A major aspect of core key question #3 is the idea that different people experience media messages differently. It is also true that similar groups of people tend to respond similarly to the same message. Because of this, advertisers often create different ads to sell the same product to different (niche) audiences. They spend large amounts of research time and money to learn about what appeals to people based on their gender, class, age, religion, ethnicity, health, family upbringing, etc. This information guides them to target ads that will appeal to groups with similar fantasies, fears, desires, insecurities, hopes -- and dreams. In this activity groups of students create different ads for the same product -- but for different audiences. As they design the ads, students will experience how their ideas, attitudes and even stereotypes about the audience influence the messages they create.

Download lesson plan # 3D

NOTE: This lesson plan is one of 25 cornerstone lesson plans for media literacy education available in Five Key Questions that Can Change the World, published by the Center for Media Literacy. To access the full collection, click here