Advertisement Analysis Paper: Step 5, Part B. (Analyze Tone and Mood)

By Claire Wimbush
Last updated over 6 years ago
19 Questions
Note from the author:
This Formative guides the students through writing an analytical body paragraph.
1.

In this Formative, you will use examples from your ad to write another of your paper's three body paragraphs. We'll walk through the steps together: just follow the instructions and ask for help when you need it. 😄

Open your ad in a separate tab first, please.

2.

Take a moment to paste the URL of your ad here, so you have it handy.
Here's the ad that Mrs. Doyle is using for her paper.

3.

Which rhetorical strategy do you see most clearly in your ad? This will be the strategy you focus on analyzing in your paper.

4.

You'll need to cite your ad in several questions coming up, so take a second to open Ad Paper: Steps 1&2 in a new tab.
The parenthetical citation you need is your answer to question 7.
Enter it here, so you have it handy. You can copy and paste or retype.

Got it? Onwards!

5.

Let's work with mood and tone. For the purposes of this paper, we'll treat them as one literary device and talk about them in one paragraph (because the tone creates the mood).

All ads use tone to set a mood; some are more obvious about it than others. Therefore, this is probably a good device for you to analyze.

If you are having trouble spotting your ad's tone and mood, ask for help before you choose to skip this Formative.

Ready?

6.

Brainstorm 3 words to describe your ad's tone. You may use the list to inspire you, of course. Please avoid boring adjectives like "happy" and "sad."

Here's Mrs. D's tone list for her ad:
reflective
romantic
playful

7.

Brainstorm 3 words to describe the mood that the ad wants to make the audience feel. (What emotions is it trying for?)

Please avoid boring adjectives like "happy" and "sad."

Here's Mrs. D's mood list for her ad:
sentimental
amused
dreamy
hopeful

8.

Next, write one complete sentence that connects your ad's tone and mood to the rhetorical strategy it uses.

Please don't write more than one sentence; please do pay attention to your commas, periods, and capitalization.

Example: "The City's" reflective, romantic tone creates a sentimental mood that intensifies its appeal to pathos.

9.

Wait a second! That's a topic sentence, isn't it?

10.

Ok, it's time for more brainstorming.

Brainstorm a list of ways your ad creates its tone and mood. Think about specific moments, but also about things like sound effects, movement, lighting, and music.

Don't worry about complete sentences; just get your thoughts down. Aim for 4 or 5 items on your list. You need two for your paper.

Here's Mrs. D's list for her ad:
--the folk song "Sing to Me" that begins playing as the man takes the woman's picture
--the moment when the man poses with the fish
--the moment when the woman makes the man a hood from newspaper
--the slow pacing of the whole ad
--the lack of background city noise
--the way the the end of the ad shows us the pictures that the lovers take

11.

Choose one example from your brainstormed list that you would like to put in your paper.

Describe it. Remember, your reader hasn't seen your ad, so be clear. This is a piece of evidence or concrete detail.

Use one or two complete sentences. Put your parenthetical citation (from #3) at the end of your sentence before the period.

Watch your commas, periods, and capitalization, please.

Example: Before the lovers spot each other, we hear the usual noise of a crowded city. As soon as the man snaps the first photo of his beloved, however, the din cuts off and a gentle love song plays instead.

12.

It's time to analyze your evidence.
Write at least two complete commentary/analysis sentences that explain...

--how your example helps create the tone or mood of the ad
and/or
--how your example supports the ad's rhetorical strategy

You must have at least two sentences, but feel free to write more. Commentary sentences are the heart of your argument, so think hard and take your time.

Also, watch your commas, periods, and capitalization, please.

Example: The sudden contrasts between noise, silence, and music suggest both that the lovers have entered their own dream-like, perfect world. By switching to romantic music at the instant that the lover takes a picture, the ad implies that the iPhone 7 helps create that private world.

13.

This is a copying-and pasting question. You don't need to write anything new.

First, paste in your topic sentence from #8. Next, paste in your concrete detail sentence from #11. Then paste in your commentary sentences from #12.

Like this:

"The City's" reflective, romantic tone creates a sentimental mood that intensifies its appeal to pathos. Before the lovers spot each other, we hear the usual noise of a crowded city. As soon as the man snaps the first photo of his beloved, however, the din cuts off and a gentle love song plays instead. The sudden contrasts between noise, silence, and music suggest both that the lovers have entered their own dream-like, perfect world. By switching to romantic music at the instant that the lover takes a picture, the ad implies that the iPhone 7 helps create that private world.

14.

That's half your paragraph done! Congratulations.

Ready for the other half?

15.

Choose a second example from your brainstormed list (#10) that you would like to put in your paper.

Describe it in one or two complete sentences. Put your parenthetical citation (from #3) at the end of your sentence before the period.

Watch your commas, periods, and capitalization, please.

Example: Just before it ends, the ad displays the man's photos: many portraits of his beloved (Apple).

16.

Write at least two complete commentary/analysis sentences.

Watch your commas, periods, and capitalization, please.

Example: The portraits are all romantic close-ups which emphasize the woman's beauty. Her pensive expression invites the audience to share a thoughtful, sentimental mood, while the soft focus on her face suggests how attractive the man finds her. Once again, the iPhone 7 helps the lovers express their feelings. The ad wants to persuade its audience that the phone can be a tool for building and sustaining romance.

17.

This is a copying-and-pasting question. You don't need to write anything new.

First, paste in your paragraph chunk from #13. Next, paste in your concrete detail sentence from #15. Finally, paste in your commentary sentences from #16.

Like this:

"The City's" reflective, romantic tone creates a sentimental mood that intensifies its appeal to pathos. Before the lovers spot each other, we hear the usual noise of a crowded city. As soon as the man snaps the first photo of his beloved, however, the din cuts off and a gentle love song plays instead. The sudden contrasts between noise, silence, and music suggest both that the lovers have entered their own dream-like, perfect world. By switching to romantic music at the instant that the lover takes a picture, the ad implies that the iPhone 7 helps create that private world. Just before it ends, the ad displays the man's photos: many portraits of his beloved (Apple). The portraits are all romantic close-ups which emphasize the woman's beauty. Her pensive expression invites the audience to share a thoughtful, sentimental mood, while the soft focus on her face suggests how attractive the man finds her. Once again, the iPhone 7 helps the lovers express their feelings. The ad wants to persuade its audience that the phone can be a tool for building and sustaining romance.

Generate, gather, plan, and organize ideas for writing to address a specific audience and purpose.
Synthesize information to support the thesis.
Write clear and varied sentences, clarifying ideas with precise and relevant evidence.
Describe how the author accomplishes the intended purpose of a piece of writing.
Cite sources for both quoted and paraphrased ideas using a standard method of documentation, such as that of the Modern Language Association (MLA) or the American Psychological Association (APA).
18.

Hurray! That's most of a body paragraph done and dusted. It needs revision and a concluding sentence, of course, but we'll do that later in another Formative. Massive kudos to you: you are powering through a draft of this paper!

19.

We're done analyzing tone and mood now. You have written about another two examples. Click "Submit" to save your work, and move on to the next part.