Student Worksheet

Grafitti On Reality - Activity Instructions

Companies are always trying to tell you what to think and how to feel. However, it’s in your power to not just ignore them, but to use their own words against them. In this activity, you’ll learn about the power of ‘subversion’ and play with ways to rebel against what companies want you to think.

In this lesson kids will learn about ways to subvert advertising. This aims to encourage kids to remain critical of the messages that they are exposed to through food and drink advertising. Inform them that although they cannot legally deface ads that appear in public places, they can still read into the message and mentally subvert it to undermine and expose marketing techniques that might otherwise go unnoticed.

Advertisements are persuasive and manipulative texts. It is important for everyone to be critical about what advertisers tell us and to not believe or agree with everything they say. Mentally subverting advertisements (thinking of ways to play with their message to be more truthful) is a great and fun way to be critical. Although in this lesson you will ‘graffiti’ advertisements, it is illegal to do this in public places (e.g. on billboards).

Note: “To subvert something means to destroy its power and influence.” (Collins Dictionary)

Part A: Understanding Subversion

Step 1.

Look at the image below:

Source: https://mikesegovianoinfo303.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/starbucks-coffee-culture-jamming-copy.jpg

Step 2.

To subvert means to undermine the message - to change it to something the advertisers are not trying to say and do not want you to think. Answer these questions:

1. What might Starbucks want you to think about or feel when you see their logo?

2. What does the subverted version make you feel instead? How is it different to what Starbucks wants?

Part B: Graffiti On Reality

Step 1.

Find an advertisement online, use the Example Advertisement, or find an advertisement in your mail. Look closely at the advertisement and answer the questions below:

• What, in your opinion, might the ad not be telling you about the product featured?

• How can you use words, images or both to change the way the ad looks/reads to either critique the product or subvert the advertising message?

Step 2.

Create your own subversion of the advertisement. You may wish to write on the advertisement, or use a section of it in your own drawing.

Taking It Further

Show your subverted ad to a friend, sibling, parent or caregiver and get feedback and/or have a discussion about it. Use the feedback to make improvements and see if you can get your ad even closer to your intended message. Test your new ad on someone different and repeat the process. Then take your finished ad back to both people and discuss whether you achieved your aim.

Graffiti On Reality (home learning)

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