Students Create a Brand Identity, Packaging, and TV Commercial

from Education World ®

Grade Levels: preK-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12

Objectives
Students will:

• think creatively to create a brand identity, packaging, and TV commercial for a new brand of toothpaste.

Keywords
toothpaste, commercial, consumer, ad, advertisement, TV, sell, media literacy

Materials Needed

• art supplies
• video camera (optional)
• A Toothpaste That Is Sure to Sell! ( PDF, 78K) work sheet

Procedure

This lesson challenges students to think creatively. Students might work on their own or with a partner to complete this activity. (You might match a student who has artistic skills with a student who has writing skills.)

Ask students to list the names of toothpastes they're familiar with. You might write the names of those toothpastes on a board or chart.

Then ask student if they can recall any TV commercials they have seen for those toothpastes or others. Talk about the commercials they have seen; How do the toothpastes look or taste differently from one another? How did the commercials present the toothpastes to the audience? What did the commercials say or do to get people to buy the toothpaste they advertised? What key words or slogans might those ads have included?

When the discussion begins to wind down, present the lesson's activity: Challenge students to create a TV commercial for a new toothpaste, Brighty-Whitey Toothpaste!

Or, better yet, have students -- working on their own or with a partner -- come up with their own new toothpaste that will be sure to sell!

To start students thinking, you might present some of the following questions for them to consider as they create their toothpastes:

• What age group did you market your new toothpaste product to?
• What is special or unique about your new toothpaste product?
• How will your toothpaste tube and packaging look? What will make it stand out from all the other toothpastes in the toothpaste section?
• What slogan will you use to "grab" consumers so they will buy your toothpaste?
• How will you include information in your ads about the health benefits your toothpaste offers?

If students work with partners, they can brainstorm ideas in response to those questions. The partners might decide who would be better at creating the packaging and who would be better at writing the script for the TV commercial that will sell their toothpaste. Using ideas they brainstormed, the "artist" will work up a pencil draft of the package while the "writer" works up a script for a TV commercial. The artist might draft his or her package on the A Toothpaste That Is Sure to Sell! ( PDF, 78K) work sheet.

When students have drafted their initial ideas, they will share those drafts with one another, gather feedback, and then go to work creating a final package or script.

When students have completed their packages and scripts, set aside a time for them to share them with their classmates. You might arrange to have a video camera available. Tape the commercials, then play the videotape during Parents Night; or produce multiple copies to send home on a rotating basis so families can enjoy the students' efforts.

Assessment

You might use the thinking questions (above) as the basis for a rubric for judging students' efforts. Rate each presentation on a scale of 1 to 3 as noted below. For example,

• Was the product special or unique in any way?
  1.) It was exceptionally unique. 2.) It had some unique features. 3.) It was not very unique.
   
• Will the toothpaste packaging stand out next to all the other toothpastes on the store shelf?
  1.) It will really stand out from the others. 2.) It might stand out. 3.) It will not really stand out.
   
• Does the new toothpaste have a catchy slogan?
  1.) Its slogan is very catchy. 2.) Its slogan is good. 3.) Its slogan will probably not sell many tubes of the toothpaste.
   
• Did the commercial include any mentions of health benefits?
  1.) It included good information about health benefits. 2.) It included a little information about health benefits. 3.) It included no mention of health benefits.

Classmates might use the rubric to evaluate one another's efforts as well.