This extension activity follows naturally from deep viewing of ads and study of the persuasion industry. It has been tested and rated positively by students.

Students will find this activity a stimulating and engaging alternative to the more obvious extension of creating an ad – be it a PSA or commercial product ad. It provides a good combination of practical, hands-on work, and design/’hypothetical’ activity.

This activity is based on authentic industry practices. It provides students with a clear understanding of the deep level of planning and audience/consumer research that goes into an ad campaign.

Evaluation should be based on the students’ knowledge, thinking, and application skills to effectively:

apply learning from the persuasion unit in initial development of a product or message
choose appropriate ads for first impressions by focus group
apply learning about psychographics or demographics when choosing and defining focus group
re-design the project through analysis of focus group results
determine best strategies for quality tracking of final ad campaign

A thorough log and rationale of the whole process will effectively deepen the learning in this activity.

Groups of 3-4 students.

1. Students determine what product or message/idea they want to promote. This decision will be based on the nature of the unit they have just completed, as well as the learning goals.

2. Students find a focus group of about 6-8 reliable, enthusiastic people in the general demographic they want to target, and conduct a kind of ‘group therapy’, through the following:

list focus group names, ages, contact numbers; students get signatures on a ‘release’ form that allows the focus group members to be quoted, and their feedback to be used.

define the focus group in specific psychographic, as well as demographic, terms (see the V.A.L.S. – Values and Lifestyles descriptors).

show the group a variety of PSAs in print and video in order to get their  ‘take’ on PSAs in general, what works and what doesn’t. Find a method of recording and analyzing/categorizing their likes and dislikes.

3. Based on the feedback from #1, rough out a projected ad/s can be video, sound, or print. This should be in a form clear enough so that the focus group can respond clearly and appropriately to it. Try to include all sound and narrative text, if applicable. In the case of video, storyboards are essential.

4. Return to the focus group, and give them pre-prepared worksheets to include:

show  and explain the rough boards and/or plan
gauge the reaction of the focus group: they can use the worksheets to rate the elements and message of the ad. Be sure they have an opportunity to be very explicit (ie, yes, no, not sure, etc)
ask who they think the ads are targeting
ask where they would most want to access these ads (eg, Facebook, Internet, TV shows, radio, subway stations, subway trains, bus shelters, billboards, movie theatres, etc).

5. Categorize the focus group’s likes, dislikes, and general comments, gathered from the worksheets. Find a method of recording and analyzing these responses.

6. Summarize findings from focus groups, and determine what changes are needed.
In marketing language: the ‘green light’ suggestions from the focus group will be those that are very enthusiastic; ‘yellow light’ represent the cautious comments; ‘red light’ are those comments that indicate what they definitely would not like.

7. Re-design the ad and the campaign, based on the focus group work. Include sites of placement (OOH = ads that are outside of the home eg, bus shelters, billboards, subway, etc. Magazine ads are not part of this category).

submit essential message of the ad, with a few key code words that apply to its essential mood and message.
submit a rationale for the ad design and placement, in terms of target market and purpose
submit new storyboards/roughs
submit new placement sites, and timing of exposure, if applicable (ie, over 6 months? 2 months? why?)
submit justification of all changes, based on focus group results and own knowledge

8. Write up a strategy for how they would track and evaluate the success of the ad (eg, online surveys; unaided awareness of the topic/ad?, etc.) Research strategies like this, and anticipate how to conduct them, in detail.