Made You Look

Made You Look: How Advertising Works and Why You Should Know

By Shari Grayden   Annick Press   2003

This is an old book, and it has been rendered perishable by out of date references and changes in technology over the past ten years.

Nonetheless, I still deem this to be a very valuable resource. The underlying information is still relevant, and the book remains a good guide to thinking critically about advertising.

The liabilities of this book can be turned into assets. You can have students update the archaic references with current information. Students can also add in subsequent developments in advertising that the book failed to anticipate. For example, students could assess how online advertising has developed in the time since this book was printed. By undertaking these tasks, students will practice using multiple sources, and make text to self, and text to world connections.

The book engages active thinking about the information that it presents by encouraging the reader to engage in activities throughout  the text.

One such exercise is “Will Rodgers vs Winston Churchill”. The following quotes are presented.

“Advertising makes you want spend money you don’t have for something you don’t want.” 

Will Rodgers  

“Advertising nourishes the consuming power of men. It sets up… the goal of a better home, better clothing, better food… It spurs individual exertion and greater production.”  Winston Churchill

After presenting these quotes, the readers are asked questions about their personal experiences with advertisements and the feelings and reactions that they provoked. Then, they are led to consider which quote they agree with and why.

Metacognitive thinking processes are modeled throughout this book as part of its structure. Oftentimes, books that encourage critical thinking excel on encouraging students to assess the information that they are given, yet they neglect to teach their readers to analyze their own thinking process. This book excels on both counts.

There is also very good information on the historical background and context of  advertising.

Other notable subjects addressed in the book include…

Logo fashions            Cross promotional tie-ins      How & why ads are aimed at kids

Advertising in schools

Overall, the book gives a great break down of how you are targeted by ads, why you are targeted, and what techniques are used to persuade you.

Once again, the examples used in the book are dated, but on a fundamental level, the information is still very good. A student project to update this book would be a fine means for students to cross over into authorship. I would suggest chunking it into sections on the installment plan for either reading or project work.

By no means is this book perfect. It can get a little tedious at times, and the format gets a little chunky; however, it still compares favorably to other books that I have seen on the subject.