Ideal kids (or families) - the kids are really hip looking, with the hottest fashions, haircuts and toys. Ideal families are all attractive and pleasant looking - and everyone seems to get along!
Excitement - who could ever have imagined that food could be so much fun? One bite of a snack food and you're surfing in california, or soaring on your skateboard!
Star power - your favourite sports star or celebrity is telling you that their product is the best! Kids listen, not realizing that the star is being paid to promote the product.
Bandwagon - join the crowd! Don't be left out! Everyone is buying the latest snack food, why aren't you?
Scale - this is when advertisers make a product look bigger or smaller than it actually is.
Put downs - this is when advertisers put down their competitor's product to make their own product seem better.
Facts and figures - this is when advertisers use facts and statistics to enhance the appearance of their product.
Heart strings - these ads draw you into a story and make you feel good, like the mcdonald's commercial where the dad and his son are shoveling their driveway and the son treats his poor old dad to lunch at mcdonald's when they're done.
Cartoon characters - tony the tiger sells cereal and the nesquik bunny sells chocolate milk. Cartoons like these make kids identify with products.
Weasel words - by law, advertisers have to tell the truth, but sometimes, they use words that can mislead viewers. Look for words in commercials like: "part of..." "the taste of real..." "natural..." "new, better tasting....." "because we care..."
Omission - this is is when advertisers don't give the full story about their product. For example, when a pop tart claims to be "part" of a healthy breakfast, it doesn't mention that the breakfast might still be healthy whether their product is there or not.
Are you cool enough? - this is when advertisers try to convince you that if you don't use their products, you are a nerd. Usually advertisers do this by showing people that look uncool trying a product and then suddenly becoming hip looking and doing cool things.
2014 MediaSmarts, Ottawa, Canada, Advertising All Around Us, http://www.mediasmarts.ca, adapted with permission