Skippy Cornflakes

Skippy Cornflakes

Pencil and paper
Overview
Using this Resource
Connecting to the Curriculum
Marking Student Responses
This task is about understanding how written and visual language can be used to create an effective advertisement.

 

Source: NEMP Report 10, Pg. 25.

Introduction
These pictures show an old Skippy cornflakes packet. The packet was designed to look attractive, interesting, and to catch people's attention. 
 
Task
Look at both pictures (the front and the back side of the packet) then answer the following questions.
  1. Why might people want to look at this packet? 
  2. The packet was also designed to promote certain messages about eating Skippy Cornflakes. What do you think these messages are?

 

Task administration: 
A possible sequence for guiding students through this task might be:
 
Introduce the task
Show student both sides of the Skippy packet, without commenting on the features.
Discuss the design of the packet.
E.g.,  "A lot of thought has been given to the way the information on this packet is shown. It has been designed to look good so that it will catch people's attention. It has also been designed to give certain messages to people about eating Skippy Cornflakes."
 
Pose the questions 
E.g., "First of all, see if you can tell me the ways used to make the packet look good and interesting – so that people will want to look at it. Look carefully at both sides of the packet to help you with your answer."
a) Why might people want to look at this packet? 
b) The packet has been designed to give certain messages about eating Skippy Cornflakes. What do you think these messages are?
   
Encourage students to pay attention to both sides of the packet, and to discuss their ideas. Use prompts like "why do you say that?" to encourage more detailed discussion.
Levels:
2, 4
Curriculum info: 
English, Making meaning, Viewing
Keywords: 
nemp, audience, illustration, layout, static image
Description of task: 
For this NEMP task students look at a cornflakes package, and answer questions about the information shown.
Answers/responses: 
    Y4 (10/98) Y8 (09/98)
a) Ideas mentioned:

  • colourful
  • large bowl
  • fruit looks fresh
  • food looks good
  • "crunch"
  • "fresh"
  • large "SKIPPY"
  • brandname "Sanitarium"
  • nutritional information
  • happy family shown
  • competition to enter
  • exciting prize
  • cute kangaroo
  • made in NZ

Number of ideas:
9-14
6-8
3-5
0-2
29%
11%
6%
38%
15%
17%
19%
9%
22%
15%
22%
68%
26%
23%
 

1%
14%
46%
39%
60%
16%
6%
41%
17%
20%
42%
13%
39%
22%
36%
78%
33%
29%
 

2%
26%
57%
15%
b) Messages mentioned:

  • energy
  • fill you up
  • healthy
  • nice to eat
  • might win a prize

Number of messages:
3-4
2
1
0
10%
1%
33%
22%
36%
 
6%
20%
45%
29%
22%
36%
78%
33%
29%
 
8%
25%
44%
23%

Commentary
This task was designed to examine students' understanding. Year 4 students gave most emphasis to the possibility of winning a prize, with the attractive appearance of the food next most important. Year 8 students also emphasised the prize, but gave greater weight to the intention of the advertiser to make the product seem healthy.