Public Service Advertising Campaign

Scenario

Groups are assigned to create an advertising campaign focusing on a social issue. Each group chooses an organization (e.g., D.A.R.E., Operation Smile, ONE) that offers support for those affected by their chosen issue. The campaign must answer one of these questions:

• What are the causes of this social issue?
• What are the direct effects?
• What is being done to aid those who are negatively impacted?

The groups are responsible to create the following:

1. Full color magazine ad (measuring 8 x 10 inches)
2. 30-second television commercial (digital video format)
3. 25-second radio spot

Students work together on research and concept development. Each group submits a minimum of 10 detailed thumbnails for the print advertisement to the teacher, who helps choose a concept for the entire campaign. Each group generates original content (headline and narrative) and imagery (photographs, illustrations). Students may not use images from print publications or the internet except for a high-resolution logo from their organization, as each visual piece (print and video) must include the organization’s logo.

Student Reflection

I had never really sat down and thought about how women were portrayed in the media, and this project made me do that. As I was flipping through magazines, pulling out ads for our backdrop, I started to see how women are used or looked at simply because of magazine ads, and how much the ads affect people who read them. I read many magazines and never have been affected by these ads, but after taking a second look, I can see why girls all over the world can be pressured by these. This project was a good way to get an important message out into the real world. Our ad was the most powerful out of the three things that we made, and it really shows how something as simple as a magazine ad can make a difference in a world that can be very difficult to live in.

—Rachel Liuzzi, 11th grade, High Tech High https://www.hightechhigh.org