Monday, December 18, 2006

Questions to ask children about advertising

Q - Do commercials use tricks?

Commercials exaggerate the capabilities of toys to make them appear more enticing.

Q - Can toys really talk (move or sing)?

If they move or talk on television…don’t be so sure. This may only be a way of dramatizing the imaginative possibilities of the product.

Q - How do they make food look so good?

Food stylists prepare the food and often don’t even use the original product.

Q - How do they make games look so easy?

Through skillful editing they make it so the user makes no mistakes.

Q - What does “Parts sold separately” mean”

Children who cannot read an ad may be disappointed when they do not receive the accessories displayed in the ad.

Q - Are celebrity sneakers better?

Buying sneakers will not make you play like the person who endorses them.

Silverblatt, Art. Media Literacy: Keys to Interpreting Media Messages. 2nd Edition. Westport, CT: Praeger, 2001.

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