PROMPT A: IMAGE ANALYSIS
Although we look at print advertisements every day, we often do not consider the ways in which they
affect us. Visual images in ads can influence and persuade us, so it is important to evaluate them
critically and objectively to understand their meaning and effectiveness. Good image analysis involves
an examination of the components of an image (layout, text, color, tone) to gain an understanding of the
whole.
1. Select an advertisement image to analyze. To find a print advertisement to analyze, you can search
the web using the keywords “print ad” or you could even find and take a picture of a local poster or
billboard in your neighborhood. We recommend you choose a print ad that includes text, imagery,
and color to best complete this assignment.
2. Conduct an image analysis: The print advertisement you choose should be directed toward a
specific audience. To identify the intended audience, think about the members of the potential
audience for the advertisement that you have chosen. Who are they? Ads for a beauty product, for
example, may be aimed at young people; ads for a deodorant might target adults; a diaper
commercial is likely intended for new parents; ads for cruise trips might be aimed at retirees. You
can use any academically-appropriate advertisement to complete this assignment, as long as its
intended audience is clearly identified. In your analysis, consider how design components within the
image (such as layout, text, color, and tone) appeal to the audience and provide and establish
context for the ad’s overall purpose.
3. Your thesis must inform the reader of the specific ad chosen and the plan to analyze it. Because you
are writing in the informative mode, use objective language and a neutral point of view. For this
essay, the informative mode means avoiding writing in the first-person and/or expressing personal
bias towards the ad’s overall intention or effectiveness.
4. Draft an analytical essay that examines the audience, context, and purpose of the advertising image
you’ve chosen.