MASS MEDIA AND ADVERTISING

The Mass Media have become more and more important in our lives: tvs, radios, computers, smart phones, etc. The Media have a direct effect on our every day life and whether we like it or not we are directly exposed to them. Internet has become one of the greatest influences on our perception of the world and social media such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and so on are powerful tools to communicate and get new information. 

When we talk about the written press in Britain there´s a difference between tabloid and broadsheet newspapers.

     The first thing you notice when you look at a newspaper is the size! Broadsheets being the largest, most serious papers that you have to fold to read.
They contain different news, they have a different style of writing and they aim to attract different readers.

However, the competition for readers is intense, and tabloids and broadsheets may steal tricks off each other in order to win the circulation war!!!

Pay attention to the following differences:

- TABLOIDS are aimed at lower social levels, they use puns and jokes in headlines, there are shorter articles with more focus on celebrity gossip and" human stories", they use gimmicks to attrack readers such as games,  contests, etc. and they have a bold layout ( they use colours and different typographies to make them easy to read) and lots of pictures.

- BROADSHEETS are aimed at higher level people and generally speaking they don´t use colour on the frontpage. Articles are more detailed and in general longer. There´s more space for international news and politics

- Surf the net and look for some news in the following papers: The Sun, The Daily Mirror, The Times, The Independent, The Guardia, USA today, The New York Times.  Where would you classify them? Are they tabloids or broadsheets?

- Choose one piece of news in a Broadsheet and in a Tabloid paper and analyze how the information is presented. Talk about typography, pictures, design and content.

As a large number of people consume mass media it is pretty obvious that advertising plays a very important role in them. While watching TV or surfing the net, listening to the radio and so on  we receive hundreds of advertising so mass media are the favourite target of the different companies that want to sell their products or to make their ideas well known and easily spread.

Do you like adverts? What do you like about them? ( music, words, images, etc.)  or are you one of those people who change channels. There are different types of advertising:
 flyers, pop- ups, classified ads, slogans, jingles, commercials, posters, etc

Where can you find them? Can you think of any examples of these different types of ads?

Advertising is a very difficult job and professionals use many different techniques to draw our attention and in most cases we can´t escape from them.... because they try to make you happier, healthier, slimmer  more fashionable, more intelligent, less stressded     They can use humour to get you in a good mood, etc.

People working in publicity are quite competitive, and very witty. Would you like to be one of them for a while?

Decide which product you want to sell and in which way. What kind of advertising you are going to use? (use the examples above). Think of a catchy slogan and appealing pictures an colours. There are many things you will have to take into account. For example:

- Decide they type of customer your product is going to be aimed at.

-  Use careful chosen language. ( use of alliteration, rhyme, memorable slogan, persuasive words, exaggerated words and lots of adjectives)

- Focus on the  positive factors of your product. ( negative aspects are ignored)

Have a look at the following slogans? do they ring a bell? what type of product do you think they are advertising? Do you remember the brand?

"Just do it."

"Coffee at its best"

"Beanz Meanz Heinz."

"Finger lickin' good"
“Have it your way.”

Because I'm worth it"
Have a break, have a Kit Kat

"I'm lovin' it"
“Connecting People”
“Obey your thirst.”
"Snap! Crackle! Pop!"
"No more tears." -
"Don't dream it. Drive it."
"The best a man can get"

Have a look at the post "advertising and commercials" ( you can look for it on the labels section)  and watch some funny commercials. Do you like them? Would you like to show us one you have enjoyed?