Analyzing Advertisements

Please answer Procedure Questions 1-4 and Observations 1-5 in detail.  This assignment is due on Tuesday, April 8 and is worth 20 marks.

 

Question:  Are advertisements an accurate source of information about products?

 

Procedure:  

1)  Select three advertisements from TV, radio, newspapers or magazines to analyze.  Describe them.

2)  Record what facts, if any, each ad tells you about the product.

3)  Record in detail the people, activities and background in each ad. 

4)  Record whether any scientific terms or claims are featured in the ads.

 

Observations:

1)  Do the ads show or tell you how the product is used?  If not, how would you obtain this information?

 

2)  Is the product compared to other, similar products?  If so, how is this done?  Is the comparison fair?

 

3)  What sex and age group use the product?  Is this the same sex and age group as the people (if any) shown in the ad?

 

4)  Is the background or setting of the ad relevant to the way the product is used? 

 

5)  Are any claims made about the performance of the product?  Can these claims be tested scientifically?

 

 

Consumer Product Testing Notes and Assignments

Science Directions 8, Chapter 3

 

Introduction:

 

Science can help to make you a better shopper by helping you to look critically at the things you buy.

 

A consumer is a buyer of products and services.

 

Sometimes manufacturers make claims for their products.  Consumer product testing shows whether these claims can be defended using scientific evidence.  The products can be compared with each other, or measured against set standards of quality and performance.

 

Many products that are sold have been tested and meet government standards of safety and reliability.  Look for the CSA (Canadian Standards Association) stamp of approval.

 

A.  Topic One:  Going Shopping:

 

Before you buy something, think about the characteristics of the product that are most important to you.  These choices are personal and vary from person to person.  Some want a cheaper product, others want one that will last longer, and so on.  All consumers want a product that is good value for the money it costs, and that will work properly. 

 

Tests help determine whether a product functions well.

 

Designing a Fair Test

 

How do you test a product’s characteristics or quality?

 

To conduct a fair test, what do you have to consider? 

 

TO CONDUCT A FAIR TEST, YOU MUST BE SURE THAT EVERY TIME YOU CARRY OUT THE TEST, THAT YOU CONDUCT IT IN EXACTLY THE SAME WAY, EXCEPT FOR THE ONE VARIABLE YOU ARE MEASURING. 

 

You CONTROL all other variables—keep them the same

 

By doing this, you can conclude that any difference is the result of the one factor or variable that you changed, and not to anything else.

 

All tests should be reliable and replicable (anyone doing the same test in exactly the same way will get exactly the same results each time they repeat the test.)

 

 

B.  Topic Two:  Finding Flaws:

 

A trouble spot or flaw is the single characteristic that is most likely to fail or wear out first.  A trouble spot lowers the quality of the product and could make it unusable.  A product is only as good as its weakest spot.

 

Science can help you to predict trouble spots and test them.  You need to consider design, materials and complexity when testing products.  The more complex a product is, the more parts there are that can break down or wear out.

 

Manufacturers use scientific tests to improve their products.  They may be able to eliminate some flaws by changing designs or materials.  Many products improve over time, because the manufacturers try to solve the problems of the early products in later versions (eg—ballpoint pens).  New materials and technologies may revolutionize products, but they can also lead to new problems (eg—ways of recording music, from phonograph records made of wax to modern digital technology used in iPods and MP3 players). 

 

Testing is especially important in the fabric industry.  A century ago, clothes were only made from natural fibres like cotton, wool, silk, leather and fur.  Today, many of these materials are still used, but they usually are combined with at least some artificial (chemically-made) materials in order to improve wear, durability, colurfastness, comfort, etc.  Thanks to the improvements in fabrics, today’s clothes can be water-resistant, stretchable, colourfast, flame-resistant, wrinkle-resistant, windproof, drip-dry, rot-resistant, insulating, crease-retaining, dirt-resistant, stain-repellent, and pre-shrunk.

 

The quality of clothing fabrics is assessed in three ways:

 

1)  durability—including tensile strength (resistance to lengthwise tearing), resistance to scraping, colourfastness

 

2)  utility—including permeability or porousness to air or water, wrinkle resistance, insulation, shrinkage

 

3)  emotional appeal—how a fabric looks and feels.  This is sometimes the most important consideration when purchasing clothing.

 

Consumers will consider both fashion and function when they purchase clothing.

 

 

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Checkpoint:  p. 121                Name: _____________

 

1.Listed below are three consumer products and some of their characteristics. 

 

a)  What is the function of each product?

 

b)  Which of the characteristics listed are important to the function of the product?

 

Product	Function of Product	Characteristics	Important to Product Function?
Pencil		-Hardness of lead -Length -Has eraser at end -Colour of lead -Colour of painted surface	- - - - -
Sweater		-colour -size -thickness of material -designer’s or manufacturer’s label -shape	- - -   -   -
Desk		-colour -size -material -number of drawers -size of drawers	- - - - -

 

2.  Name two important characteristics you would want in a shirt worn:

           

            a)  at a school dance:  ____________________ and _____________________

 

            b)  camping in the mountains:  _________________ and __________________

 

3.  Name two important characteristics you would want in a radio to be used:

           

            a)  in your bedroom:  ________________________ and ____________________

 

            b)  on a camping trip in the mountains:  __________________________ and _________________________________

 

4.  How could you scientifically test the crease resistance of a fabric? ________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

 

5.  How could you scientifically test the wind resistance of a fabric?  ________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

 

 

6.  How could you scientifically test the colourfastness of a fabric?  _________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

 

 

7.  How could you scientifically test the shrinkage of a fabric?  _____________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

 

 

8.  You plan to buy a new jacket to use in the spring and fall.  What factors would you take into consideration before you buy a jacket?

            a)

            b)

            c)

            d)

            e)

            Now, write F beside those factors that involve function.  Write S beside those that involve style.

 

9.  Suppose that you’ve purchased a new spring/fall jacket, but within a few weeks of normal wear, you begin to notice problems with it.  Identify the most likely trouble spots in the jacket:

 

            a)

            b)

            c)

 

Propose a design change that would improve at least one of the flaws or trouble spots.

 

10.  You see three tubes of toothpaste on the grocery store shelf.  Ultra-White costs $2.95 for 150 mL.  Kleen coasts $1.15 for 50 mL.  Gleam costs $3.50 for 150 mL, BUT this particular tube advertises “30% more free!”.

 

            a)  Which tube gives you the best value for your money?  Explain how you arrived at this answer.

           

            b)  What factors other than cost might you consider in deciding which product gives you the best value for your money?

 

 

C.  Topic Three:  Product Testing:

 

Think about the essential parts and functions of a product that is sold in stores.  These are called the basic technical features of a product.  Any tests on these products should answer questions about the basic functions.

 

Tests may require elaborate laboratory equipment or almost no equipment at all.  Manufacturers carry out different tests on components at different stages of production, both while and after a product is manufactured.

 

The more parts there are in a product, the more things there are to test.  Tests often are carried out many times.  In order to be reliable, a test must be repeatable, producing the same results every time.

 

Mass-produced and inexpensive items may be tested using random sampling or spot testing.  This assumes that the product chosen at random is typical of all other products like it.

 

One type of testing may actually damage the product.  Accelerated aging tests how a product will stand up over time.  With some products, samples are tested until they break in order to determine the maximum strength or capability.

 

Another sampling technique for new products is the field test.  This test is carried out under actual conditions of use, not in a laboratory.  A field test may reveal problems of design in a product.  Related to the field test is the consumer survey, in which a questionnaire is answered by people who have used a product.  The responses are statistically analyzed to find out whether there is a problem with the product. 

 

Manufacturers don’t always test their products.  They often depend on their suppliers to test the materials that go into making their products.

 

Government agencies also test products to make sure that they meet particular standards of quality or safety, and that the information printed on labels is accurate and not misleading.  Consumer groups also test products to determine which ones perform best.  They often publish results in magazines or online (one example is www.consumerreports.org).  

 

D.  Topic Four:  Product Safety and Standards:

 

Extra care and attention goes into making and testing products used by young children, who are unable to read instructions or warning labels.  They also may use products in ways that were not intended.  Some dangers are less obvious and only are identified after problems arise after sale.  Manufacturers use testing and careful selection of design and materials to prevent potential accidents.

 

The Canadian Standards Association (CSA) tests many consumer products for safety.  For example, all electrical products are made to certain standards that are set by Canadian law.  These products must pass tests before they are able to be sold in Canada. 

 

New products and designs often improve the old.  Sometimes they are designed specifically to correct a particular problem or flaw, thus making the product safer to use.

 

The consumer is always responsible for using a product properly.  Injuries can result from improper use of products. Consumers also are responsible for maintaining products by looking after and repairing them once they are purchased.  Manufacturers often include written instructions to tell consumers how to use the product.

 

Some products are especially hazardous and must be used with extreme care.  Some examples are power tools, fireworks, household cleaners and pesticides.  Some products are poisonous, and others are corrosive (can cause serious chemical burns).  Some products are controlled by special laws and must display international warning symbols and labels that explain what to do in case of an accident.

 

Some harmful materials and designs are banned under the Hazardous Products Act.  For example, children’s products cannot contain lead. 

 

Many products also are labeled with their ingredients so that people with allergies can avoid these products.

 

E.  Topic Five:  Advertisements and Labels:

 

What effect does advertising have on consumer choice?

Is advertising an accurate source of information about products? 

Analyzing Advertisements

Please answer Procedure Questions 1-4 and Observations 1-5 in detail.  This assignment is due on Tuesday, April 8 and is worth 20 marks.

 

Question:  Are advertisements an accurate source of information about products?

 

Procedure: 

1)  Select three advertisements from TV, radio, newspapers or magazines to analyze.  Describe them.

2)  Record what facts, if any, each ad tells you about the product.

3)  Record in detail the people, activities and background in each ad. 

4)  Record whether any scientific terms or claims are featured in the ads.

 

Observations:

1)  Do the ads show or tell you how the product is used?  If not, how would you obtain this information?

 

2)  Is the product compared to other, similar products?  If so, how is this done?  Is the comparison fair?

 

3)  What sex and age group use the product?  Is this the same sex and age group as the people (if any) shown in the ad?

 

4)  Is the background or setting of the ad relevant to the way the product is used? 

 

5)  Are any claims made about the performance of the product?  Can these claims be tested scientifically?

 

 

Labels and packaging give information about a product.  Consumers must be sure that the information conveyed is accurate.  The government’s Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act requires manufacturers to print certain information on packages, including quantity, name and address of manufacturer, identity of product, ingredients, and more.  Learn more here:  http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/ShowTdm/cs/C-38///en

 

 

 

F:  Topic Six:  Products and the Environment:

 

Many different countries are involved in making the products we buy and use in Canada.  Every time we use a product, we have an impact on the world far beyond our own country, province or community. 

           

Energy is used to extract, transport and process raw materials.  Energy is also used to make, package and transport the final product.  People are concerned about the environmental implications of using so much energy.  Some energy resources are non-renewable.  All have waste products that may cause pollution if they are not properly treated or disposed of. 

 

The type of packaging may make a product more or less environmentally friendly.  For example, it takes twice as much energy to produce a 2 L glass bottle as it does to produce a 2 L plastic bottle.  A paper cup takes half the energy to make compared with a plastic cup.

 

Some products require energy to operate.  Canada’s Energuide labels tell how much energy each electrical appliance uses.

 

Many products are thrown out as garbage when they could be fixed and reused.  The average Canadian household produces about two tones of garbage per year.  It is important to look for ways to reuse and recycle products that would otherwise become garbage.

 

People also help the environment by choosing to buy products that don’t contain harmful chemicals.  They can also choose products that can be reused and that decompose quickly.  Some people are concerned about making ethical choices based on standards of right and wrong (eg, animal testing).  Some people boycott certain products for environmental or political reasons.  This may force a manufacturer to change the product or go out of business.  Advertisements, cost and the attitudes of family, friends and community all affect the choices we make as consumers.  Science can help us to make more informed decisions about safety, reliability, effectiveness and environmental friendliness of products.

 

 

Checkpoint, p. 151

 

1.  Which of the advertising claims below are testable, and which are not?  Explain.

            -“More people choose brand X than any other leading brand.”

 

            -“Brand Y gets your bathroom cleaner, faster.”

 

            -“Dogs live longer if they eat brand A dog food.”

 

2.         a)  List, in order of their importance to you, three things that might be printed on a package of breakfast cereal.

            b)  Explain why each item is important.

            c)  Name one thing printed on the package that is not important to you.  Explain.

 

3.  You want to buy 1 L of juice.  You can get it in a large glass jug containing 1.36 L, or in small cardboard containers, each holding 250 mL. 

            a)  Under what circumstances would you buy the glass bottle?

            b)  Under what circumstances would you buy the cardboard containers?

            c)  Which form of packaging do you think has the least harmful effect on the environment, and why?

 

 

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