Name:______Date:______

Media Literacy Terms

Media: The plural of medium. Means of communication, including audio, visualaudio-visual, print, and electronic means.

Medium: A communication vehicle such as radio, television, or the Internet. The plural is media.

Mass media:Means of communication aimed at a very large audience. Examples include: mass-market paperback books, television, movies, newspapers, magazines,the Internet.

Media literacy, five key concepts:

  1. All media are constructions.
  2. The media contain beliefs and value messages.
  3. Each person interprets messages differently.
  4. The media have special interests (commercial, ideological, political).
  5. Each medium has its own language, style, form, techniques, conventions, and aesthetics.

Target Audience:the intended group for which something is performed or marketed; thespecific group to which advertising is directed

Demographics: the statistical data of a population, especially those showing average age, income, education, etc.

Consumer:Someone that acquires goods or services for direct use or ownership rather than for resale or use in production and manufacturing.

Elements of media works: The elements of media works may be grouped in the following way:

  1. Audio elements. Speech, music, background sounds, sound effects, volume, dialects and accents, silence, narration, pace, sequence of sounds.
  1. Visual elements. Lighting, colour, images, size and type of lettering, size of images, sequence (e.g., of images, symbols, graphics, camera angles, or logos), props (e.g., costumes, furnishings), speed of presentation, shape or design, credits, details of sponsorship, animation, live action.
  1. Compositional elements (story):Plot, form (structure), theme, setting, atmosphere, point of view, characterization.

Advertising Appeals and Strategies

Advertising is a type of persuasive message that is designed to motivate consumers to buy a product. The advertising industry uses specific techniques to appeal to their target audience. This is a list of some appeals and techniques that are used in advertising. Often advertisements make use of several appeals or techniques.

1. The Testimonial Appeal:In this technique, a celebrity or authority figureendorses the product. This could be a celebrity, sports star, or “professional” (i.e. dentist endorsing toothpaste)

2. The Slice of Life Appeal: This is a technique based on a conflict or problem/solution. It tries to engage people who have the problem or people who want to avoid getting the problem.Usually involves an emotional appeal like fear, shock, or humour.

3. The Lifestyle Appeal:In this technique, an advertisement provides a glimpse from a particular lifestyle or way of living. The hope is that the audience will desire this lifestyle and transfer that longing to the product.

4. The Humour Strategy:In this technique, humor is usedto break through the "noise" of all the competition advertising messages out there and get people to pay attention to the sales pitch. One of the most effective ways to get the audience's attention is to be funny -- if the attempt works and doesn't misfire. Must be sensitive to audience variables.

5. The Deal Appeal:This technique involves making the audience a compelling offer, and telling them exactly how to get it. Key words associated with this technique are ”free” and “save”.

6. Bandwagon Appeal: This technique uses peer pressure to influence the consumer. If everyone else is doing it so should you.

7. Name Calling Appeal: In this technique, the advertiser compares its product or service to the competition in a way that is favorable to the advertiser.

8. Exaggeration Strategy: This technique takes the basic idea and exaggerates it. These advertisements exaggerate the benefit, the problem, the size, and/or the physical appearance of a product or idea. Caricatures

9. Personification Strategy: This technique gives human characteristics to a product, or service.

1