ENGELS

Visual Literacy

ADVERTISEMENTSWhat is advertising?

Advertising is a message that tries to sell a product.Advertisements appear almost everywhere you look. (TV, internet, social media, newspapers, etc.

Two main purposes:It tells people about a product or a service.It works to make people want to buy the product or service.

Visual Literacy

Successful advertisements use:

• Famous people like actors, actresses, models or athletes.

• Play on human needs/ emotions/ desires; like fear/ the need for status/ hunger etc.

• Humour

• Persuasive language: Well chosen adjectives, puns, alliteration, assonance, exaggeration, repetition, rhetorical questions, commands, slogans and catchy phrase

• Visual Effects: Eye-catching headlines, pictures, photographs, cartoons, posters, and cleverly designed graphics, including fonts and colours

Visual Literacy

• Logos: The distinct design/picture associated with that product.

Visual Literacy

• Slogans: The catchy phrase/words associated with that product:

Visual Literacy

If you need to come up with your own advertisement in Shorter Transactional Writing, you need to know the AIDA principle:

A – ATTENTION : grab the attention of the buyer.I – INTEREST : sustain the consumer’s interest.D – DESIRE : create a desire to possess the

advertised product.A – ACTION : spur the buyer into action.

Visual LiteracyThere are three aspects we have to take into consideration when reading and designing an advertisement, namely:

1. TARGET AUDIENCE: a specific group of people in society. For example, a target audience may be parents with babies, young people who want to be fashionable, independent career women etc.

2. VISUAL APPEAL: Advertisements are usually very visual. (Most people “buy with their eyes.”)

They are designed to prickle to your senses and capture your interest and imagination. Advertisers do this by including interesting designs/pictures/photos, interesting fonts varying in size and colour. White space/ filled space. Graphics, balance etc.

3. LANGUAGE: Advertisements use persuasive language to appeal to their target audience. A successful advertisement Does not have a lot of words (people are too lazy to read).

Visual LiteracyCartoons

A cartoon is a humorous, drawn picture of a situation

Cartoons are used to express ideas to draw attention to serious situations, problems or well-known personalities.

They often highlight current social or political issues.

Cartoons are pictures that are designed to make us laugh. You need to think about why it is meant to be funny, even if you personally don’t find it funny.

Visual Literacy

Speech bubble:

Background and setting: Where and when is the scene taking place (outside, living room, in a house)

Objectives: What is the purpose or intention of the cartoon. Is it to educate, entertain or inform.

Thought bubble:

Direct words spoken by someone or something.

Visual Literacy

Facial expressions:Big eyes- surprised or shocked

Round, open mouth – shocked, shouting

Smile – happy, excited

Frown – unhappy, anger, disagreement

Eyebrows downturned – disappointed

Visual Literacy

Folded arms – disagreement, unaccepted

Chin up – unaccepted, questioning

Raised finger – warning, lecturing, explaining

Hands clasped together – stressful, stressed

Visual Literacy

Satire: Sharp wit used to highlight, expose or ridicule (mock) human, social or political weaknesses or stupidity.

Sarcasm: An extreme form of intentional irony. One thing is said but something else is intended or understood with the purpose of hurting, insulting or humiliating.You must have worked very hard to be at the bottom of the class.

Irony: Implies the opposite of what is said. Tone is very important which tempers or conveys this meaning.I can’t wait for my detention on Friday.

Stereotyping: a fixed, generalised image of a specific group of people. Usually it contains some truth, stretched to include all members of a group unfairly. All blondes are dumb.

Visual LiteracyPositive Tone / Attitude Words

Amiable Consoling Friendly Playful Amused Content Pleasant

Appreciative Dreamy Hopeful Proud

Authoritative Ecstatic Impassioned Relaxed

Benevolent Elated Jovial Reverent

Brave Elevated Joyful Romantic

Calm Encouraging Jubilant Soothing

Cheerful Energetic Lighthearted Surprised

Cheery Enthusiastic Loving Sweet

Compassionate Excited Optimistic Sympathetic

Complimentary Exuberant Passionate Vibrant

Confident Fanciful Peaceful Whimsical

Visual Literacy

Negative Tone / Attitude Words

Accusing Aggravated Agitated Angry

Apathetic Arrogant Artificial Audacious

Belligerent Bitter Boring Brash

Childish Coarse Cold Condemnatory

Disappointed Disgruntled Disgusted Disinterested

Harsh Haughty Hateful Condescending

Contradictory Critical Insulting Hurtful

Indignant Outraged Irritated Desperate Threatening Quarrelsome Wrathful

Visual Literacy

Humour / Irony / Sarcasm Tone / Attitude Words

Amused Bantering Bitter Caustic

Comical Condescending Contemptuous Critical

Cynical Disdainful Giddy

Flippant Mocking Mock-serious Irrelevant

Humorous Insolent Ironic Quizzical

Joking Malicious Patronizing Sarcastic

Pompous Mock-heroic Scornful Whimsical

Ribald Ridiculing Teasing Wry

Sardonic Satiric Silly Taunting

Visual Literacy

Neutral Tone / Attitude Words

Admonitory Allusive Apathetic Authoritative

Baffled Callous Candid Ceremonial

Clinical Consoling Contemplative Conventional

Detached Didactic Disbelieving Factual

Dramatic Earnest Expectant Frivolous

Fervent Formal Forthright Incredulous

Haughty Histrionic Humble Loud

Informative Inquisitive Instructive Nostalgic

Intimate Judgemental Learned Urgent

Lyrical Matter-of-fact Meditative Vexed

objective Obsequious Patriotic Wistful

Pleading Pretentious Persuasive Questioning

Reflective Reminiscent Restrained Sincere

Resigned Serious Zealous

Visual Literacy

Sorrow / Fear / Worry Tone / Attitude Words

Aggravated Despairing Hopeless Paranoid

Apprehensive Disturbed Horror Pessimistic

Agitated Embarrassed Melancholy Poignant Anxious Fearful Miserable Pitiful

Apologetic Foreboding Morose Regretful

Concerned Gloomy Mournful Remorseful

Confused Grave Nervous Resigned

Dejected Horrific Numb

Depressed Hollow Ominous Serious