Counter Advertising
Activities, handouts, overheads and teen-generated examples show youth how to create their own counter ads to reveal the truth behind a current ad of their choice.
Counter ads and Tobacco Prevention: “Badvertising”
Participants create counter ads that tell the truth about smoking and its harmful effects.
Create a Video for Adbusters TV
After viewing several videos on the Adbusters website, participants storyboard and shoot their own spot on media and consumer criticism. Youth work can be submitted to the yearly Adbusters contest, or voted on by peers.
Changing Sexy Images
By altering the image, participants change the meaning of sexy ads.
Countering Sexual Messages
Participants brainstorm ideas for counter ads by “talking back” to images.
“Reversing” Body Image Ads
Before and after images in ads show the supposed effects of using a product. Participants experiment by reversing before and after images of existing ads by altering image and text.
Challenging Gender Stereotypes
Youth challenge stereotypes by turning “male” ads into “female” ads and “female” ads into “male” ads.
Creating Counter Ads for Alcohol Ads with Sexual Messages
After learning the facts about the risks of alcohol, participants create counter messages/images to those used in an ad for an alcoholic product.
