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Print advertisements have decorated magazines and newspapers for decades.

Although more and more people consume digital media these days, print
advertisements are an important medium to explore. Print advertisements
(also known less formally as ‘ads’) often combine graphic design, photography
and typography to both entertain and persuade audiences. What are the
structural features of print advertisements?
 Feature Example
Visual narrative: Images tell a story to engage their What made Hayden Panettiere's glass of
audiences. This phenomenon is referred to as the break? Why is she wearing a milk mousta
'visual narrative'. In order to understand the visual The answers to these questions are not s
narrative of any image, ask yourself what happened important as the fact that the audience is
before and after the photograph was taken or the asking them.
moment was captured. Ads often tell a story through
visual narrative.
Copy: The term 'copy' in advertising refers to text that 'Smash hit' refers to both the broken gla
explains the product, pitches an idea or comments on and her singing career. 'Hero' refers to h
life. Images are usually anchored in the copy. The copy role in a TV series, called 'Heroes'. In brie
of an ad often acts as a caption to the image. the copy of this advertisement tells audie
to drink milk in order to be as successful
her.
Slogan: A slogan is a word or phrase that runs 'Got Milk?' appeared on multiple ads
throughout an advertising campaign. It aims to between 1993 and 2014 by America's Mi
capture the main sentiment of the campaign. It is Processors. As a two-word question, it sp
different from a tagline, which aims to convey the directly to its audience and suggests the
organisation's philosophy. should have milk.
Rule of thirds: This term, usually applied to Hayden Panettiere's head appears in the
photographs, is also relevant to print advertisements. third of the advertisement and the broke
The audience's attention is usually drawn to objects glass appears on the left side, creating a
that are 'off centre' or the spaces where the lines of sense of tension in the photograph.
the 3 x 3 grid (see image above) intersect.
Signature: In traditional advertisements, the 'bodybymilk.com' in the upper left corne
company's name and address appear in the lower-left the signature in the lower centre of the a
or right corner. These days ads include a URL (uniform are in fine print to give the slogan, image
resource locator), which is often found together with copy more weight
social media icons or even QR codes.
Colour: Advertisements often use contrasting colour, The colour red excites audiences and att
graphic weight or lighting to grab readers' attention. their attention. The pureness of the white
Print advertisements often appear in magazines or milk and the child-like innocence of the m
newspapers along with text-heavy texts, and colour moustache is juxtaposed with the sensua
helps set them apart. of the red dress and red lipstick.
Besides these structural features, print advertisements make use of various
persuasion techniques. You may find similar techniques in
posters, speeches or debates. The following table helps you understand some
common techniques in persuasive texts, with examples from the 'Got Milk?' ad
above.

Persuasion technique Example

Testimonial: Advertisements often include a Hayden Pannettiere is famous, attractive and
person or famous person (celebrity wealthy. If audiences think that drinking milk i
endorsement) to endorse a product or idea. part of her success, then they are more likely t
People are more likely to buy something if drink it too.
someone has had positive experiences before.
Problem/benefit: Advertisers often depict a As explained in the copy of this ad, low-fat mil
problem and offer the solution. The problem can build muscle. Teenagers who drink it "tend
may not be real. But the threat of the problem is be lean." Being 'fat' is an implied problem.
presented as a reason to buy a solution.
Appeal to authority: Many ads make references The copy refers to "some studies." Although th
to 'studies' or people with authority who endorse vague, it suggests that scientists claim that mi
the ad's ideas, in an effort to sell a product good for your health, which persuades the
audience to drink more.
Double entendre: Words sometimes have two 'Smash' refers to the smashed glass and Hayd
meanings, which advertisements often exploit for Pannettiere's smash hits. This creates an
laughs (pun)or positive connotations. association between milk and success in a very
roundabout way.
Association: Brands want to be associated with The milk moustache symbolises childhood
positive, successful ideas. In order to achieve this innocence or a lack of inhibitions. Hayden
products are often presented in close proximity Pannettiere drinks milk and stars in the TV sho
to symbols or objects that readers recognise and 'Heroes'. Therefore, if you like the TV show
value. 'Heroes', you might like milk because you asso
Hayden Pannettiere with milk

1. Below are 3 advertisements that have something to do with

environmentalism. How does each ad use the structural features and
persuasion techniques explored on this page, in order to construct a
message?
Text 11: 'I guess it is easy being green' Ford, 2006
Text 12: 'Stop climate change' by WWF, 2008
Text 13: 'Earth protects Fiji' by Fiji, 2013.
Text 15: 'Thanks for recycling' by Coca-Cola, 2019