body image and advertising - media smart · to learn what we mean by ‘body image’ and how it...

Media Smart – Body Image and Advertising | © Media Smart 2017. All Rights Reserved.

Body Image and Advertising

Think about…?• Who you think might be speaking• What they might be talking about• Why they might be saying this

“Some people might think that they have to have a specific body shape. They should have … a fit body type.”Boy, aged 10, from Cardiff



“Body image describes our idea of how our body looks and how we think it is perceived by others. This can include our thoughts and feelings about our height, weight, shape, skin, colour, and our appearance and attractiveness more broadly.”

What is body image?

To learn what we mean by ‘body image’ and how it can be influenced by the media and advertising.

To learn how to respond to the media and advertising in a way that promotes positive body image and begin to build emotional resilience.

To learn what we mean by ‘body image’ and how it can be influenced by the media and advertising.

To learn how to respond to the media and advertising in a way that promotes positive body image and begin to build emotional resilience.



Learning objectives


• Honest and opendiscussions

• Keep the conversationin the room

• Non-judgemental approach• Right to pass• Make no assumptions

• Listen to others• Use appropriate, formal

language• Ask questions• Seek help and advice• Don’t put people on the spot


Ground Rules

Think about…?• What this means in the classroom• Whether we are all in agreement


Activity: Advertising Agency


Think about…?• The sort of model you would choose to wear the jeans• The location you would choose to film or photograph the advert• How you would edit the photo or advert before it was shared• The advertising techniques you would use• The ways you would reach your target audience


Activity: Spot the DifferenceComplete the worksheet in your pairs.

Think about…?• The different changes you can find• Anything that has surprised you

about these images• The reasons these changes might

have been made


Activity: Spot the DifferenceWhat impact do you think these images might have on young people, especially if they didn’t realise the images had been altered?




Activity: A Day in the LifeBoy one: Joe, 12Joe catches the bus to school, enjoys gaming and hanging out with friends at home. Has an older brother who is 15.



Activity: A Day in the LifeBoy two: Raf, 14Raf walks to school, enjoys football and plays regularly with a local club. Has his own phone and two younger siblings.



Activity: A Day in the LifeBoy three: Mahad, 11Mahad often gets a lift to school and enjoys watching his favourite TV shows online. Goes to a few after-school clubs, e.g. drama and tennis. Has a sister who is 14 and a brother who is 9.



Activity: A Day in the LifeExamples of advertisingPlease edit this slide with your own examples of different types of adverts to best suit your class. These could include magazine ads, screengrabs of sponsored links on search engines, social media, in-game ads and YouTube ads, photos taken from billboards etc. Please read the guidance below before selecting images.



Activity: A Day in the Life


Where your character is at this point in the day (in public/ private etc.)

Who else may be in this scenario with him and how might that affect his reaction

The things that have made the advert stand out to your character

How seeing the advert might make him feel and why he might feel that way

If this is a helpful or unhelpful way for him to feel

How a girl the same age might respond to a similar advert - what might besimilar or different

What the advertisers have done to make their audience feel like that

Why an advertiser might design an advert to make their audience feel a certain way

Think about?


Think about…?• How do you think the speaker feels about

his body image• What might have influenced the speaker

to think this way• How might it have affected him• What advice might you give the boy

to help him think more positively

What else do we now know about boys’ body image and advertising?


“Some people might think that they have to have a specific body shape. They should have … a fit body type.”Male, aged 10, from Cardiff


Extension activity: watch the Boys’ Biggest Conversation film


The different ways that the boys in the film describe body image

The various body image issues that the boys discussed and whether, why or why not any problems/ideas surprised you Why it might be

important to talk about these issues

The reasons you think this campaign was created

The part of the video that you thought was the most effective and why it worked well

Think about?


Extension activity: your body image campaignThink about the issues you have discussed during the lesson.Now choose one setting where body image may be an issue for boys your age.


How someone’s body image might be affected or influenced here

Why a person might find it hard to open up about body image in this place

What you would say to someone who is worried about their body here

How you could make them feel more positive about themselves

The advice or insight a girl your age could bring to help the discussion

The ways you would encourage more people to discuss these problems

Think about?

Any questions?Remember: if you have anything you would like to discuss you can add your questions to the anonymous question box, or ask to talk to a teacher one on one.


Additional support:• Beat – Link: b-eat.co.uk• Childline – Link: childline.org.uk• Childnet – Link: childnet.com/young-people/secondary• Young Minds – Link:

youngminds.org.uk/for_children_young_people


http://www.b-eat.co.uk/

http://www.childline.org.uk/

http://www.childnet.com/young-people/secondary

http://www.youngminds.org.uk/for_children_young_people

body image and advertising - media smart · to learn what we mean by ‘body image’ and how it...

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