Year 5 - The power of advertising

Children in Year 5 have been exploring the power of persuasive advertising in English. They began the unit of work by looking at modern adverts and learnt that the success of a product depends on having a clear purpose and the target audience in mind, whilst using a range of techniques such as memorable slogans, humour, powerful persuasive language and clever word play to influence others. The children found it interesting to also study a variety of Victorian adverts, as it allowed them to explore popular products of the time, including a tonic to ease kidney pain, carbolic bath soap, metal polish and perfume to freshen one’s handkerchief! Finally, the children compared and contrasted modern and Victorian advertising to identify which persuasive techniques had been employed to evoke particular feelings and emotions. The children also enjoyed discussing the extent to which advertising has evolved over time.