Educating Students about Drug Use and Mental Health - Grade 9: Expectation 5 Teaching Learning Strategy 4

Gr 9 Over

5 T/L S 1

5 T/L S 2

5 T/L S 3

5 T/L S 4

5 T/L S 5

Demonstrate and use decision-making and assertion skills with respect to media influences and peer pressure related to alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.

Bold Text between the orange lines are excerpts from Grade 9 Healthy Active Living Education Course Profile, Unit 3, Activities 4 & 5.

Teaching/Learning Strategy 4:

In small groups, students will list how companies promote tobacco, alcohol and other drugs to appeal the adolescent market. They should include the use of colours, images, mood and feelings. Using a magazine advertisement related to tobacco or alcohol, students will analyze this advertisement based on the media images. Students will answer these questions:

Name three things about the product that the manufacturer wishes you to believe.
How does the advertisement give you these impressions?
Do you believe the messages in the ad? Why or why not?

The teacher will build the concept of media influences on drug use and abuse by asking the following questions:

1. Why do companies advertise their products?

2. How do companies promote alcohol, tobacco and other drugs?

Students will complete (for homework) and submit a worksheet that answers the above three questions on an advertisement of their choice.

Hot Tips for Teachers: Advertising and Media Literacy

Introduce the meaning of media literacy, and discuss how important it is to be aware of the power of media.

Media Literacy: The ability to interpret the images we see on TV or in magazines, etc. These images shape our attitudes and choices.

Goal of the Advertiser: To creatively persuade the individual to purchase the advertiser's product.

How Companies Promote Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs

Comparison:The ad compares the advertiser's "superior" brand to another "inferior" brand.

Contests/Special Promotions: The ad features a contest/special promotion in relation to a product (e.g., holiday to Florida, backstage passes to a music concert, CDs in beer cases). Viewers may feel compelled to buy this product in order to win the contest.

Glamour/Sex Appeal: A sophisticated, sexy person is shown using the product. This implies that the buyer will be sexy or sophisticated by using the product.

Glittering Generality: The ad uses expressions like "the best" and "the only" that are not substantiated.

Graphics: The ad uses graphics to engage viewers in what is being advertised, for instance cartoon characters.

Having Fun: People in the ad are having a really good time. The hidden message: Use the product and you'll have fun as well.

Health Appeal: The ad suggests that the product can do wonders for the consumer's health.

Humour: The ad uses comic characters, dialogue or pictures to promote the product.

Manipulation: The ad suggests manipulative, exaggerated or untruthful messages, such as "smoking is healthy" or "if you drink beer, you'll have a lot of friends."

Music: The ad uses music (e.g., usually current music or popular songs from the past) to attract the viewer to the product.

One of the Gang: The ad suggests that "everybody" is doing it or using the product. The buyer does not want to be left out.

Role Model/Opinion Leader: The ad uses a "cool" person to promote the product. The underlying message is that "if you want to be like me, use this product."

Sensory Appeal: The ad uses images, sounds and colours that are appealing to the senses.

Snob Appeal: The ad suggests that even though the product costs more, it's worth it!

Statistics: The ad uses statistics to impress the consumer. These ads do not provide any information about the source of the statistics.

Symbols: The ad emphasizes the brand logo or catchy saying (e.g., the "apple" for Macintosh computers).

Testimonial/Endorsement: An important or well-known person claims that he or she uses the product. This implies that the product is worthwhile.

(Adapted with permission from "Under the Influence? Educator's Kit on Alcohol Advertising for Students in Grades 7–10", Association to Reduce Alcohol Promotion in Ontario (ARAPO), Toronto, 2000.)

Why do companies advertise their products?

to make their products more visible
to attract new customers (e.g., consumers who have never purchased a particular product before
to maintain established customers and encourage them to remain "loyal" to the brand
to influence people who normally buy a competitor's brand to switch to advertiser's brand ultimately,
to increase sales.

Possible Discussion Questions/Additional Activities

1. Working in small groups, have students brainstorm their ideas about any of the following topics:

a) The purpose of advertising.Why is advertising important to any business?
What do companies hope to achieve?

b) Do you feel alcohol/tobacco companies specifically target youth? Explain.

We know that alcohol and tobacco industries spend a great deal of money on different forms of advertising. Youth are potential new customers and many have disposable income. Teens often look to ads for cues on how to look and behave. Tobacco companies are always looking for new smokers to replace those who die or quit. Studies show that alcohol ads can influence adolescent drinking; humour and music are especially appealing (Grube, J.W., Madden, P.A., Friese, B., "The Effects of TV Alcohol Advertising on Adolescents Drinking", (1996), Washington, D.C.).

c) Do you feel alcohol/tobacco advertising influences your younger siblings/friends?/ Do you feel alcohol/tobacco advertising influences you? Explain.

d) Where and how do alcohol and tobacco companies promote their products?

Sporting events (e.g., Molson Indy)
The arts (e.g., DuMaurier Jazz Festival)
Sponsorship of entertainment venues (e.g., Molson Amphitheatre) including: TV, radio, buses, retail, magazines, theatres, Internet, movies and videos, billboards

2. Compare the Ads:

Divide the class into two groups. For homework, all students must bring in two advertisements, one that appeals to them and one that appeals to an adult in their household. Half the class brings in any kind of advertisement. The other half of the class brings in advertisements that are promoting alcohol or tobacco. Students discuss in small groups what is different about the advertisements in general and whether there are as many differences with the advertisements promoting alcohol and tobacco. Note: Advertisements appealing to teens may be brighter, lighter and more "fun" than those appealing to adults.

Advertising Analysis — Student Worksheet

Name of product:

1. Is there a slogan/logo for the product? What is it?

2. What types of characters are portrayed in this advertisement (e.g., age, gender, physical attributes, etc.)?

3. Describe the atmosphere of the advertisement (e.g., location, setting, number of people, colours, mood, feelings, other images, etc.).

4. Name three things about the product that the manufacturer wishes you to believe.

5. Name three negative consequences of using the product that the advertisement is not telling you. How does the advertisement give you these impressions?

6. What selling strategies are used in this ad?

7. Do you believe the messages in the ad? Why or why not?

8. Who do you think is the audience for your advertisement? How can you tell?

9. Why do you think the person who created this ad has presented substance use in this way?

Educating Students about Drug Use and Mental Health - Grade 9: Expectation 5 Teaching Learning Strategy 4

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