Advertising - Mrs. Biesiadecki's Web Page

[Pages:6]Argumentative writing Accelerated prompt

Assessment ID: dna.45292 ib.1699539

Directions: Read the passage below and answer the question(s) that follow.

Advertising

Source 1 This scientific article, published on April 15, 2011, in the magazine History Comes Alive describes how advertising first came into being and changed over time.

The History of Advertising By: Charles Kopera

Modern advertising would not be what it is today without the American spirit. It helped bring forth newspapers, radio, and television as we know them. The idea of advertising, however, is very old. It started before the United States became a country.

In precolonial Europe, business owners placed notice boards in their windows to describe their services. If a play was being performed in town, actors would parade through the streets to convince people to see it. In the 1600s, global exploration led to a new need for advertising. International trade and colonization made new goods that the average person had never seen available to all. How would merchants convince people that they needed coffee, pepper, tea, and porcelain enough to buy them? The solution was handbills. These printed sheets were handed out in public to let people know when and where such goods were available.

Soon, the information that was printed in handbills appeared in newspapers. These early advertisements were very brief. A typical ad would let the public know when a ship packed with imports would arrive. Newspapers were not widespread, so newspaper advertising could not yet thrive as an industry.

That soon began to change in the American colonies. The first advertisement printed in a colonial newspaper was for an estate in Oyster Bay, New York. It appeared in the Boston News?Letter in 1703. With the publication of the Pennsylvania Gazette in 1729, printer Benjamin Franklin sought to make "new advertisements" a regular feature of his newspaper. There, Franklin ran advertisements for many of his own inventions, such as his famous stove. Local people also used the newspaper to advertise services they offered.

Franklin did not use advertising as a means of making money. Publishers later found that selling ads could reduce the costs. This would reduce the price of newspapers, making them more accessible. The end result was a greater audience for these advertisements. This created a greater demand for them. This idea may seem obvious to some, but New York Herald publisher James Gordon Bennett was the first to realize it. Bennett also originated the idea of running ads for limited periods of time (for instance, two days or one week rather than indefinitely). He also required ads to follow a uniform style. His ads used no illustrations or elaborate typefaces. The New York Herald's simple classifieds were much different from the flashy ads that followed them.

Big urban newspapers like the New York Herald developed the format for modern advertisements. They owe their persuasive factor to the small?town salesmen of the time. These "traveling men" typically sold products that were marketed as miracle drugs that could cure ailments ranging from arthritis to tuberculosis to hair loss. They went from town to town and never stayed anywhere for long. The remedies they sold had little or no effect on the problems they were advertised to stop. However, the glossy posters and handbills produced to market these products increased their appeal.

The first advertising agencies came about after the U.S. Civil War. These companies were hired by businesses to market products. Advertising agents created ads and arranged for their printing in newspapers and magazines. This role involved writing a copy, choosing illustrations, and designing the layout of the ads. It also involved much more. Agents determined who their consumer base was, or what people would be buying their products. They had to understand what their customers wanted and needed. With advertising agencies also came catchy phrases called slogans. A consumer would be sure to remember a good slogan when shopping for a certain product.

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Argumentative writing Accelerated prompt

Assessment ID: dna.45292 ib.1699539

Directions: Read the passage below and answer the question(s) that follow.

Another major change was branding. Today it is hard to believe there was a time when products like sugar and coffee did not come in boxes, bags, or other containers. But in the late nineteenth century, packaging became the norm. Packages often bore names that we are still familiar with today. They had not only names but also pictures, designs, and sometimes slogans to tell them apart. The products themselves had become a form of advertisement. Soon, branding became the central function of advertising.

Radio was the first major invention to change the face of advertising. Radio ads were spoken and heard as well as printed and read. Radio programs had audiences of millions in the early twentieth century. Breaks between segments of programs were used to air the first commercials. At the time, women did the most shopping for consumer goods such as groceries. Accordingly, agencies began directing most marketing towards women rather than men. What better opportunity to do so than the soap operas that housewives listened to during the day? The television became a part of the average American household in the 1950s. It took the commercial to an even higher, visual level.

The Great Depression hurt the advertising industry. One out of every four Americans were unemployed. Many more worked for lower wages than before. Thus, consumerism was at a low that marketing could not raise. With World War II in 1941, advertising shifted its focus. Posters and newspaper ads urged the public to support the war effort instead of buying a certain brand. Ironically, this sometimes meant buying and consuming less than they could afford. This allowed for more goods for the troops fighting abroad.

The late twentieth century was a global time for advertising. Many major companies took their brands to markets overseas. Advertising went as well. Agencies now saw the need to adjust their marketing strategies to a variety of cultures, but many logos and slogans remained familiar regardless of what language or country they were found in.

Kopera, C. (2011). The history of advertising. History Comes Alive. Retrieved from thehistoryofadvertising

Source 2 This opinion piece, published on March 29, 2013, in the magazine Advertising that Works, makes an argument for the benefits of advertising.

The Wonders of the Modern Ad By: Emily Lyons Mercer

In today's world, there are very few people who are more despised than the common advertising executive. People in the advertising and marketing industries are looked down upon as scoundrels who will lie, cheat, and mislead to get you, the consumer, to buy their customers' goods. However, a closer look at advertising--and the role it really plays in today's world--might help you see this profession in a more positive light.

Advertising is good for businesses. This may seem very obvious to say. What may not be as obvious to many people is how good business is for the consumer. Most consumers work at businesses, or sometimes own their own. If they or their employers do not use advertising, they almost certainly do business with companies that do. The better a business does, the better its employees do. What is good for business is good for us all!

The advertisement companies invest in establishing their brands. They establish identities for these brands and help consumers readily recognize them. They let customers know about their brands and products. They increase the number of customers a brand has, creating profits.

How is advertising good for the consumer, you may ask? New products and services are being developed every day. Some are useless and derivative. But occasionally, a product will hit the shelves that will greatly benefit the average consumer. With the great mass of boxes and brands that you see every day in your closest store, how

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Argumentative writing Accelerated prompt

Assessment ID: dna.45292 ib.1699539

Directions: Read the passage below and answer the question(s) that follow.

would you know what new and exciting goods to look for? A billboard along the highway or a glossy ad on the back of your favorite magazine could direct you toward something you never realized you needed.

Advertising also provides us with the simplest and cheapest way to make good decisions. It gives us free information that can be easily accessed. Imagine you are in the market for a big purchase. You know what you want, but you are not sure what brand to buy. You could spend hours looking through magazines, or you could watch a few commercials to help you.

Advertising can be expensive. Sometimes a single ad can cost millions of dollars if it is played during an important football game or awards show. When effective, advertising can be extremely profitable. When not effective, it can cause a business to lose a lot of money. It is in the best interest of all to create advertising that is mutually beneficial--that helps everyone involved, both company and consumer.

One reason why advertising agents have a bad reputation stems from dishonesty. Some tend to believe that advertisements stretch the truth. In the past, and even occasionally today, there have been ads that have presented false realities about brands and products. Fortunately, the law and our own government are on our side. The Federal Trade Commission, or FTC, regulates advertisements. This organization makes sure that the only ads consumers see are truthful and non?deceptive. They also improve the information we receive by requiring companies to back up the claims made about their products. Organizations like the FTC assist ad agencies in providing consumers with useful information.

The fact is, today there are more products available to the consumer than ever before. Consumers, which include every single one of us, have more choices than ever. This has led to healthy competition between companies, and that competition helps keep prices down. After all, can you imagine what a product would cost if only one company made it? Instead, many companies make their own versions of the same product. The prices they charge are one way they compete with each other. Another is through advertising. Advertising encourages this competition by providing more choices and lower prices. Advertising is good for everybody!

Mercer, E.L. (2013). The wonders of the modern ad. Advertising that Works. Retrieved from http:// advertisingthatworks.us/thewondersofthemodernad

Source 3 This letter to the editor of The Marshall Observer, published on October 18, 2010, gives an argument against advertising.

Childhood Should Be an Ad?Free Zone By: Juliet Blake

Dear Editor,

Ever since my son Geoffrey was born seven years ago, he has been my greatest concern. It bothers me that he might make bad decisions or be persuaded to do things that will harm him. I surround him with healthy foods and make sure he has plenty of opportunity to express himself--whether it is through sports, music, art, or even the chemistry set that he adores.

For this reason, two years ago I got rid of our television. I also forbid Geoffrey from watching television at his friends' houses. This is not because of the quality of children's programming, which I feel is better than ever today. It is for the same reason why I do not allow him to read magazines or listen to the radio. I do not want to expose him to advertising.

Yes, that seems to be a simple solution for those who do not want their children to be influenced by advertisements. Just do not let them look at ads. This week, when I attended parents' day at Geoffrey's

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Argumentative writing Accelerated prompt

Assessment ID: dna.45292 ib.1699539

Directions: Read the passage below and answer the question(s) that follow.

elementary school, I was shocked to find advertisements for companies hanging in the hallways and the lunchroom of his school! Furthermore, these ads promoted terrible products--greasy fast food, sugary sodas, and violent video games. When I demanded an explanation from the principal, he found it to be no big deal at all. He told me that his school had raised a lot of money as a result of these ads.

That is exactly where the problem is. Money--that is all that matters to advertisers and their clients. They certainly do not have the good of society in mind, only profit. If children face health problems later in life due to fast food advertising, it will not matter as long as the companies have made their share. Likewise, materialism is encouraged in advertising to an unfair extent. It makes children believe that they can and should have everything, regardless of whether or not they can afford it. It sweeps aside the values of patience, hard work, and moderation. I, for one, do not want to give my son that impression of the world. How about you?

Levels of advertising are just too high today. One cannot walk down the street without being overwhelmed with posters and billboards. You are likely to see ads printed on subway turnstiles, Chinese food containers, and even on the shells of individual eggs in the supermarket. We cannot choose to just ignore it either. These advertisers use underhanded methods to get their points across. They use words and pictures that target our subconscious thoughts, affecting us in ways we would never imagine. Defenders of advertising argue that it allows us to be aware of our options when making consumer choices. By brainwashing us without our even realizing it, advertising actually takes away our capacity to make our own choices.

What should be especially frightening to parents is a recent report from the American Psychological Association (APA). It points out that children under the age of eight are not capable of grasping the idea that commercials have a purpose other than entertainment. As a result, they completely believe what they see and hear. For this reason, the APA has backed a plan to restrict advertising to people this age. While I fully support this idea, what is to be said for older children? What about society's chief consumers, adults?

For the sake of my Geoffrey, and for the sake of everyone reading this and their children, I call for a complete ban on advertising in schools. I also urge the Federal Trade Commission to tighten the rules on subconscious messages in advertising.

Sincerely, Juliet Blake

Blake, J. (2010). Childhood should be an ad?free zone. The Marshall Observer. Retrieved from http:// childhoodshouldbeanad freezone

Source 4

These two tables give data showing the results of a 2007 study of the amount of advertising viewed by people between the ages of 2 and 17 in an average day and year.

This table shows how much children are exposed to food advertising on television:

Age Number of Food Ads Viewed Daily

2?7

12

8?12

21

13?17

17

Number of Food Ads Viewed Time Spent Viewing Food Ads Yearly Yearly

4427

29 hours, 31 minutes

7609

50 hours, 48 minutes

6098

40 hours, 50 minutes

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Argumentative writing Accelerated prompt

Assessment ID: dna.45292 ib.1699539

Directions: Read the passage below and answer the question(s) that follow.

This table shows how much children are exposed to public service announcements (PSAs) dealing with fitness or nutrition on television:

Age Time Spent Viewing PSAs Daily Number of PSAs Viewed Yearly Time Spent Viewing PSAs Yearly

2?7

14 seconds

164

1 hour, 25 minutes

8?12

12 seconds

158

1 hour, 15 minutes

13?17

4 seconds

47

25 minutes

(2007). Food for thought: television food advertising to children in the United States. The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Retrieved from familyfoundation.files.2013/01 /7618es.pdf.

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Argumentative writing Accelerated prompt

Assessment ID: dna.45292 ib.1699539

Directions: Read the passage below and answer the question(s) that follow.

1 Directions:

You will now review your notes and sources and plan, draft, edit, and revise your writing. You may use your notes and refer to the sources. Now read your assignment and the information about how your writing will be scored, then begin your work.

Your Assignment: After completing your research, you share

your findings with your teacher. The teacher suggests that you write a letter to your principal using the sources you have located to support your opinion about whether or not advertisements should be used as a way to raise funds for the new sports stadium.

Today, you will write a multi?paragraph letter to your school board that either presents an argument in favor of selling advertising at the new school stadium to help offset the costs of construction or opposing it.

After you have formed a clear opinion on the issue, begin writing your letter. Your letter should be several paragraphs long. Make sure you support all points that you make with evidence from research.

Argumentative Letter Scoring:

Your argumentative letter will be scored using the following:

plan your multi?paragraph argumentative letter

write your multi?paragraph argumentative letter

revise and edit your final draft of your multi? paragraph argumentative letter

For part 2, you are being asked to write a multi?paragraph letter, so be as thorough as possible.

Remember to check your notes and your prewriting/planning as you write and then revise and edit your argument.

1. Organization/purpose: How effective was your argument, and did you articulate it clearly? How well did you establish and develop your point of view? Did you address opposing views? How well did you use a variety of transitions? How effective was your opening and closing for your audience and purpose?

2. Evidence/elaboration: How well did you develop your argument using concrete evidence? How well did you use relevant details or information from the sources in your argument?

3. Conventions: How well did you follow the rules of grammar usage, punctuation, capitalization and spelling?

Now begin writing your argument.

Manage your time carefully so that you can:

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