How do I analyze an advertisement? I have to analyze, but I don't know which questions to ask. What I should look out for?

Firstly, there are different types of advertisements: print, radio and television commercials, and Internet ads, which may still be images or commercials similar to what one would see on television.

In the case of a radio advertisement, the focus is on the message:

• What does the announcer tell us about the product or service?


• What adjectives are used to describe it?


• What tone of voice does the announcer use? For example, you may have noticed...

Firstly, there are different types of advertisements: print, radio and television commercials, and Internet ads, which may still be images or commercials similar to what one would see on television.

In the case of a radio advertisement, the focus is on the message:

• What does the announcer tell us about the product or service?


• What adjectives are used to describe it?


• What tone of voice does the announcer use? For example, you may have noticed that announcers who are promoting retail sales tend to speak loudly and excitedly. Those who are selling an insurance service will speak more calmly and in a softer tone. 


• Is the speaker male or female? Why might the advertiser have chosen a male or female speaker for this particular product?


• What kind of music (if any) is playing in the background? What sound effects (if any) are used?

In the case of a print ad or still image, the focus is on the image and the brief message that accompanies it:

• What kind of font does the advertiser use? Why? What is the size of the font?


• How does the image draw attention to the quality of the product? For example, a recent Heinz ad creates a bottle of ketchup out of a tower of sliced tomatoes. The message below reads, "No one grows ketchup like Heinz." Heinz is clearly emphasizing the freshness of its product and its use of all-natural ingredients. It does not matter if this is true or not, it is what they want you to believe.


• Many print ads use models or celebrities. In these cases, think about why they may have chosen that particular person. To whom might they be marketing this product? How does this particular person appeal to that demographic?

In the case of a TV commercial or other moving image, the focus is on the narrative:

• Who are the characters in the commercial? You may have noticed that in commercials for household cleaning products, the main character—sometimes the only character—is a middle-aged woman, usually white, who is doing housework. Very often, advertisers reinforce our social prejudices.


• Once again, when a celebrity is used, why have they chosen this celebrity? On which aspect of the person's fame is the advertiser capitalizing?


• If there is music in the ad, what kind of music is it? Is it a famous song? Why might they have chosen this song?


• What is the slogan and how do they provide it to the viewer? Is it merely spoken or is it displayed?


• Who, if anyone, narrates the commercial? Is it a male or a female voice? What tone does the person use? What is the pace of his or her speech?


• Is this a commercial that emphasizes diversity? How might that relate to the promotion of this product?


• If the characters in the commercial are of a particular age group, race, or gender, why might the advertisers have cast in this way?

There are other things to explore, but this should help you get started.