Who do people trust more to buy a product? Friends and family who have used it? Or an anonymous actor touting its benefits in a 30-second television spot? The chance is that most people would listen to those they know well. Compared to a commercial interrupting a television show, one most likely will pay more attention to that same commercial message shared and posted on a colleague's, friend's, or family member's social media feed. We tend to trust people we know, so advertisers pay so much attention to the personal connections we maintain through social media.

Think back to previous advertisements you've seen in your lifetime, select one to analyze, and answer the following questions.

1. Which advertisement stands out to you and why? What about it made it catchy or effective? What theory/theories can relate to this specific ad?
2. Is the ad available in more than one media, such as commercials, posters, etc.
3. From a social media standpoint, do you feel the ad was successful?
4. What hashtags relate to your ad? Do you think they're effective?
5. Does your ad celebrate diversity? If yes, discuss how. If not, talk about how it could have been more inclusive.
6. Would you be persuaded to buy the product/service based on this ad alone? Why or why not?
7. How has this brand/product evolved over the years? What did their marketing efforts use to look like, and how have they changed? Would you say the brand has grown to fit in with current societal trends? Would the product/brand be able to use their ad(s) from 10+ years ago, or are they no longer relevant?
8. How do you think the psychology of marketing/advertising/social media has affected the evolution of this product/brand?