Deconstructing Print Ads

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W atching a student bring your classroom to life through deconstruction can be one of teaching’s greatest pleasures.

Don’t worry—we’re not suggesting you take the classroom apart. Deconstruction is the method used to analyze media that leads to identifying and un- derstanding messages conveyed beyond the selling of the product or service. Deconstruction is when we take a media example apart to look at the pieces used to create it and the effect they have on the final product. As such, deconstruction is a signifi- cant piece of media-literacy education.

What is Deconstruction? A basic deconstruction exercise consists of about seven questions. Starting with print advertising allows time for reflecting on nuances that, once understood, can be ap- plied to moving meda such as television commercials or music videos and to Web-based media.

Note that there are no right or wrong answers. Your goals are to get students to think critically and gener- ate an awareness about messages. After completing a de- construction, you can talk about how the messages can impact their school environment and our culture. Sup- port their discussion with various readings from such books as Can’t Buy My Love or Consuming Kids.

Quick Deconstruction With practice, students can reach a sophisticated level of deconstruction, as if they are detectives finding clues to form an opinion. The more a student raises her aware- ness, the deeper her understanding of the messages will be. This sample deconstruction is based on my own in- terpretation and research. See “Building Blocks” on page 12 for how to do a deconstruction with younger students.

The questions below are a slightly modified version of the Quick Deconstruction of a Media Example (QDME) de- veloped by the New Mexico Media Literacy Project, an or- ganization that offers K–12 media-literacy lesson plans. The sample answers in italics reference the Trident Splash print advertisement media example on this page.

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Constructing Your Dissecting pop culture is an effective way to teach critical-thinking skills. by Alexis Ladd EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the first in a series of articles offering strategies for teaching students to deconstruct various types of media.

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1. Who paid and why?

Sometimes, the fine print indicates a surprise. A quick visit to the company’s website also can re- veal a lot of information.

Cadbury Adams, which owns Trident, paid for this ad. The product, Trident Splash, is a new product- line extension, which is being promoted to gener- ate sales.

2. Who is the target audience?

Consider age, gender, ethnicity, and socio- economic factors. Effective marketing efforts narrow their focus through ad placement and are designed to reach the people who are most likely to buy the product or service. Encourage students to start with where they found the ad to get a better sense of who is being targeted.

I found the Trident ad in a women’s magazine, which means that women—most likely between the ages of 20 and 50—are being targeted. A Caucasian woman is featured, indicating that women of color can assume they are not being targeted or must imagine themselves in the picture. Based on the style of dress and the nanny in the background, we can surmise that a high-end market is the pri- mary socio-economic group targeted.

3. Is a lifestyle presented, and

is it glamorized?

Asking questions can help students understand lifestyle and glamorization.

In the case of the Trident ad, we might ask: Who dresses up to go the park? Who is able to go to the park during the day? Does this person work? How is this person presented? One can conclude that the lifestyle of being wealthy—indicated by dressing up to go to the park and being free dur- ing the day—and thin is glamorized through cloth- ing and presentation.

4. What is the text? What is

the subtext/message?

Images and copy are considered text (what you see). The interpretation of those visual cues is subtext (the meaning behind what you see). Try to avoid getting sidetracked on whether a racist, misogynistic, homophobic, or other message is intentional or unintentional. Ultimately, these problems in our culture are perpetuated whether they were included on purpose or not.

The text in the Trident ad references taking a militaristic approach to eating: “surviving” an “attack” and “fighting back” with the product. The image of a waif-like model about to throw a tri- cycle at a frozen treat encourages women to do

anything to win the war against hunger. It can teach women that their bodies are to be con- trolled. Assuming this woman is a mother because of the tricycle and park location, the high heels, low-cut dress, and lots of revealed leg are all mes- sages to note. To me, this indicates a sexualized motherhood, a great topic for a class discussion.

5. What values are presented?

Are they healthy or unhealthy?

Are people being stereotyped?

You may be surprised how students define val- ues. Take some time to go over this with your group and differentiate between interests and val- ues, as well as other common misconceptions.

To many women, this ad reinforces the idea that being thin is beautiful. To some, it is more important than anything, even worth waging war. With eating disorders on the rise and few girls and women celebrating their bodies regardless of their size, this ad perpetuates unhealthy messages and values. Regarding stereotypes, what does a nanny look like? Is the woman sitting in the background a stereotyped image of a nanny?

(Continued on page 12)

Deconstruction

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6. What persuasion

techniques are used?

There are many techniques that are used to get us to buy or to feel a certain way. The New Mexico Media Literacy Project has a list of almost 30. Students can add to this list or make up their own. Examples include testimonials, repetition, beautiful people, hyperbole, humor, and nostalgia.

In this case, a beautiful person is used. Being chased by a dessert treat may be hu- morous to some, and the tricycle is a symbol for children, identifying the model as a mother. See if you can find others.

7. What are the untold

stories?

Untold stories are different than messages be- cause—while not overtly expressed—the message or product may have an impact that is not always considered. I encourage my students to explore the environmental impact of a product and its packaging as an untold story. Discussing how images are altered is also important to understanding what may have been hidden in the original picture.

Being sugar-free helps protect teeth from cavities, but there are health risks associated with ingesting artificial sweeteners.

It is unlikely that this thin woman is able to hold a tricycle over her head; we can there- fore assume it is an example of photo manip- ulation. ::

NEXT MONTH: Deconstructing television commercials.

Alexis Ladd, MPH, teaches seventh grade media literacy at the Rivers School in Weston, Mass. She is also a consultant and speaks to various groups about media literacy.

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Media Smart Tips

Constructing Your Deconstruction (Continued from page 11)

BUILDING BLOCKS

W hen working with younger children, choos- ing age-appropriate media is important. While kids today are often exposed to

media geared to older children and adults, many don’t have the developmental ability to decon- struct it. They may, if exposed, have many ques- tions that deserve attention, and I encourage individual dialogues about what they are seeing. However, when teaching deconstruction, finding an ad geared to their age group will support them in gaining basic skills and forming the building blocks for future, more advanced deconstruction.

Depending upon the age group, you might discuss general terms prior to deconstruction, such as the difference between need and want, adver- tising, selling, gender, stereotypes, and message.

Here is a series of questions to ask younger children:

• What is the toy/product being shown in the ad? What is the advertiser trying to get you to do after looking at the ad?

• Are there famous people or characters connected to the toy/product? Is there a movie or TV program associated with the toy/product? Do you want to be like these people? Do you need to have the toy/product to be like them? Can you be like them without the toy/product? Why? Does seeing these people/characters connected to the product make you want it more?

• What in the ad is making you want to buy the toy or product?

• Have you ever played with the toy/product? If yes, was it like how the advertisers said it would be? Do you still play with it?

• Are there any ideas that tell a girl to be a certain way? Are there any ideas that tell a boy to be a certain way? Is this a toy/product that both girls and boys would want? Why or why not?

• Are there any good or bad ideas in the ad?

Cable Programs and Websites Cable in the Classroom: Media Smart, www.ciconline.org/media-smart

RESOURCES Can’t Buy My Love: How Ad- vertising Changes the Way We Think and Feel, Jean Kil- bourne (Touchstone, 2000)

Consuming Kids, Susan E. Linn (New Press, 2004)

New Mexico Media Literacy Project www.nmmlp.org

CONTENT STANDARDS McREL (www.mcrel.org) Arts and Communication Standard 2. Knows and applies appropri- ate criteria to arts and communication products. Level IV, Grades 9–12: 3. Knows ways in which to evaluate the sincerity and cred- ibility of various media messages and pro- ductions.

Behavioral Studies Standard 1. Understands that group and cultural influences contribute to human de- velopment, identity, and behavior. Level III, Grades 6–8: 1. Understands that each culture has distinctive patterns of be- havior that are usually practiced by most of the people who grow up in it.

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