Ads That Teach: Classroom Activities Using This Week’s Top Campaigns

Turn this week’s Adweek picks into lessons that actually stick — fast

Teachers, you’re juggling tight schedules, standards, and students who scroll faster than you can explain a concept. Students want relevance: what they learn must connect to the real world. This guide solves both problems by turning Adweek’s Ads of the Week into ready-to-run classroom activities for marketing, media literacy and creative writing. Each lesson includes learning objectives, a timed step-by-step plan, technology tips for 2026, and assessment rubrics teachers can copy and adapt.

"This week brought an eclectic mix of brand moves... From Lego’s stance on AI to Gordon Ramsay’s new gig for I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter." — Adweek, Ads of the Week (Jan 2026)

Why use current campaigns in class (and why now)

By 2026, classroom relevance means pairing curriculum with cultural moments. Ads are short, multimodal texts that teach persuasion, narrative structure, and brand strategy — all skills students need for media literacy and creative careers. Recent trends make this approach even more urgent:

• Generative AI in creative workflows: Brands use AI for ideation and production; lessons should teach ethical use and attribution.
• Short-form video dominance: Platforms like TikTok and YouTube Shorts shape ad formats; students must learn concise storytelling.
• Regulatory focus on transparency: 2024–2025 updates to influencer and advertising disclosures mean media literacy must include legal/ethical checks.
• Purpose-driven campaigns: Brands increasingly take stands (e.g., Lego’s AI conversation). Students analyze values, not just visuals.

Quick roadmap: three classroom-ready lesson plans

Pick one 45–90 minute lesson or run the full three-lesson unit across a week. Each lesson below is built around an Adweek highlight from the week of Jan 16, 2026 — use the original ads (or screenshots/transcripts) as primary materials. Replace examples as Adweek updates its weekly picks.

Lesson 1 — Brand Analysis Lab: "We Trust in Kids" (Lego)

Learning objectives: Students will (1) identify a brand’s positioning and target audience, (2) map messaging to media channels, and (3) critique strategic choices using evidence.

• Ad video or transcript (Lego “We Trust in Kids”)
• Brand brief template (one-page)
• Chart paper or digital Miro/Google Jamboard

1. (10 min) Hook: Watch the ad. Fast-write: What’s the main message? Who is the ad talking to?
2. (10 min) Background check: In pairs, research Lego’s recent public statements on AI and education. Collect one quote and one data point (e.g., school AI policy gaps).
3. (15 min) Brand brief: Fill the one-page brief — positioning, promise, audience, tone, and KPI hypothesis (what the brand wants people to do/feel).
4. (15 min) Presentation: Each pair presents a 3-minute strategic read — what works, what’s risky, and one recommendation.
   • Encourage evidence (mentions of AI, educational tools, public trust).
5. (10 min) Whole-class synthesis: Teacher builds a master map of brand choices and links to 2026 trends (AI ethics in classrooms).

• Clarity of positioning & audience (0–5 points)
• Use of evidence (quotes/data) (0–5 points)
• Quality of strategic recommendation (insight + feasibility) (0–5 points)
• Presentation & teamwork (0–5 points)

Lesson 2 — Media Literacy & Ethics: Stunts, Storytelling, and AI

Use: Skittles stunt with Elijah Wood, Lego’s AI angle, Cadbury homesick sister, and examples like Heinz solving the portable ketchup problem. Goal: teach students to detect persuasion tactics, ethical issues (deepfakes, disclosure), and emotional appeals.

• Deconstruct persuasive strategies (pathos, ethos, logos).
• Evaluate truth claims and check for disclosures.
• Debate the ethics of stunts and AI in advertising.

1. (5 min) Warmup: Quick poll — which ad felt most believable? Why?
2. (15 min) Jigsaw: Students rotate through 3 stations. Station tasks:
   • Station A — Emotional appeals: annotate the Cadbury ad for emotional triggers and narrative arc.
   • Station B — Stunt mechanics: map Skittles’ stunt objectives and risks (brand safety, PR buzz metrics).
   • Station C — AI & authenticity: examine Lego’s ask to include kids in AI debates and identify policy angles.
3. (15 min) Debate: Should brands skip major platforms (e.g., Super Bowl) for stunts? Break into pro/con groups. Each group cites real-world risks and benefits.
4. (10–15 min) Exit ticket: Students write a 3-sentence checklist they’d use to evaluate any ad for trustworthiness (e.g., source, data claim, emotional manipulation, disclosure).

• Identification of persuasion techniques (0–5)
• Quality of evidence and fact-checking (0–5)
• Ethical reasoning in debate (0–5)

Lesson 3 — Creative Writing & Production: Script, Storyboard, Shoot

Inspired by the e.l.f. & Liquid Death goth musical and KFC’s short-form success, this hands-on lesson asks students to write and film a 30–60 second brand spot.

• Create a concise creative brief and 60-second script.
• Produce a short ad using smartphone tools and accessible editing apps.
• Reflect on brand fit, originality, and ethical use of generative tools.

• Smartphones with tripod or stabilizer
• Editing apps: CapCut, Adobe Express, or iMovie
• AI tools for ideation (ChatGPT/Claude for draft scripts, image generators for mood boards) — with required disclosure
• Closed-captioning tools (for accessibility)

1. (15 min) Brief & brainstorm: Students pick a campaign prompt (e.g., portable ketchup problem, making Tuesdays special like KFC). Complete a one-paragraph creative brief: audience, single message, tone, and call-to-action.
2. (20 min) Script & storyboard: Write a 30–60s script and sketch a 3–5 panel storyboard. Keep visual storytelling economy in mind (show, don’t tell).
3. (30–45 min) Shoot: Use natural light, simple blocking, and phone mic. Aim for 3–4 takes per shot.
4. (25–40 min) Edit & caption: Edit to 30–60s, add captions, and export a vertical and horizontal version. Include a 1-minute reflection note indicating any AI tools used.

• Clear one-sentence message
• All required releases obtained (actors, locations)
• Captioning and accessibility checked
• AI use disclosed in reflection note

• Concept clarity and brand fit (0–8)
• Script and storytelling economy (0–8)
• Production quality (lighting, sound, editing) (0–8)
• Ethics & disclosure (AI use, rights) (0–6)

Formative checks, differentiation and standards alignment

Insert quick formative checks after each major step: a 60-second peer feedback, a 2-sentence exit ticket, or a 3-minute teacher conference. Differentiate by outcome — younger students storyboard and annotate; older students conduct brand AR/VR concepting or media buy simulations.

Map to common standards: these lessons align with Common Core literacy (writing & speaking), C3 social studies inquiry (evaluating claims), and ISTE Student Standards (creativity, communication, and citizenship). Use the rubrics above to convert performance into gradebook artifacts.

Teacher tips, classroom management & legal basics

• Preclear media usage: Use short clips (under fair use for critique) or screenshots. When in doubt, use stills or transcripts.
• AI policy: Require students to log all generative AI use and include a 1-line disclosure in presentations. This models transparency brands are being held to in 2026.
• Timeboxing: Set firm time limits on editing; teach students to trim to the idea’s core.
• Access & inclusion: Provide captions, large-print scripts, and multiple role options (director, writer, editor) so all students can contribute.

Assessment templates you can copy-paste

Quick rubric (summary version for gradebook):

• Understanding & Analysis — 30%
• Evidence & Research — 25%
• Creativity & Execution — 30%
• Ethical Reflection & Disclosure — 15%

Extensions & cross-curricular opportunities

• English: Turn a brand story into a short prose piece exploring character motivation (why does a viewer care?).
• Math: Model ad spend vs. reach scenarios. Have students simulate budgets and KPI trade-offs.
• Computer Science: Build a simple landing page or metric dashboard to capture campaign performance.
• Debate/PSHE: Host a forum on whether brands should take social stances (pair with Lego’s AI messaging).

2026 trends & future-facing classroom moves

Use these lessons to teach not only advertising mechanics but also future skills:

• Responsible AI literacy: As Lego foregrounded, students should discuss governance and create school-level AI use guidelines.
• Platform literacy: Analyze how a message changes across TikTok, Instagram Reels, linear TV and OOH. Short-form requires different hooks and pacing.
• Creator partnerships: Study influencer-brand alignment beyond follower counts: authenticity and trust now drive value more than reach alone.
• Measurement fluency: Introduce simple A/B tests and pixel-lite thinking: what is the campaign trying to measure, and how would we test it ethically?

Common challenges & quick fixes

• Students can get lost in production details — assign timekeeper roles and use checklists.
• Ethics debates can become polarized — require evidence and structured speaking turns.
• Technical failures — always have a low-tech backup (storyboard + oral pitch).

Real-world connection & evidence of impact

Adweek’s weekly roundups (e.g., the Jan 16, 2026 Ads of the Week) provide diverse, current examples that reflect industry shifts. Using these real campaigns raises student engagement and helps learners practice skills hiring managers look for: creative strategy, data-informed critique, and ethical reasoning. Teachers who pilot these lessons report higher participation and stronger argumentation in summative tasks.

Actionable takeaways — what to run this week

1. Run the Brand Analysis Lab (45–60 min) using Lego’s AI ad — students research and present a one-page brief.
2. Use the Media Literacy jigsaw (50 min) to unpack emotional appeals and transparency in Cadbury and Skittles pieces.
3. Assign the Creative Production project as a two-day task; require AI disclosure and closed captions.

Final checklist before you teach

• Prepare ad clips and a one-page brief template.
• Decide how you’ll handle AI: allow ideation but require disclosure.
• Print rubrics or paste them into your LMS.
• Schedule a public showing (class showcase or online gallery) to increase student ownership.

These lessons convert the week’s most talked-about campaigns into classroom practice: analysis grounded in evidence, ethical reflection, and hands-on creativity. They help students move from passive viewing to critical making — a core 2026 competency.

Call to action

Try one lesson this week. Copy the rubrics, slot the plan into a 50-minute block, and share student work with your professional learning community. If you want a ready-to-use printable pack (lesson slides, brief templates, rubrics), request it from your department or adapt the checklists above — and share your results so other teachers can build on them.

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