Extra activities

Promoting a product involves developing a “Unique Selling Proposition” (“USP”): the FEATURES and BENEFITS which make it unlike any of the competing products.

There are four stages in promoting a product (“AIDA”):

1. Attract the ATTENTION of potential customers.

2. Arouse INTEREST in the product.

3. Create a DESIRE for its benefits.

4. Encourage customers to take prompt ACTION.

A. Cut out two of your favourite advertisements from a magazine or newspaper – you might like to cut out one ad you hate as well, perhaps!

1. Study the advertisements and discuss these questions with your partner.

- What exactly is the product being sold?

- What kind of customers is each advertisement directed at?

- What is the main advantage of the product according to the ad?

- What human motives does the ad appeal to? (headline, body copy, illustration)

- How does the ad appeal to these motives? (brand image it tries to convey; “tricks” in order to interest the reader – rhetorical effect, ambiguity, figures of speech, colloquial language, snob appeal etc.).

- What changes would have to be made to the style or tone of the ads to make them suitable for our country (if they are foreign ads)?

- Which is the best ad, do you think? Why?

2. Show the ads you have cut from magazines to the members of your group. Present each one to the group covering these points:

• Target customers

• The USP of the product: its features and benefits

• How the ad works in terms of the four stages of “AIDA”

• How the style would have to be changed for other markets

Use the following phrases:

I’d like to show you an ad that really impressed me.

What do you think of this ad? It shows …

This ad seems to be aimed at …

According to this ad the USP of this product is …

What I don’t like about this ad is …

B. What are your favourite TV commercials? Describe them to your partners and explain why you think they are effective.

Topics for reports, discussions and compositions

To fulfill this task you might need additional information from other sources.

1. What is the role of advertising in the modern world? Could the modern world do without advertising? Why?

2. What are the main types of advertising? Consumer advertising is familiar to most people. Tell the group everything you can about it (different kinds, media etc.).

3. What are the methods of advertising? Which of them do you consider the most effective?

4. What should we consider if we want to create an effective advertising message?

5. How to develop an effective advertising campaign?

6. How does an advertising agency or department work? What are its functions?

7. Does advertising keep the press free? If so, how? Could the press be just as free if there were no advertising?

8. Does most TV and newspaper advertising appeal to a person’s reason or to one’s prejudices or emotions? Explain and give examples?

9. What do you think of political advertising? Do you know anyone who voted for a certain candidate because of advertising? Can you describe any case of political advertising which dramatically changed the situation?

10. Advertising in Russia and abroad: similarities and differences.