Advertising

School Library Journal

Gr 6-10This series entry offers lots of information in an attractive, well-organized, and readable format. The functions, goals, and tactics of advertising are examined, along with controversial issues such as targeting the youth market, political ads, the right of free speech, subliminal advertising, infomercials, advertising in schools, billboards, and the Joe Camel ads. The treatment is balanced; the negative impact of advertisements is weighted against their economic success. Black-and-white photographs and cartoons illustrate the text. An extensive bibliography and suggestions for further reading are appended. To understand the enormous impact of this issue, one need only realize the chilling statistic that we spend, on average, a year and a half of our lives watching television commercials. This book will be useful for school reports, and will attract interested browsers.Connie Tyrrell Burns, Mahoney Middle School, South Portland, ME