Teaching sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

10 minutes

Part A: Preparation

20 minutes

Part B: Understanding Advertising

40 minutes

Part C: Create a reverse consumerism ad

Part A: Preparation

Ask students to find an example of an advertisement for a product that they believe drives consumerism and creates unnecessary waste. These could be a video, audio or print advertisement. Students should take a photo of the advertisement, record the advertisement or record the URL so they can share their example with the class. Students should also answer the following questions about their advertisement before coming to class:

Why did you pick this ad?
How do you think this ad drives consumerism?
How do you think this product creates unnecessary waste?

Part B: Understanding Advertising

Step 1

Ask several students to share the advertisements that they found. Engage students in a class discussion around these advertisements and their answers to the questions in the Preparation Activity (see above).

Step 2

Explain to students that advertisements aren't bad in themselves, but they are made to encourage us to buy more stuff, and to do this many use manipulative tactics that influence us in ways most of us don't even realise.

Ask students to work in groups of 3 or 4 to brainstorm some of the tactics that they have noticed advertisers using to sell stuff.

Give groups 5 minutes to record their brainstorms using mindmeister or bubbl.us.

The following are a list of tactics that advertisers use. Which ones did students come up with?

Our cares and concerns - Advertisers attach themselves to causes you probably already care about, such as cancer charities or environmental protection.
Body issues - They make you feel insecure about our bodies.
Is it science? - They claim to use science; however in many cases it’s more likely to be pseudoscience.
Unscripted - They tap into our love of ‘reality’ by making ads that look unscripted.
Feel good feelings - Everyone wants to feel good, so advertisers create feel good advertisements and invent feelings you never had before.
Social media - Advertisers use social media to seem more human and accessible
Colourful - they use colours to arouse emotions in us.
Smelly - Using powerful scents is another way to lure customers.
Tunes - Music helps to advertisers tap into our emotions.
Fluffy bunnies - Advertisers create appeal using cutesy mascots, especially when trying to reach kids.
Funny bone - Advertisers also like to use humour.
Heart strings - Advertisers also like to play the nostalgia card.
Buy now or miss out - Creating a sense of urgency with limited time offers lures us in.
Repeat repeat repeat - They beat you down with the same ads over and over again…
Popularity - Advertisers cater to popular trends to appear cool or trendy.
Shopping psychology - Advertisers know your shopping habits and take advantage of them.
Cutsie - They use cute kids and animals.
Buy 1 get 1 free - They offer discounts and rebates knowing that most people won’t claim them.
Hunny bunny day - Advertisers invent special ‘days’ and then pressure you into celebrating them.
Shiny and sparkly - Advertisers do everything they can to make their product look absolutely incredible.
Good looking - They use sexual imagery to hook us.

Once complete, briefly ask students to use the questions on the Student Worksheet to reflect upon what tactics were used in the advertisement they chose in the preparation activity.

Part C: Create a Reverse Consumerism Ad

Step 1

Break the class into groups of 3 or 4. Ask groups to consider how such advertising tactics could be turned upside down to influence young people to care for the environment rather than buy new technology.

Step 2

Using some of these tactics, ask groups to plan and create an advertisement that appeals to the feelings of familiarity and attachment that comes with using the same device for a few years and that encourages consumers to avoid buying new things unnecessarily.

Groups should:

Select a product that 'requires' regular upgrading (such as a car, computer or phone);
Construct an argument about why it isn't necessary to upgrade this item regularly;
Convert this argument into an advertisement (print or video) that taps into our emotions around familiarity and attachment;
Present their advertisement to the class.

Step 3

Students could share their advertisement with family/friends OR upload their presentation to a shared school site such as Edmodo. In an ensuing class, students can receive feedback about their advertisement from their family, peers and teacher.

Differentiated Learning

Extension activity: Students research sustainability practices and policies of large corporations or businesses and how they are addressing waste associated with their products.

Provisions for Learning Support: Students with learning difficulties should work in pairs to analyse tactics used in student selected advertisements. Students with learning difficulties should be assigned to a groups with supportive students.

Teacher Reflection

Take this opportunity to reflect on your own teaching

What did you learn about your teaching today?
What worked well?
What didn't work so well?
What would you share?
Where to next?
How are you going to get there?

National Recycling Week - Rethinking Advertising

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