Persuasive Features in Adverts Task

A two-part ‘boxing up’ activity to help pupils identify the ‘six persuasion levers’ most commonly used in adverts. You could use it in a guided reading or English lesson - especially if you’re teaching a persuasive writing unit in literacy and want to link these text type to financial education.

THE SIX ‘PERSUASION LEVERS’ FOUND IN ADVERTS:

1. SOCIAL PROOF: “Others are buying it, so you should too.”
2. ENDORSEMENTS: “We paid this expert/ celebrity that you like to say it’s great!”
3. APPEAL TO IDENTITY: “It’s made for people just like you, so you should buy it.”
4. SCARCITY/URGENCY: “We’ll say there aren’t many left - you don’t want to miss out!”
5. SWEETENERS: “We’ll give a discount or throw in extras so it looks like a good deal”
6. SELLING THE DREAM: “You can be the person you’ve always wanted to be if you buy this.”

Here’s how to use it:

• Print a double-sided copy for each pupil

• Get pupils to match the highlighted sections of the ‘PowerStrike’ football advert to the verbal reactions from Fred (the cartoon child who the ad is targeting)

• Explain the above six ‘persuasion levers’ to pupils

• Challenge pupils to find examples of the six ‘levers’ by highlighting them in the four example adverts on the reverse (page 2) of the sheet (colours suggested)

• EXTENSION IDEA: bring in some clippings of real adverts and see if they can spot the levers!