Given how consumers today are bombarded by marketing messages, I think it is important to teach students to analyze these messages.  Here are three bank commercials that use different techniques to deliver three very different messages.

Prior to showing these commercials to students, ask them to focus on these three questions while they watch: 1)  the key message of the commercial  2) how effective it is at persuading them to take action and 3)  what the commercials do not talk about (fees, anyone)?  Enjoy!

Ally Bank: Would You Like A Pony?

Bank of America: Portraits

About the Author

Tim Ranzetta

Tim's saving habits started at seven when a neighbor with a broken hip gave him a dog walking job. Her recovery, which took almost a year, resulted in Tim getting to know the bank tellers quite well (and accumulating a savings account balance of over $300!). His recent entrepreneurial adventures have included driving a shredding truck, analyzing executive compensation packages for Fortune 500 companies and helping families make better college financing decisions. After volunteering in 2010 to create and teach a personal finance program at Eastside College Prep in East Palo Alto, Tim saw firsthand the impact of an engaging and activity-based curriculum, which inspired him to start a new non-profit, Next Gen Personal Finance.