Ad Project 2003

‘Big Idea’

 

Project

Part 1 - Creating Names

Part 2 - Selling the Products

Part 3 - Inventing a Product

 

Results

Part 1 - Creating Names

Part 2 - Selling the Products

Part 3 - Inventing a Product

 

 

 

 

Part 1 – Creating Names

1. Show the students pictures of unusual/funny products. Tell them the name of the products and/or ask them to create other possible names. (See examples below. The pictures were taken from the site Totally Absurd Inventions)

   

   Alarm Fork

 

Duck Decoy

2. Many posters of unusual/funny products without any kind of captions were hung on the walls. The pictures were taken from the sites: Pages2Send and Totally Absurd Inventions

 

    

 

3. Students are invited to create names to some products they choose on a sheet of paper. The products/inventions photos provide enough inspiration for very creative sentences.

4. The mistakes are corrected.

5. After receiving the sheets (back), students write the names on stickers and stick them on the posters. 

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1. Elicit from the students the main steps to create an ad. 

(The following sites are good starters for teachers:

2. The following step is to allow them to create as many sentences/headlines/slogans as  they  want to sell the product according to their motivation to do so.

3. Students are invited to create more sentences / headlines / slogans after some communicative  activities or structure presentations - as a 'production' activity.  

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Part 3 – Inventing a Product

1. Students are to create something. They draw the product and explain its use in the classroom.

2. Students are asked to create an ad to sell their products.

 

(This project might change its ‘course’ according to the students’ feedback.)

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Ss created a lot of ‘funny’ or ‘possible’ names to sell the products. It was surprising both for me and for them that some of the products were easy and motivating while others had to be ‘asked’ to be written on.

Some examples taken randomly:

 


'Sleep Helmet'
'Head-Holder Helmet'
'Nap Helmet'
'Rain Protector'
'Body Umbrella'
'Storm Cover'
'Slim Fork'
'Ultra Fork'
'Alarm Fork'
'Robotic Fork'

'Mobile Paper'
'Sneeze Paper'
'Fast Blow Cleaner'
'Portable Toilet Paper'
'Storm Car Protection'
'Flood Protector'
'Car Bag Protector'

 
'Eyedrop Glasses'
'Eyes Funnel'
'Funnel Glasses'

 

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Part 2 - Selling The Products

Interestingly enough the students wanted to create sentences to sell the same products. Therefore, ‘our agency’ would miss some ‘accounts’ if it were for real! 

Some more examples taken randomly:

'Milk Bra - This is for you who is a father who had twins. Your babies are going to be happy!’

‘I’ve been using the Dad’s Milk and I feel like a real mother!’

‘Hey, dad, now you can give milk to your baby! You’ve never seen a product like that!’

‘Hey, dad! If you’re a single parent, buy these revolutionary Mobile Breasts!’

‘If you don’t want to eat your pasta so cold again, the Pasta Cooler will solve your problem. It will change your life!’

‘This is the best product I’ve ever seen. It makes your food good and cooler!’

‘’I’ve been using this product and it changed my life because I don’t have my mouth burned anymore!’

‘Mornings have changed! I don’t have to spread butter with a knife anymore. I just use the Butter Stick!’

‘I’ve never had my hands greased again! Now I use Butter Stick!’

‘I’ve bought the Stick Butter. This is fast and efficient. I’m a housewife and it is good for people who don’t have time to spread butter with a knife.’

‘Since my dog’s been using the Dog Watch, he’s never been late anymore!’

‘If you have a dog, buy this watch! Your dog will know the time for everything!’

‘Does your dog always do the wrong things at the wrong time? It must use the Dog Watch!’

‘Your dog will always be on time!’

(My students weren’t motivated to sell this product. I do believe the main reason is that they are from K5 to K9 Ss, and none of them smokes. In addition, these Ss do not consider smoking as a cool habit and I am happy for them.)

 

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Part 3 – Inventing a Product

 Students were invited to create a product which would be advertised by them.

This part of the project was done according to their level:

L2 (5th and 6th graders)

 

They were to create a mini outdoor to sell their products.
Each student prepared his/hers; then they worked in pairs choosing one of the two products and outdoors and finally preparing the final outdoor to be ‘published’ on the class cork board.

(Click on the picture to see it bigger.)

They had a lot of fun looking at all of the ‘inventions’ and ‘services’ they created. The ones who could draw very well were as praised as the ones who had great creativity. I’d certainly buy…the 'Homework Maker', wouldn't you? ;-)



L4 (7th and 8th graders)


They worked in groups of 2, 3 or 4. They created a product or service, recorded a TV commercial and brought it to class so that all of the students could watch.
The day I assigned this part of the project some of the students said they didn’t have a camcorder and I had to ask them to share their equipment, if possible.
 Some of the groups prepared scripts and asked me to correct them and others wanted to 'make it a surprise'. 

 

(Pictures taken from the TV in the classroom.)


Of course they loved watching their colleagues on TV as well as being watched. In my opinion, although there were a few ‘language’ mistakes, it was GREAT!

One week after the conclusion of these tasks the students were asked to answer an assessment questionnaire on the activity. According to it most of them liked the activity pretty much. Interestingly enough, they were very critical on ‘suggesting’ a grade for themselves.



L2 ‘Product – Ad’ Assessment Questionnaire 

 L4 ‘TV Commercial’ Assessment Questionnaire

 

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