Minds On

What is a Public Service Announcement?

Student Success

Think-Pair-Share

Consider the term Public Service Announcement (PSAs). What is its purpose? Where do you find them? Include any other relevant descriptions.

Note to teachers: See your teacher guide for collaboration tools, ideas and suggestions.

Define public service announcements

Explore a few Public Service Announcements.

  • What do you notice while exploring them?
  • What are the messages?
  • How are the messages presented?

After you have answered the previous questions, create a definition of a Public Service Announcement.

Press the ‘Example’ button for a sample.

A Public Service Announcement (PSA) is a free “commercial” for a non-profit organization. It is presented voluntarily by individual radio or TV stations. To the audience a PSA is just like any other commercial.

Compare and contrast PSAs

Research two Public Service Announcements (PSAs) or work with the examples provided to you by your teacher.

Press the ‘Article’ button to access Warrior Up' COVID-19 PSA features well-known Indigenous actors, artists, and leaders.

Article Opens in a new tab

Make an inference about the producer, message, and intended audience. What is the purpose of each announcement? How does it differ from a typical commercial? What type of advertising technique is being used? (bandwagon appeal, emotional appeal, statistics and facts, endorsements, promotions, and rewards, etc.)? Track your observations in a format of your choice.

Discuss the effectiveness of each PSA with peers. Which is more effective, or persuasive? Why might that be? Are these PSAs appropriate for all target audiences? How might they be changed if the audience differed?

Action

Examining Public Service Announcements

Features to consider:

  • PSAs can be in print, as audio recordings or as a video, and they don’t always require spoken words to be significant 
  • If they are videos/audio clips, they are usually are around 60 seconds or less, if they are print they usually have limited words
  • They include different features (pictures, colour, different font, bold text, ect.) to grab the audience's attention
  • They contain a problem/solution
  • Include a call to action

Select one of the following Public Service Announcements to explore, and record your observations and thoughts.

Reflection on the following questions in your observations and record your ideas using a method of your choice:

  • What is the purpose?
  • How are fonts or images or text used?
  • What does it remind you of? Who is the target audience?
  • What is the tone and the mood of the PSA?

Poster with the words “Stop Ocean Plastic Pollution” in bold font, with each word on a new line on the right side. On the left side there is a plastic glove with a circle and slash over the glove. The background is sand with small rocks in it. 

The text of the PSA includes “SAY NO TO PLASTIC CUP AND STRAWS” The words “SAY NO” are centred on the poster at the top, followed by “To Plastic Cup” on another line, and then “and Straws” on the third line.  Below the text is a plastic cup, with a lid and straw. The image is behind a circle with a slash through it.

Compare and contrast PSAs

Compare and contrast the two Public Service Announcements above.

You can also research and select a Public Service Announcement (PSAs) of your choice to compare with one of the provided PSAs.

  
  • What is the purpose of each announcement?
  • How does it differ from a typical advertisement?
  • Identify the effectiveness of each PSA. Which might be more effective, or persuasive? Why might that be?
  • Do these PSAs have specific intended audiences? How might they be changed if the audience differed?
  • Make an inference about the producer, message, and intended audience.

Record your observations and ideas using a method of your choice.

Consolidation

Real world application

Brainstorm topics that are important to you and different ways you can impact positive change. What topic do you want to bring attention to? Choose one issue from your brainstorm that you would like to be the focus of your PSA.

Sign placed in the ground in front of a dirty pond. The sign reads “Pet waste transmits disease. Please keep this area clean.

Your PSA may be in the form of a radio ad, print PSA sign or poster, or video, or another method of your choice.

Your PSA should be for a specific intended audience and include the conventions of PSAs.

 

What do you want people to know and do because of their new awareness?

Reflection

As you read the following descriptions, select the one that best describes your current understanding of the learning in this activity. Press the corresponding button once you have made your choice.

I feel...

Now, expand on your ideas by recording your thoughts using a voice recorder, text-to-speech, or writing tool.

When you review your notes on this learning activity later, reflect on whether you would select a different description based on your further review of the material in this learning activity.