PRINT ADVERTISEMENTS

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FORM INFLUENCES THE CONTENT OF PRINT ADVERTISEMENTS

by Andrea Johnson

Although both form and content are influenced and constrained by belonging to the genre of print advertisements, a look at contemporary print ads shows that in most cases the form of print ads influences the content of the ads. In other words, the form of the print ad influences the amount, location, complexity and type of content within the print advertisement.

Amount of content: The content of print ads is usually minimal. The print ad usually includes just as much written text as is necessary and the image included is not jumbled.

Location of content: Adbusters illustrate where the image and the written text should be placed in a print advertisement. this can be seen by viewing their "How to Make a Print Ad" page.

Complexity of content: The content of a print ad is usually simple; it is not complex and argumentative as in an academic essay.

Type of content: The type of content included in a print ad is written text and images. The form in which a print ad appears (print) does not support voice or moving-image text.

(include examples)