MediaAnalysisandEvaluationProject

A.SarahEssick
B.ConnectiontoCurriculum

SecondaryEducationMath1:Grades9/10
Common Core: Math

A-CED.1
Create equations and inequalities in one variable and use them to solve
problems.

HS.TT.1.3
Use appropriate technology tools and other resources to design products to
share information with others (e.g. multimedia presentations, Web 2.0 tools,
graphics, podcasts, and audio files).

NorthCarolinaProfessionalTeachingStandardsaddressedthrough
thisproject:
3d.Teachersmakeinstructionrelevanttostudents

Demonstratetherelationshipbetweenthecorecontentand21stCentury
contentthatincludesglobalawareness;financial,economic,businessand
entrepreneurialliteracy;civicliteracy;andhealthandwellnessawareness

4d.Teachersintegrateandutilizetechnologyintheirinstruction

Knowappropriateuse

Helpstudentsusetechnologytolearncontent,thinkcritically,solve
problems,discernreliability,useinformation,communicate,innovate,and
collaborate.

4e.Teachershelpstudentsdevelopcriticalthinkingandproblemsolvingskills

Encouragestudentstoaskquestions,thinkcreatively,developandtest
innovativeideas,synthesizeknowledgeanddrawconclusions

C.TitleofMediaYouWillAnalyze:TVCommercial:Pretzel|AT&T
D.TypeofMedia:YouTubeclipfromanAT&TCommercial
E.MediaMaterialsthemselves
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDOz6MDSS1Q
F.Youranalysis:
Pretzel
1. Questions:Howdoweknowthiswas"constructed"?Whataretheelements
oftheconstruction(script,music,editing,etc.)?Whatdecisionsweremade
bythedirectorandproducers?
Answers:Weknowitwasconstructedbecauseitisanadvertisement.Elementsof
constructionwouldbethelengthoftheadvertisementwasshort.Thedirectorand
producersdecidedtomaketheadfunnyandusedthepretzelsasanexampleof
whattheyweretryingsell.
2. Questions:Allmediacostmoney.Whomadethispieceofmedia?Why?Who
mighttheyhavesolditto?Whywouldithavebeenbought?Whowasthe
targetaudienceforthepurchaseofthispieceofmedia?Whowasthetarget
audienceforthemessagesinthemedia?Howmightthecommercial
considerationshaveaffectedthepiece?
Answers:ThismediawascreatedbyAT&T.Thisadvertisementwascreated
becausetheyaretryingtogetpeopletobuytheplan.Theymighthavesoldthisto
peoplewhoarebuyingaphoneandneedalotofdatafortheirplan.Thetarget
audienceispeoplewhoarehavethemoneytopurchaseaphoneandmainly
coupleswhoarelookingtoaddmoredataforalowerprice.Thecommercial
considerationsarecoupleswhowanttostartaplanwithasizeableamountofdata
foracheapprice,theyobviouslyknewthatalargerfamilywouldntbuythisplan
becausetheywouldneedmoregigs.
3. Questions:Whatvaluemessagesdoesthispieceofmediasend?Howdoesit
communicatevaluesaboutwhatisrightandwrong?Whateconomic
messagesdoesitsend?Whatmessagesdoesitsendaboutrelationships
betweenpeopleorbetweenpeopleandtheworld?
Answers:Thevaluethisistryingtosendisbeingconsideratewithmoneyand
havingagoodbargain.Whileitdoesntreallyshowwhatsrightandwrongina
moralsense,buttheyaretryingtoshowyouwhatisthebestdeal.Theeconomic

messagesthatthissendsisthattheirplanisthebestdealforthecheapestpricefor
peoplewantingmoredataatalowerrate.Themessagethatthisadsendsabout
relationshipsisthatcouplesinparticularcansharegigsandgainafamiliaritywith
theircompany.
4. Questions:Whatmightbethecumulativeeffectofrepeatedlyviewing
messagelikethis?Whatissuesisitmostrelatedto?Howmightitchangehow
peopleact?
Answers:Thecumulativeeffectofrepeatedlyviewingthiswouldbethatyou
wanttobuymoregigsforyourphonewithAT&T.Theissuesthisrelatestois
runningoutofdataeachmonth.Peopleactmuchnicerwhentheyhaveplentiful
gigs,itreducesstress.
5. Questions:Whatformisthismedia?Howdothecharacteristicsofthisform
affectthemessageitsends?Howwoulditbedifferentifitwasinadifferent
form(e.g.ifafilmwaschangedtobeabillboard,orifasongwaschangedto
beashortstory)?
Answers:ThismediaisaYouTubevideo,oraTVcommercial.The
characteristicsofthisformdontreallyaffectthemessagethatitsends.Ifthetype
ofmediawaschangedIdontthinkthemessagewouldbeaseffectiveifitwason
abillboardbecauseitwouldntattractasmanypeople.
6. Questions:Whataretheaestheticcomponentsofthispieceofmedia?What
doesitlooklike?Whatdoesitsoundlike?Howiscolororlightingused?
Howismusicused?Howiseditingused?Howismeaningconstructed
throughtheseelements?
Answers:Theaestheticcomponentswereawelldressedyoungcoupleindarker
colors.ThesaleswomanwasinherAT&Tuniformthatislightbluesosheisthe
centerofattention.Theobviouslywantedtoplacemoreemphasisonthedialogue
thandistractitwithmusic.Thebackgroundisorangebutyoucantellthemain
focusoftheadwasthecoupleandthesaleswoman,therewerecustomersinthe
backgroundtoshowthatpeopleareinterestedinwhatAT&Thastooffer.
7. Questions:Howmightdifferentaudiencesviewthisdifferently?Howmight
thispieceofmediabeinterpretedatthetimeitwasmade?Howhasthat
interpretationchangedovertime?Wouldthemeaningofthispieceofmedia
differifviewedbysomeoneolderoryounger,someoneofadifferentraceor
nationality,orsomeoneofadifferentsocioeconomicstatus?

Answers:Differentaudienceswouldviewthiscompletelydifferentlythansaya
youngmarriedcouplelookingformoredata.Anelderlycouplewouldnt
necessarilybeinterestedinaphoneplananyway.Nowinthisgeneration,children
wanttechnologyandcellphones,buttheywouldbeontheirparentsplanand
donthavemoney.Theinterpretationatthetimethiswasmadewasprobablythat
itwasacommercialforAT&Twhowastryingtoselldata.Theinterpretation
hasntchangedovertime.Idontthinkthatthemeaningoftheadwouldchangeif
viewedbysomeoneolderoryounger,Ijustdontthinkitwouldbeapplicableto
them.Asforrace,anyoneofanyracecanbuyaphoneplanthathasthemoneyto
affordit.Asforthedifferentsocioeconomicstatus,Iwouldsaydependingon
theirincomeandwhattheyvalueasnecessitiesthattheupperandmiddleclass
woulddefinitelyhaveaphoneplan,thelowerclassesisdebatable.
8. Questions:Whatwouldbeanothervideothatwouldhavethesamemessage?
Why?
Answer:Anotheradexplainingapromotionthatisgoingonwiththeircompany,
becausetheywouldbothbeadvertisingtheirnewpromo.
9. Questions:Isthisadeffective?Whyorwhynot?Wouldyoubuythis
product?
Answer:Ithinkthisadiseffectivebecausetheyusethepretzelasanexampleof
whattheyaretryingtoadvertise;Soitisareallifeexample.Iwouldbuythis
productifIneededmoregigsformyphoneandtheywouldgetused,becauseitis
averygooddeal.
10. Questions:Ifthisadwasntfunny,doyouthinktheirproductwouldsell?
Whydotheyusehumor?
Ithinkthemessagewouldntresonatewithyouasmuchifitwasntfunny.Ithink
theyusedhumorbecauseitmakesiteasiertounderstand.
11. Questions:Imaginewhatasimilaradthatwassettenyearsagowouldbe
like.Howdoyouthinkitwouldbedifferent?
Idontthinkpeoplewouldbeusingthismuchdatatenyearsago,soIdontthink
thisadwouldevenberelevant.
12. Questions:Wouldyouchangeanythinginthisad?Whyorwhynot?
Iwouldntchangeanythingbecausethemessageisclearlyunderstandableandit
makesviewerswanttobuytheproduct.

13. Questions:Isthisactuallyagoodbargain?Whatwouldbetheflawsinthis
planifbought?
Ithinkitisafantasticbargain,youaresavingavalueof$30.Ithinktheflaws
wouldbewheneverthispromotionends,sodoesthepriceof10gigsfor15.
14. Questions:Doyouthinkthechoiceofusingawomanasarepresentativewas
intentional?Whywouldtheychooseher?
Ithinktheuseofthewomenwasveryintentional.SheisineveryAT&T
commercialnow,soIthinktheychoseherbecausehervoiceiseasytounderstand
andinviting.Sheisalsoveryfriendlyandfunny.
15. Questions:Ifthepretzelwasnotthere,wouldtheadstillwork?Isthepretzel
themainidea?Howrelevantisit?
Ifthepretzelwasnotthere,Idontthinkthattheadwouldbeaseffective,butI
stillthinkitwouldwork.Ithinkthepretzelisthefocuspointbecauseitbrings
whatsheisofferingtolifebecausetheexampleisarealworldexample.The
pretzelseemstobeprettyrelevantconsideringitsthetitleofthecommercial.

G.PossibleProductionConnectionwithEXAMPLE:
Example: If you get 15 gigs of data for the price 10, how much would
you be paying if the price for 10 Gigs is $60.00? The answer is $60.00
when the original value of 15 GB is $90.00. How much are you saving?
Assignment: Find a commercial of any type that has numbers that can
be used to make an equation, solve the equation and present in class
on the Smart Board explaining how you got your solution. (All videos
must be approved before starting to solve.)