Paper/Presentation for Advertising & Society

SOCIOLOGY 2172 Advertising & Society

PAPER ASSIGNMENT

WORTH 25%

GUIDELINES

Due to the online format of our course and the size of our class, there is more weight on

written work this year than examinations. Some of you may be in disciplines where there is

little written work required. I suggest that you seek outside assistance on essay writing if you

need to. In order to do well on this assignment, you will need to spend sufficient time on

developing your work, so it is wise to get started on your assignment soon. Keep in mind that

proofreading your work will definitely improve your mark.

Choose one of the topics below and complete a written report on it. In researching your topic,

make sure you back up your work with evidence from reliable sources. Your paper must be

approximately 1,500 words in length (6 pages, double spaced, 12 font, 1 inch margins) – not

including appendix of ads. You must cite any sources you use in the text, for example, (Smith,

2015), and provide full references at the end of your paper using APA or ASA style. Keep in

mind that you will be marked on spelling, grammar, and quality of writing.

Your paper is due by 11:55 pm on Monday, November 23rd. Of course, you are able to submit

it earlier. Upload your paper to the assignment link on OWL and it will be submitted to

Turnitin.com to check for any text the is plagiarized. Work that is not original will receive 0, and

could lead to academic penalties. Late assignments will be penalized by 5% per day.

CHOOSE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING TOPICS – Include an appendix with examples of printed ads.

I have included some questions and thoughts for you to consider on each of the topics. You are

not obligated to respond to them. Also, you cannot limit your work to only answering those

questions.

1. By using concrete examples, discuss how advertising reflects our culture as well as creates our culture. How do multinational corporations impact the culture of countries around the world? Give some examples of the how the link between advertising and culture has had negative consequences.

2. Discuss how the use of celebrity endorsing in advertising has evolved in the last 30 years. Are they more or less successful as an advertising tool than in the past? Give some positive and negative examples of advertising campaigns that have used celebrities.

3. Choose 3 vintage ads and 3 contemporary ads representing ‘the other’, for example,

people from minority groups, disabled people, the overweight, the elderly, etc. How have the representations changed? How does this reflect our attitudes to these groups?

4. Choose 3 social advertising campaigns that encourage us to change our behaviour in some way, for example, practise safe sex, get active, stop smoking, etc. and discuss the ethical considerations of businesses promoting causes and selling products. For example, can Labatt’s have an ad campaign warning people to not drink and drive while selling alcohol.

5. Discuss the research on the positive and negative effects of advertising on children and

adolescents. Are the regulations on advertising to children necessary? To certain ages? For certain products? For certain media?

6. Examine how advertising for products, like cigarettes, marijuana, and/or alcohol, has

evolved. Are the restrictions imposed on advertising such products necessary, adequate, or too extreme?

7. Investigate how political campaigns are essentially advertising campaigns for a particular

candidate or political party. Are such strategies an acceptable way of choosing society’s leaders?

MARKING SCHEME FOR PAPER

CONTENT: WORTH 50%

• A clear understanding and complete analysis of the topic (given the length/scope of the assignment)

• The use of appropriate quotations (where relevant) • Originality of ideas and expression • Evidence of reading and research • Appropriate length

ORGANIZATION: WORTH 20% • A clear thesis statement • An introduction, development and conclusion (paragraphs at the essay

level; sentences at the paragraph level • A variety of effective transitions to make the writing ‘flow’ • Appropriate and logical structure both within the assignment as a

whole and within the paragraph • Good main ideas at the paragraph level • Effective sentence variety

GRAMMAR: WORTH 15% • Correct spelling and punctuation • Sentence formation; clauses and phrases appropriately formed and

connected

STYLE: WORTH 15% • Writing at the appropriate language level (ie no slang) • Writing appropriate to content, subject, purpose, and audience • Demonstration of effective tone and appropriate vocabulary • Evidence of creativity • Maintenance of consistent style • Accurate referencing

COMMENTS

GRADE ___________