(s).
___Requirement #4 - Manuscript Format & Source Citations:  Final Draft of Essay #4 is typed/wordprocessed and double-spaced, following recommended MLA format for headings, margins, running page headers, etc.; any outside sources used are correctly cited and plagiarism is avoided.

______1. ESSAY TITLE, INTRODUCTION, and THESIS/PURPOSE(S)

_____a.  Essay title gives a clear indication of essay content and points to the thesis/purpose.

_____b. Ad(s) is given a working title and is formally introduced (including product/service being sold, the advertiser/product creator, and the print publication in which the ad(s) appeared)

_____c.  Essay thesis/persuasive purpose(s) is well-placed and clearly stated (responsive to one of the Essay #4 thesis possibilities given in direction handout/class discussion)

_____e.  Optional:  Preview of main points and/or of ad evaluation criteria, if a preview is included in introduction, enhances coherence by clearly previewing all main body points in the same order that they will be addressed in the body of the essay.

______2. ESSAY UNITY & THESIS EMPHASIS

____a.  Unity:  Essay thesis/persuasive purpose clearly controls the essay content and unifies the presentation such that everything in the essay is contributes to the thesis and persuasive purpose, with timely thesis transitions integrated into the essay body to keep the thesis/purpose before readers and explicitly show how the body points are related to the thesis/purpose;

____b.  Emphasis:  In addressing all assigned tasks for this assignment, key points most important to achieving the student-author’s essay thesis/persuasive purpose are well selected, proportionally emphasized.

______3. ESSAY ORGANIZATION, COHERENCE, & CONCLUSION

____a.  Organizational strategy is logical, appropriate to assignment goals, and effective in achieving the essay’s thesis/purpose.

____b.  Coherence is strong, achieved through clear expression, logical reasoning, coherent transitions, and logical/readable paragraph breaks

____c.  Conclusion is effective and consistent in (re)emphasizing the thesis/persuasive purpose of the essay, in pursuing the implications of the of the preceding ad analysis-evaluation, and in providing a pleasing sense of closure.

______4.  ESSAY BODY - PARAGRAPH STRUCTURE & DEVELOPMENT

____a.  One full body paragraph, unified by a clear (explicit or implicit) topic sentence and logically/effectively structured, is devoted to each main point offered to support the essay’s thesis/persuasive purpose.

____b. Rhetorical Context of the ad(s) is clearly described and insightfully analyzed to identify who the target audience(s) is/are for the ad(s), to explain why the advertiser might have chosen this particular publication and placement for the ad, and to analyze how the rhetorical context might influence the meaning and reception of the ad.

____c.  Description the Chosen Advertisement(s) is clear, detailed, and vivid--with attention to both image and copy (words)--enough so that even readers who have not seen the ad(s) could visualize core features of the ad’s visual look, content, design/layout-- that is, the student author does not expect the attached ad(s) to speak for or describe itself;

____d. Convincing Interpretations of the Overall Visual Impact and Main Visual/Verbal Messages of the ad(s) are offered—interpretations supported by specific illustrations and appropriate emphasis given to relevant aspects of the of the ad’s look, content and/or layout-design.

____e. The Types of Persuasive Appeals used in the ad(s) to achieve the ad’s persuasive purpose(s) with the target audience(s) are identified (using handouts and/or AofA), analyzed/evaluated, with convincing  supporting explanation and specific illustration drawn from relevant features of the ad itself, its visual/verbal messages, its rhetorical context, etc.

_____5.  AUTHOR’S ENGAGEMENT, ETHOS & TONE

___a.  Engagement: student author conveys a persuasive sense of engagement with the issue and advertisement(s) under discussion, encouraging readers to engage in the essay and its thesis/purpose as significant and worthy of serious attention;  it is clear that the student author has chosen advertisement(s) and a thesis/persuasive purpose of interest and importance to her/him.

___b. Ethos and Tone: The author’s dominant ethos (character), persona (self-presentation), and/or tone (of voice) makes a persuasive contribution to achieving the essay thesis/purpose; when appropriate, the author can vary her/his persona and tone effectively to serve the purposes and points of different sections of the argument.

______6.  STYLE, CLARITY, AND GRAMMATICAL CORRECTNESS

___a.  Sentence style is clear, effective and mature, showing a command of stylistic devices like coordination and subordination, emphasis, parallelism, pleasing sentence variety.

___b.  Word Choice:  Special attention is given to clear, vivid, precise, and concise word choice necessary to successful analysis/evaluation of modes of visual communication like print advertisements.

___c. Correct grammar, usage, punctuation, and mechanics characterize written expression in this essay, suggesting careful editing and proofreading based on the author’s knowledge of past patterns of errors likely to occur in her/his writing, and demonstrating a college-level command of the conventions of standard written English (e.g., major sentence errors like fragments, comma splices, fused/run-on sentences, subject-verb agreement, verb form and tense problems, are avoided).

EXAMPLE STUDENT ESSAYS:
Advertisement Analysis-Evaluation
Reprinted with student permission

Andrew Elster
WR122, Dr. Agatucci
Ad Analysis-Evaluation Essay #3
March 9, 1998

The Sky Is the Limit

Not everyone is capable. To be a ray-tracer, a special kind of person who possesses both patience and artistic ability is needed. Ray-tracing is the official term for making 3D computer graphics. We have all seen the results of laboring ray-tracers and their stunning 3D images that are homogenized into our society. As computers continue to produce more realistic pictures, the use of rendered images becomes more prominent in everything from movies to advertising. The companies selling rendering software display large and very detailed pictures to show off their products' capabilities. Paradoxically, a company called New Tek has employed an entirely different technique in presenting their rendering software. I believe that New Tek, with a simplistic design, very effectively presents Lightwave 3D by attracting your attention and drawing you in for a closer look. Both the appearance of the ad and the printed information are convincing.

In the March 1996 issue of 3D Design, a seemingly simple ad for Lightwave 3D appears. Two metallic spheres, resting on a solid white background slightly above the center of the page, are first to catch your eye. The spheres appear to be reflecting an incredibly detailed scene of trees and a blue sky with clouds, from behind us. The variant shades of the blue sky are conveyed subtly. Because the resolution is very high, you can see the fine details of the tree line and the clouds appear thin and wispy as opposed to white and gray blotches. The copy is also arranged in an interesting manner. In a very big and bold font the headline, "WE'VE GOT WHAT IT TAKES" is printed. In a similar fashion as the spheres, the headline is placed off the horizontal center of the page, only it is below it this time. Another prominent feature of the ad is the Lightwave 3D logo. The metallic spiral shape appears to represent a pipe (surfers term for the tunnel of water they surf through). The triangles radiating from the spiral are similar to the way artists depict sunrays. NewTek either has a special font or someone spent a lot of time designing and implementing the Lightwave 3D logo. Directly to the right of the logo, NewTek lists its name and the phone number for ordering. Below the phone number are three small spheres with different textures applied to them and the words model, animate and render beneath them. Similarly to the two big spheres, these small spheres have been rendered in a very high resolution and each one has a little phong (catchlight) on it.

It is interesting how this ad attracts your attention. Compared to an ad for a rival product, NewTek's ad is very simplistic. For instance, in the same magazine a very busy ad appears for Strata Studio Pro. With dotted lines circling through it, large fonts, and spectacular backgrounds Strata's ad is also eye catching. Compared to NewTek, it is more difficult to find all the information on Strata's advertisement because of its busier appearance. The different approach NewTek has employed is very appealing and effectively grabs your attention. Consider the two spheres. The intricate detail and catchlights immediately direct your eyes to the spheres. Why would NewTek use only a couple of basic shapes reflecting a background to advertise their product? This ad appears in 3D Design. Because this magazine is geared towards specialized readers, knowledgeable about the products being sold, NewTek could focus more on catching eyes than on information. The plain white background and the small spheres stand out. Moreover, your nose might poke though the paper as your eyes are drawn in to study the small details reflected off the spheres. The controlled and distorted way the sky is reflected around the spheres reminds me of the saying that the sky is the limit. However, you really have to be a ray-tracer to appreciate the time and difficulty it takes to make something as deceitfully simple as this ad. Rather than just flipping pages, you are compelled to stop and observe. I also notice that the almost solid block of text that lies below the center of the page, the large slogan, and the logo give the ad a very bottom heavy feel. Your eyes are naturally taken from the spheres to the copy. There are three very prominent features in the text. The large Headline, the price that is printed in bold, and the logo are seen and processed in your brain in just a couple of seconds. Of equal prominence are the company's name, phone number, and three small spheres with the inscriptions of Lightwave's functions printed beneath them. This rectangular block of text and graphics stands out because of the proximity of the items inside it. Every other thing catches your eye because of its isolation. All in all, it only takes a glance to recognize what the product is, the price, the company, and where it can be ordered. But, because of the nature of the ad, you do more than just glance at it. It perks your interest and causes you to read the plain text. Upon doing so, one discovers that Lightwave 3D was used to produce the "visual effects for seaQuest, Babylon 5, Hercules and SPACE: Above and Beyond." Wow!

If this ad were in a mainstream general computer magazine, it would still be eye catching. However, it wouldn't reach as many ray-tracers as it does in 3D Design. Individual and corporate ray-tracers would be intrigued by this ad and would investigate its details closely. Upon closer inspection, this ad is down right convincing. I believe that NewTek has very successfully and effectively implemented an advertisement that strongly appeals to its target audience.

© 1998, Andrew Elster

Chad Brown
Writing 122, Cora Agatucci
Ad Analysis-Evaluation Essay #3
March 10, 1998

Mints with the Kung-Fu Grip

Almost everybody knows what an Altoid is: that small, white mint that comes in the red and white tin. They’ve always seemed, at least to me, a sort of grandfatherly type of candy. It’s the kind of mint that you would find in a retirement home, or in a box of grandmother’s collectibles. The Altoid mint has never really been cool. But that uncool, old-person idea is an image that the Altoid company is trying to shed.  With a new slogan, "Mints with the kung-fu grip," Altoids are still "The curiously strong mints," but also so much more.

I noticed this ad while reading a copy of Maxim magazine. Maxim is a magazine that is targeted towards men of ages sixteen to thirty-five, a pretty broad target audience. This is an effective ad that successfully reintroduces Altoids as a hipper, cooler mint. This ad is effective in . . . [its] aesthetic appeal, history, and pop-culture.

The entire ad is a soothing, mint-green-color, which sharply contrasts with the black on white typeface of the opposite page. In large, black block letters that take up nearly half the page, the ad states, " Mints with the kung-fu grip." The ad is nearly all text, except for a picture of the Altoids box underneath the copy of the ad. It is a picture that most people would recognize. Seeing as how Altoids are located at nearly every grocery- store checkout counter, it would be hard not to recognize the ad. Underneath the picture is more text, stating that Altoids are, "The curiously strong mints." It is a very simple ad; there are no models, or computer-enhanced graphics, just one picture and a couple of sentences. Yet, it is because of this simplistic approach that the ad remains so effective. It stands-out from the other ads that are cluttered with high-tech graphic arts and models in skimpy outfits.

The magazine this ad appears in is a men’s magazine, and most men should be able to recognize what the term, "Kung-fu grip," alludes to.  There probably isn’t a man alive who didn’t play with G.I Joe action figures, and G.I. Joe’s, "Kung-fu grip," is a thing of infamy. My dad remembers playing with G.I. Joe figures just as well as I do.

Seeing this ad might bring back pleasant memories to a man who might’ve forgotten his G.I. Joe toys. He might think back to his childhood days, playing with his G.I. Joes, watching the cartoon, etc. These pleasing childhood memories might make the man associate G.I. Joe with Altoids. At least on a subconscious level, the man might believe that eating Altoids will make him happy.

Further evidence for the connection between Altoids and G.I. Joe is given in an article located twenty pages before the ad. The article is about one of man’s favorite childhood toys; that toy just happens to be G.I. Joe. The article chronicles the history of G.I. Joe; from the movie with Robert Mitchum, the action figures, the cartoon, all the way down to the cartoon movie with Don Johnson. The article also briefly discusses G.I. Joe’s Kung-fu grip, which was fashioned after Bruce Lee. Reading an article about a favorite childhood toy, and then seeing an ad that makes an obvious allusion to that toy might be a coincidence. But in this day and age, where advertising has become a billion dollar industry, the likelihood of this being a lucky coincidence for the Altoids company gets smaller and smaller. The ad and the article were most likely the result of many discussions between the Altoids company and Maxim magazine.

While the Ad’s allusion to G.I. Joe will appeal to an older audience of men twenty to thirty-five, it also appeals to younger men of ages sixteen to nineteen. The term "Kung-fu grip," has become a popular pop-culture term, and the various ways it is used nowadays, appeal to a younger audience. Even though a younger audience might remember G.I. Joe, they might not recognize the connection between G.I. Joe and the, "Kung-fu grip." Nevertheless, the younger audience will probably recognize the term. The Beastie Boys, a popular Rap/Rock group use the term in their song, "Get it together." Younger boys might believe that the Beastie Boys and Altoids might have something to do with each other. These boys might start eating Altoids because they think it will make them cool; like the Beastie Boys.

"Kung-fu grip," was also used in the television show, The Simpsons. In the episode entitled, "Lisa Lionheart," a doll designer, Stacy, is in her mansion when a rugged man bursts through her front door:

"Stacy, I want to take you away from all of this. Come with me in my Desert Command Vehicle."

"Joe, release me from your kung-fu grip. I’m not going anywhere with you."

The Simpsons is a popular television show, with an audience composed mainly of teenagers. Again, the reader might not make an immediate connection between the show and the ad, but somewhere, deep within the psyche, teen readers may relate an Altoids mint to a favorite television show, The Simpsons.

I’ll have to admit that I have never really cared for Altoids; they’ve always been too strong for my taste. Despite this, I was very impressed with this ad. I found it visually appealing, and I thought the references it made were clever and humorous. I like the ad so much that I even considered buying some Altoids mints--not for the mint itself, but because they seem like a cool thing to have. Altoids, with their ad, "Mints with the kung-fu grip," have come up with a brutally effective advertisement, one that appeals to both young and old.

© 1998, Chad Brown

Tammy Bender
Wr122, Dr. Agatucci
Ad Analysis-Evaluation Essay #3
9 March 1998

California Tan Heliotherapy:
Heterosexual Tanning Formula? Or Just a Sexual One?

An advertisement for California Tan Heliotherapy tanning and sun protection products appears in Cosmopolitan magazine, March 1998 issue, on page 179. Look at the cover of Cosmopolitan, and it tells you it's for "fun-fearless-females". The readers most likely range in age from mid-twenties to late thirties. The magazine cover has sex written all over it. From the written word itself, or words suggesting sex titling feature articles to the stunning cover-girl, Cosmopolitan appeal is directed to a woman's intimate relations and sexuality. I chose "Heterosexual Tanning Formula? Or Just a Sexual One" to be the title for my analysis of California Tan Heliotherapy's advertisement. One glance and sex, just like on Cosmo's cover, is written all over it. However, the actual word "sex" is not part of the ad. It suggests a sexual message more subtly by using images and copy working in synch to entice the audience. It is an appropriate appeal, given the context of the magazine it appears in. Advertisements are loaded messages, with your interest the targeted aim. With the Cosmopolitan readers' interest of sexuality in mind, the ad for products of California Tan Heliotherapy then suggestively uses sex appeal to attract your attention.

Protecting yourself from the sun and getting a deep dark tan are not directly related to sex (California Tan Heliotherapy does not claim to have any sexual effect); however, taking advantage of a reader's concerns, it does use the essence of sexuality in its cleverly crafted advertisement. Cosmo's cover is embraced by a beautiful woman's face and at least some portion of her body. Attributes include: a perfect smile; smoldering eyes; shiny hair; all packaged in breast enhancing attire. Put them together for a very sexy pose to catch your eye. Once that is achieved, how about adding some feature article titles to further spark your curiosity. Titles, for example; like "Sneaky Tricks to Looking Sexier In and Out of the Sack (Don't Sweat It, Hide It)" and "The Cosmo Orgasm: Sex Experts' Personal Secrets (Finally) in Print," chosen to suggest what Cosmo reveals inside. The cover itself is an advertisement. The model represents a visual image of the essence the magazine has. See the beautiful cover-girl - read some featured article titles relating to sex - see the beautiful cover-girl again - and suddenly you're subconsciously thinking; she looks like that because of the what's inside the magazine and I want that look - you're sold. You buy the magazine to take home, somehow thinking you will be transformed after reading it's contents and looking at all the images inside; so the next time you look in the mirror, the reflection resembles the cover-girl's seductive look. Women gracing the cover of Cosmo range in age, from twenty-something to thirty-something, generally. The magazine appeals to primarily women over the age of twenty and enjoy material that covers personal issues. The women with a liberated (not feminist) outlook, seeking sensuality as well as sexuality read Cosmo for the latest discoveries to either becoming, or staying, a fun-fearless-female. All the secret magic potions and tricks embracing these concerns are inside the magazine, just waiting to be discovered. Advertisers know this, so should you.

So you thumb through the magazine searching for more clues of secrets only "sexy" women know. These secrets may appear in advice columns, articles, fashion photos and/or advertisements inside Cosmopolitan. Clues like the advertisement for California Tan Heliotherapy, for a "beautiful deep, dark tan." Incredibly, the ad fits the prescription you need. You can experience, from what you see in the ad, more than just a tan. Furthermore, any "lines" affecting you will be tan lines, not ones related to wrinkles. Let's face it, you're not a teenager anymore, but neither is the girl on the cover. Even though you hate to admit it, it's time you begin to concern yourself with the harmful effects of the sun on your buns. Looking at the images of what this product appears to provide the user may be tempting you to buy it. No skin damage ups the ante; this stuff is magic in a bottle.

Upon first encountering California Tan Heliotherapy, your attention is drawn towards three bodies in physical contact with one another baring enough skin to appear naked without a closer look. Captured by the illusion, your eyes almost automatically scan the bodies, discovering first there are two females and one male in the intimate photo. Next you notice they are only wearing one article of clothing, black in color. A topless bathing suit adorning the females, while the male wearing only swim trunks gives the ad further sexual appeal. The women have their breasts covered by their hands, posing in such a manner that depicts a state of euphoria. Their eyes are closed, his are too, and all of their faces are tilted slightly upwards. Both of the women's hair appears to be damp and is swept away from their faces and the expression shows the lips barely separated, suggesting they are now relaxing after experiencing some kind of physical exertion. There is body contact between the two women, but only one of the women is in physical contact with the man. He is leaning against the back part of her shoulder and appears to be quite content. The upper portion of his physique only being shown, his pelvis positioned just to get a glimpse of his black trunks among the right edge of the advertisement, subtly drawing attention to this area of his body. The woman in contact with him is in the center of the ad, sitting upon her knees at an angle with her head resting upon the top of his head. She makes physical contact with the other woman; moreover, if she wasn't covering her breasts, they would be what was making contact. The left edge of the ad abruptly cuts off the buttocks of the woman who is leaning towards the woman in the center. There is a calming effect produced by the ad's layout and design. They appear to be outdoors in the water, as reflections of their bodies dance upon the ripples from the water. The backdrop is out of focus, a grayish blue hue on top, and a darker shade of blue coloring the rest. Shadows used through out the ad give emphasis to certain features, and fade other areas out. Light enhances the skin's color and gives the appearance to be moist and supple. The intimate pose is appealing to your eye, as the models are physically attractive; moreover, they seem to be in a state of euphoria, further enchancing the image's appeal. The side edges of the ad abruptly cuts off the models and is purposely designed to draw your eye to the pelvic regions of the model's bodies. This advertisement's image sends out a sexual message to its viewer.

Further observation tells you what the ad is for, although if you directly cut the ad in half from top to bottom, the top half does not tell you the specific product it advertises. The top of the ad shows the three models with copy consisting of white, print size graduating from large to small in three lines and says: "Step into the light and experience the positive effects of the sun"; which just so happens to draw your eye to the women's breasts again. Experience, a word often appearing along side the word sex, is a clever term the advertisement chose for the image to link their products and sex together. The ad's bottom portion shows the image of the product in three different formulas, and three models lower extremities upon water. Three people, three formulas. Clever, once again. More white copy appears smaller in scale, which reads: "By using the science of Heliotherapy, California Tan has developed tanning and sun protection formulas that help you achieve a beautiful deep, dark tan while reducing the risks of burning, skin dehydration and the appearance of wrinkles". Using the image of intimacy between the three models upon the water, the engaging expressions of the faces reflecting an after glow, calming hues of blue as the backdrop, and adding copy stating what science has shown are the sun's effect on our skin, the advertisement seduces you. It is possible to expose yourself to the pleasurable after glow of the sun and safer when you use their product. The product, "California Tan Heliotherapy," the phone number and email address, all produced in white, appear centered at the bottom of the page.

Did you stop and look closer at the ad?  If so, and assuming you are the reader Cosmopolitan is for, then you did exactly what the image representing the product hoped the ad would do. The ad is to persuade you to stop, look, and then maybe even go buy the product. The allure of visual images! Each audience is purposely targeted by the advertisement in a way that appeals to their interests. Many ads use the product to arouse sensations from a single glance. As you catch a glimpse of the ad, before you realize what you see or you read one word, the image has made a subconscious imprint on your brain. Suddenly, the page in front of you is seducing you into an obvious invitation. The advertiser knows if you're reading Cosmo you care about your sexuality and the appeal is then based upon those concerns. Attracting you to the image for California Tan Heliotherapy products has been carefully planned. The ad is just like the cover of Cosmopolitan that you bought, a seduction.

© 1998, Tammy Bender

URL of this webpage: http://www.cocc.edu/humanities/HIR/Assignments/adanalysis.htm