COMPARE MEDIA

Background Ads are everywhere around us-on websites, in football and baseball stadiums, and even on clothing. Ads draw our attention to products or services and try to convince us to buy what we see advertised. Companies make billions of dollars from purchases made because ads were successful in persuading us.

One type of ad is not trying to sell something that costs money. Public service announcements, or PSAs, deliver a completely different kind of message-ideas that are for the public good.

The media analysis title, “Persuading Viewers through Ads.” The illustration of a woman driving a red car. Posters with the word “ SALE” in the background.

Your Phone Can Wait

Public Service Announcement Film by Stephanie Ramirez

Driving Distracted

Public Service Announcement Poster

SETTING A PURPOSE In this lesson, you will view and analyze two types of public service announcements-a film and a poster. Both try to convince people to change their attitudes and behaviors regarding aspects of driving in order to help them drive safely. Examine each public service announcement carefully to determine what particular points about safe driving it promotes and whom it is trying to persuade.

A video depicting a woman using a phone in the foreground and a poster titled “SALE” in the background. A man driving a car. A poster titled “DRIVING DISTRACTED...” illustrates the objects that distract people when driving a car.