Advertising and Youth in America
Kate
Cochran
School
Without Walls
Introduction
In the US, there are
currently few policies or standards for food advertising and marketing aimed at
children. However, “research shows that
children under the age of eight are unable to critically comprehend televised
advertising messages and are prone to accept advertiser messages as truthful,
accurate and unbiased” (www.lawpublish.com/ftc-adfaq.html). The media is shaping the choices kids make
concerning food consumption, smoking, violence and spending. Advertising, both televised and print,
in America, is negatively affecting children’s health and well-being by
encouraging them to make unwise and unhealthy choices.
Task
It is your task to
individually review current research on the affects of advertising on young
Americans. Create a log with your
findings. Once you have reviewed the
research on this topic, get in a group of two or three students. Together, create a political action plan to
educate the community on how advertisements are encouraging children and teens
to make unhealthy and unwise choices.
You will then create your own educational advertisement that shows your
findings and promotes your public policy.
Process
1. Work by yourself to review current research
on the affects of advertising on young Americans. You can use the links below in the resources
section, as well as find your own sources.
Try to avoid websites ending in .com when you look further into a
certain subcategory. These websites are
not intended to be educational and often contain incorrect or misleading
information. Look at a minimum of four
sources (that doesn’t mean you can’t look at more).
Keep a log of your
findings. Get five sheets of lined paper
and put a subheading (obesity/overeating, violence, overspending,
smoking/underage drinking, current policies) on the top of each page. Record your findings as you come across
interesting facts. Make sure you make a
note of where you found the information… cite your sources!!!
2. You will now get into groups of two or
three. Each group will summarize its
research on the following worksheets.
Open the link, type your answers in the appropriate boxes, save your
work and then print it out.
a. Worksheet 1:
Defining the Problem
http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet1.doc
b. Worksheet 2: Gathering the Evidence
http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet2.doc
c. Worksheet 3: Identifying Causes
http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet3.doc
d. Worksheet 4: Evaluating Existing Public Policy
http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet4.doc
e. Worksheet 5: Developing Your Own Public Policy
Solution
http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet5.doc
f. Worksheet 6: Choosing the Best Public Policy
Solution
http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet6.doc
3. Now use the research you have gathered to
create your educational print advertisement.
Your advertisement should aim to educate on the topic, as well as
encourage an onlooker to agree with your proposed solution. You will be given a large piece of white
paper to create your advertisement. You
may use construction paper, colored pencil and marker to create your work.
4. Each group will make a five-minute oral
presentation to the class. Each member
of the group must contribute at least one minute to the oral presentation. At this time you will discuss your public
policy proposal and explain your advertisement.
Resources
www.apa.org/releases/childrenads.html
www.mediafamily.org/facts/facts_childadv.shtml
www.mediafamily.org/facts/facts_tobacco.shtml
www.caru.org/ (children’s advertising review unit)
www.kff.org/entmedia/entmedia032807pkg.cfm
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/118/6/2563
www.usatoday.com/news/health/2006-12-03-pediatricians-ads_x.htm
www.responsible-advertising.org/advert/index.html
www.ash.org/no-smoking/feb98/02-17-98-3.html
http://tobaccofreekids.org/reports/addicting
Evaluation
The
following must be completed:
a.) A research log for each group
member (if there are three group members, there should be three logs)
Log Criteria:
o
Five sheets of lined paper with the subheadings:
obesity/overeating, violence, overspending, smoking/underage drinking, current
policies
o
At least five facts for each category
o
All facts cited with their source
b.) Six completed worksheets based on
your findings (these are to be completed as a group)
o
Worksheet 1: Defining the Problem
o
Worksheet 2: Gathering the Evidence
o
Worksheet 3: Identifying Causes
o Worksheet 4: Evaluating
Existing Public Policy
o Worksheet 5: Developing
Your Own Public Policy Solution
o
Worksheet 6: Choosing the Best Public Policy Solution
c.) Your educational advertisement
Advertisement Criteria:
o
Your advertisement educates on how some advertising promotes one
or more of the following: obesity/overeating, violence, overspending,
smoking/underage drinking
o
Your advertisement depicts your proposed solution to the problem
o
Good
craftsmanship
o
Good
effort
o
Good
creativity
d.) Your oral presentation on your
proposed political action plan
Presentation Criteria:
o
Five to seven minute oral presentation
o
Each member of the group must contribute at least one minute to
the oral presentation
o
Discuss a few interesting facts that led to your proposal
o
Discuss your public policy proposal
o
Present and explain your advertisement
Hand in
parts a, b and c at the end of class the day you give your oral presentation.
Conclusion
Hopefully
you will now be able to more critically watch commercials on television and
read advertisements in magazines. Keep
in mind the purpose of most advertising… making money. The companies selling and advertising the
products do not have your well-being in mind.
Hopefully our government will adopt a policy similar to the one you just
created and help us with this important job.