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2005
finalists.

2005 Hackmatack

Children's Choice Book Award/Prix littéraire - le choix de jeunes

Did you know that over 12,000 U.S. schools have agreed to show commercials in the classroom? Or that cartoon character Joe Camel, the cigarette mascot, was created with kid appeal in mind?

Advertising is everywhere today. A typical North American child views a staggering 40,000 ads every year on TV alone! With such a vast number of commercials out there, who's helping kids decode the messages?

In Made You Look, media maven Shari Graydon offers an intriguing exploration of advertising's inner workings. From the earliest roots of advertising to the guerrilla marketers of the 21st century, this revealing book shows kids where ads come from, where they're going, and how they work.

Bursting with real-life examples of compelling ad campaigns, thought-provoking "Try This at Home" activities, and plenty of tips to empower young consumers, Made You Look is any child's ultimate guide to the advertising universe.

Born in Montreal, Quebec, Shari Graydon has taught writing, public speaking, and media analysis to university and college students. She has written brochures and newsletters for big companies and hospitals; a regular column for the Vancouver Sun newspaper; a TV series about women and the media; commentaries for CBC radio and television; guest lectures on media violence; and speeches for a former premier of B.C. She lives in Ottawa.

Thematic Links

• Advertising
• Art and design
• Use of language, trickery and deceit
• Managing money, shopping
• Television, billboards, radio
• Wants and needs

Suggested Activities

• Think you are unaffected by advertising? Conduct a 'logo audit' of your closet to see how often you put on clothes that turn you into a walking billboard. Test your friends and parents with slogans and jingles to see which ones they recognize.
• Count how many messages you are exposed to in a day, from the promotion on a cereal box and the signs outside the local store to ads on buses and popups on your computer.
• Notice how many brand name products get camera time in your favourite TV shows or movies. Or how often celebrities show up in ads for toys or fast food.
• Have a discussion about whether a product is better because it was endorsed by a celebrity or featured in a lot of ads.
• Turn down the sound on the TV or turn your back to the screen. How do sound and visuals affect how you feel about a product? Is there a difference between ads for girls and guys?