Creating Persuasive and Effective Visuals

Session Two

Develop criteria for effective visuals.

• Remind students that persuasion is only one of the purposes of advertising. Point out that ads also need to create a powerful impression in a short time and to inform people about the topic. Visuals are an effective way to do this because our brain remembers images better than it does text. Suggest the following qualities/criteria of effective visuals:
• catchy: grabs the audience's attention
• concise: brief; requires as little reading as possible
• comprehensive: presents all the key information; e.g., stakeholders, interests, issue, relevant data
• convincing: makes viewers believe that the information on the visual is important and reliable.

Discuss visual techniques.

• List on the board the four qualities/criteria for an effective visual and record additional techniques that students identify.

Creating an Effective Visual

Analyzing visuals

Distribute visuals such as flyers, posters, and magazine advertisements. Ask students to work with a partner to examine a variety of visuals to find evidence for each of the four criteria of effective visuals (catchy, concise, comprehensive, convincing). See Analyzing Visuals Example. You may wish to have students use copies of Analyzing Visuals for Effectiveness to structure the activity.