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