SCS 100 1-3 ASSIGNMENT: Review Project

Step-By-Step Guid on SCS 100 1-3 Assignment: Review Project

Introduction to SCS 100 1-3 Assignment

This Owlisdom How-To Guide provides a systematic approach to analysing advertisements through the lens of social science. Advertisements are not just tools for marketing but also mirrors reflecting societal values, biases, and cultural identities. By dissecting these ads, you can gain insights into how companies communicate with their audiences and the broader societal implications of these communications. Note that you are instructed to use four advertisements to solve your course project. I will be using two to provide a dummy solution for the SCS 100 1-3 ASSIGNMENT: Review Project. The first ad I will be using is Promote Iceland: Let It Out! (from Product/Service: Health and Beauty section) and one Toyota: 2020 Toyota Big Game Commercial: Ft Cobie Smulders (from Product/Service: Cars and Transportation section). We will be solving this project in detail in the coming modules. For SCS SCS 100 1-3 ASSIGNMENT: Review Project. We will only provide an outline of the final project and give brief details as to what we will be writing for the final project.

In this section, you will analyse the four advertisements you selected earlier in the course. Use social science approaches to gather specific information from them. As you conduct your analyses, think about what these advertisements say about the companies selling the products, the organisations making the ads, the people purchasing the products, and society as a whole.

Part One: Advertisement Analysis

To start the SCS 100 1-3 ASSIGNMENT: Review Project, we will first analyse the advertisements we chose.  We will discuss the different perspectives of these ads.

1. Determine how individuals and groups are represented in the advertisements.

A. What audiences are the advertisements trying to reach?

B. What unspoken or underlying messages do you think the ads might be sending?

Representation of Individuals and Groups

• Examine the visual and textual elements in the ads to identify which audiences are targeted. 
• Assess the portrayal of these individuals—are they shown in stereotypical roles or in empowered positions? 
• Note any implicit messages about values or ideologies.

2. Identify stereotyped group behaviour in the advertisements.

A. What do the advertisements say about the behaviour of the groups represented in them?

B. What underlying messages do the advertisements send about the group behaviours in them and the audiences they assume will be consuming the products?

Stereotyped Group Behavior

• Identify any group behaviours that are exaggerated or simplified. 
• Consider how these portrayals could affect the viewer’s perception of these groups. 
• Analyse whether these stereotypes serve a specific narrative or marketing goal.

3. Determine how different cultures are represented in the advertisements.

A. How do the ads represent culture? Are any stereotypes being used?

B. What unspoken or underlying messages do you think the ads might be sending about culture?

Cultural Representation

• Evaluate how different cultures are depicted. 
• Are there any cultural stereotypes? 
• How do these depictions inform the viewer about the cultural values or biases of the ad creators?

4. Discuss how ethical issues in the social sciences impact advertising. Look beyond the economic effects of advertisements and consider the following questions to help address this prompt:

A. Do the ads confirm biases? Do they rely on stereotypes? Do they support social change? Do they stay neutral on social or political movements? Should they get involved in social or political movements?

B. Why might it be important for advertisers and companies in a diverse world to be as inclusive and unbiased as possible?

Ethical Issues in Social Sciences and Advertising

• Reflect on the ethical considerations of the advertisements. 
• Discuss whether the ads perpetuate biases or stereotypes, contribute to social change, or remain neutral. 
• Explore the importance of inclusivity in advertising.

Example

The Promote Iceland ad targets global audiences seeking escapism, portraying diverse, empowered individuals that transcend typical tourist stereotypes and promoting sustainability and wellness. It subtly conveys inclusivity and the therapeutic benefits of Icelandic nature. In contrast, Toyota’s commercial with Cobie Smulders targets families, emphasising safety and reliability but also subtly reinforcing the superhero parent stereotype, potentially perpetuating unrealistic parenting expectations. Both advertisements reflect cultural values: Promote Iceland connects its landscape with cultural identity, while Toyota aligns with family-oriented values. Ethically, Promote Iceland supports environmental consciousness, aligning with societal shifts towards sustainability. Toyota, though focusing on safety, may reinforce traditional family roles. The ethical portrayal in these ads highlights the importance of inclusivity, which is crucial for brands to genuinely connect with diverse global audiences without perpetuating stereotypes and fostering a culture of acceptance and understanding.

The answers that come from an analysis can often lead to more questions. In this section, you will use the information you found from your advertisement analyses to ask a broader social science question. You do not need to answer the question, but you do need to talk about how you might study your advertisements using the skills and knowledge you have gained in this course.

Part Two: Social Science Questions

For this part of SCS 100 1-3 ASSIGNMENT: Review Project, we will answer some very important social science questions with respect to the selected advertisements.

5. Propose a finalised social science research question based on your analysis of the advertisements you chose.

A. Think beyond the minor details from your analysis and consider what the ads say about individuals, groups, institutions, or society.

B. What is the meaning or significance of the ads? For example, you might be interested in ethical issues related to advertising. You might want to explore how current events influence the content of ads. Or maybe you would like to ask how common themes in ads could impact an audience’s self-concept.

Formulating a Social Science Research Question

• Based on your analysis, propose a broad question that explores the deeper societal implications of the ads. 
• This question should aim to uncover underlying social dynamics or cultural shifts.

6. Discuss how you used a social science perspective to develop your research question.

A. Explain how you used social science concepts, perspectives, or approaches to write your research question.

Developing the Research Question Using Social Science Perspectives

• Explain how social science concepts helped you frame your research question. 
• Describe the theories or methodologies from social sciences that influenced your approach.

7. Explain one major development in the social sciences that may have influenced your research question.

A. The major development could include an important event, a discovery, the rejection of an old theory, the acceptance of a new theory, or a change in culture that affected the field.

B. How might these changes in thinking and research have affected the conclusions drawn about your advertisements and the questions asked about them?

Major Developments Influencing the Research Question

• Discuss any recent developments in social sciences that may have shaped your thinking about the advertisements. 
• This could include new theories, significant research findings, or shifts in social norms.

Example

Analysing the Promote Iceland and Toyota advertisements revealed complex representations of culture and identity, prompting the question: How do contemporary advertisements influence societal values and individual self-concept across different cultures? To explore this, a multidisciplinary approach involving cultural studies, psychology, and media analysis would be employed, drawing on theories of cultural hegemony and social identity. This research would analyse visual and textual cues within ads to determine their impact on viewers’ perceptions and behaviours. The rise of global digital campaigns and their role in shaping cultural norms, a significant development in social sciences, suggests a shift towards a more interconnected world where media not only reflects but also moulds societal values. This framework would facilitate understanding the reciprocal influence between global advertising strategies and local cultural identities, highlighting the role of media in the evolving landscape of global culture.

In this section, you will reflect on your experience using social science perspectives to analyse advertisements and ask research questions. You will consider how your personal beliefs, assumptions, and values influenced the question you developed and explain why knowledge of the social sciences is important to understanding yourself, other people, and the world around you.

Part Three: Reflection

For this part of SCS 100 1-3 ASSIGNMENT: Review Project. We will provide a brief reflection of our experience using perspectives of social science to analyse the selected ads.

8. Describe how your assumptions, beliefs, and/or values influenced the way you analysed your advertisements.

A. Consider how your perceptions of the social world may have influenced the way you viewed your advertisements. Did it/they cause you to make assumptions about the people in the ads? Did you focus on certain advertisements or parts of advertisements as a result? How might someone with a different set of beliefs view your advertisements?

Influence of Personal Beliefs and Values

• Reflect on how your personal beliefs and assumptions affected your analysis. 
• Consider how a different perspective might alter the interpretation of the ads.

9. Discuss how social science perspectives or approaches could be used to process information.

A. Focus on the social science perspectives or approaches you feel would be the most beneficial for analysing the information you are presented with every day.

B. For example, would analysing ads on social media from the political science perspective help you better understand a company’s political stance on issues? What perspective would help you determine if there was a possible link between the length of a commercial and its intended audience? Would examining an ad targeted at caregivers from a sociological perspective help you understand the meaning of family in various cultures?

Using Social Science Perspectives for Daily Information Processing

• Identify which social science approaches are most useful for understanding everyday advertisements. 
• Discuss how these perspectives can aid in deciphering complex societal messages.

10. Explain how looking at the world from social science perspectives may impact your personal life.

A. How might using social science skills help you process and understand the information you use in your life?

11. Explain how examining issues from social science perspectives may affect your community relationships.

A. Think about challenges or opportunities in your community. How might applying social science perspectives to those issues benefit your community?

Impact of Social Science on Personal and Community Life

• Evaluate how applying social science perspectives can enhance your personal relationships and community involvement.

12. Discuss how being more informed about the social sciences may help you understand global contemporary issues.

A. Consider how understanding the ways social scientists examine human behaviours could influence the way you approach global challenges and questions.

Understanding Global Issues Through Social Science

• Discuss the role of social sciences in addressing global challenges. 
• Explain how these perspectives help you understand and respond to international crises and trends.

Example

Reflecting on my analysis of the Promote Iceland and Toyota ads, I realise that my environmental and inclusivity values shaped my interpretations. I appreciated Promote Iceland’s emphasis on sustainability and critiqued the traditional family roles in Toyota’s ad. Someone with different priorities might view these ads differently, focusing perhaps more on product features than underlying social messages. Social science perspectives like sociology and cultural studies have been crucial for understanding how advertisements communicate complex cultural signals. These approaches allow for a nuanced analysis of ads, revealing how companies might influence consumer behaviour and public perception, particularly regarding social issues. Applying social science theories enhances personal interactions and community engagement by fostering a more analytical approach to daily information. This knowledge helps address community social challenges, improve cultural sensitivity and promote inclusivity. Moreover, using social science to understand global issues enables a structured analysis of international dynamics, enhancing our ability to respond to global crises effectively. This comprehensive view is vital for engaging with contemporary global challenges promoting informed and proactive global citizenship.

Closing

The SCS 100 1-3 ASSIGNMENT: Review Project emphasises the power of social science in understanding and interpreting the world of advertising. Through careful analysis of advertisements, students not only learn about the market dynamics but also about societal values and cultural narratives. By adopting a critical social science perspective, students can develop a more nuanced understanding of how media shapes and is shaped by the broader social and cultural context. In the next module of SCS-100, we will explore the 2-1 Discussion: Objectivity and Bias in the Social Sciences.