Chapter 5, Additional Exercise 8: Analyzing and Contrasting Two Audiences

Audience is your primary consideration in many types of nontechnical writing. Choose a one- or two-page magazine advertisement or website for an economy car, such as a Kia, and another one for a luxury car, such as a Mercedes. In a memo to your instructor, contrast the audiences for the two ads or websites according to age, sex, economic means, hobbies, interests, and leisure activities. In contrasting the two audiences, consider the explicit information in the ads—the writing—as well as the implicit information—hidden persuaders such as background scenery, color, lighting, angles, and the situation portrayed by any people photographed. Keep in mind that your purpose is to contrast the two audiences, not merely to describe the content and design of the ads or websites. Submit the originals or color photocopies of the ads from the magazines or printouts of the sites along with your memo.