Deceptive Marketing-elem

Deceptive Marketing
Elementary

Deception, fraud, double-dealing, trickery, mislead…Have you heard these words? All of them imply your willingness to accept as what is true or valid for what is false or invalid. Advertising techniques can be gimmicks to hook the audience into believing something that may not be true or into paying money and not receiving the goods or services represented by the ads. It’s important for consumers to heed the old adage, “let the buyer beware!” We need to be aware of deceptive practices that try to fleece us. We need to make students aware of these practices and to become critical thinkers so that they can analyze marketing techniques.

Objective:	Students will find advertisements in the newspaper and analyze them for both their appeal and for their truthfulness. Students will interview an adult about a deceptive advertisement that they have “fallen for” or one that they have seen.
Procedure:	1. Discuss advertising techniques with students. Ask what things in the add draws their attention. (bold text, pictures, give-away's, the word “free,” etc. 2. Give the students copies of newspapers or magazines and have them find advertisements for them. 3. Discuss which ads are “too good to be true” and why. 4. Have each student interview an adult about deceptive advertising practices of which they are aware. 5. Have the students write a paper either about their interview (stating the information they found out from the person that they interviewed) or about how they can help others be more aware of deceptive marketing practices.
Material:	Newspapers, magazines, person to interview
Evaluation:	Click here to get a rubric for evaluation.