Observation of Promotional Messages
This week you'll experience the effects of promotions in your daily lives by observing the different types of promotional activities occurring around you:
1. Write down all of the possible mediums in which you are exposed to promotional messages for one week. Take into account all possible mediums such as promotional messages embedded in television programs, video games, and on clothing.
2. Count the number of promotional messages that you are exposed to for one day.
3. Assess whether you had the ability to choose to avoid each message.
4. Write down what, if any, impact these experiences have had on your perceptions and attitudes during this week.
As part of this assignment, watch one hour of prime-time television and answer the following questions. You will need a watch or clock with a second hand and undivided attention during commercials.
Log each commercial by name and length.
• In a one-hour (full 60-minute) period, how many minutes were devoted to advertising? How were they distributed throughout the hour?
• How many commercials were 60 seconds long? 45 seconds? 30 seconds? 15 seconds?
• In a "pod" of several commercials, do you feel that one position is strongest? Is being first the best? Is being last the best? Why?
• How well do the commercials fit with the program? Do the programs and the products have similar target markets?
• Which commercial do you think was the most successful. Why?