Financial Literacy – Making Life Decisions
Day 9 - Advertising – How it Affects Us
Activity 1 1. Advertising is all around us. We see thousands of ads a day. In fact, studies show that people who live in urban areas see up to 5,000 ads daily.1 As a class, brainstorm a list of everywhere you are exposed to advertising in your daily life. Suggestion: Think of your daily routine from when you get up in the morning to when you go to bed. 2. Continue working as a class to discuss: • What is the purpose of advertising? • Does advertising work? How does it affect you? • Was there ever a time when advertising worked on
you? Explain your experience to the class. Activity 2 1. There are a number of techniques used in advertising. With your partner, read about the techniques on the blackline master your teacher gives you. Discuss the techniques. List an example for each technique. If you can’t think of enough examples, you have homework. Check out several of these places to find examples of the advertising techniques: watch television, go on the computer, use your cell phone, play a video game, watch a DVD or movie you have recorded, go to the mall, flip through a magazine. 2. Share your examples with your classmates. 3. Advertising really is everywhere - even if you don’t consciously notice it. Now that you are more informed, discuss the following question with your class: How does the overload of advertising in society affect people? Activity 3 1. What do you think about the following fact? Do you believe it? Share your thoughts and feelings with the class. “Studies have shown that most kindergarten aged students go to school having at least 500 media logos imprinted on their brains. However, some go to school not knowing their alphabet letters.”2 2. Participate in a test called ‘The ABC’s of Brands’ that your teacher will lead. In this test you will identify different brands by viewing only small parts of their logos. Record your answers. 3. Take up your answers. How many did you get correct? 4. Discuss as a class: • Which partial brands were easy to recognize and why? Which partial brands were hard to recognize and why? How do you think people can avoid the effects of advertising? Game Changers: 1. Look through today’s grocery flyers either in paper or on-line at www.save.ca/flyers Choose 5 different grocery items and look for the best buy. Figure out your savings on
those items. Take your savings on those items and multiply it by four (the amount of weeks in the month) and then deduct the total amount saved from your monthly grocery bill. 2. You have been invited out to a party. You look through your closet and can’t find anything that you want to wear. Besides, your friends have seen all of your clothes. It is time to do some shopping! To look for a new outfit, search the flyers in today’s paper or go to www.save.ca/flyers. You need to buy a top and bottom. For ladies, a dress will also do. What can you afford? You may decide to buy different items at different stores. Remember, you are going to a party. You don’t have to dress to the “nines” but you do have to look presentable! Calculate your purchases and add the total cost to your budget. Don’t forget to add 13% for the tax.
Tip: Take the total cost of your purchases and multiply it by 0.13 to figure out how much you need to add to cover the taxes or, multiply the total cost of your purchases by $1.13 to get the total cost including taxes. 3. People often go door to door selling items or asking for charitable donations. You are home one night when you hear a knock on your door. There is a person there canvassing for the Cancer Society. They ask you if you are willing to give a donation. Are you willing to donate? If so, how much are you willing to donate? * Deduct your donation from your budget. *Note: Studies show that people who donate to charities increase their level of happiness.