How to Cite an Advertisement Using MLA Style

Advertising is a unique form of reference material. It indicates not only the way that people may have thought about things and perceived items at a given time in history, but also how companies and corporations wish themselves and their products to be seen. You may use advertising as a reference material in a marketing class or even a history paper. When you do so, make sure to include information about the advertisement that will allow a reader to go back and locate your source material. If you are an undergraduate, it is very likely that you will be using MLA style for all of your reference notes. This style is perfect if you have a lot of variety in your source material, because it has a consistent format and is easy to read and write.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Begin with the name of the company doing the advertising. You will not need to list the product, only the company that advertised the product. For example, if you used a Delta ad for special fares in December of 2006, all you would need to begin your citation would be the word "Delta."
2. Add the word "Advertisement," followed by a period. If the ad was not a traditional published ad, but rather a poster, signboard or a persuasive text or letter, then replace "Advertisement" with any of these identifications.
3. Name the venue in which the ad was displayed. Generally this will be the name of a magazine, and should be underlined. However, if it is another type of display, such as a billboard or television station, identify the location as specifically as possible. For example, your ad might have been printed in _Time_ , shown on TBS or displayed on a Sunshine Billboard Company Billboard. In the case of the first example, your citation should now read:Delta. Advertisement. _Time Magazine_.
4. Finish with the date on which the ad was published or aired. The date should be listed "day month year" and followed by a period. You can abbreviate the month with its first three letters. For example, if the ad was published in the August 21, 2003, edition of the magazine, your finished citation should read:Delta. Advertisement. _Time Magazine_. 21 Aug 2003.

Tips & Warnings

• Even when your source material is not typical or traditional, it is still very important to cite it as a reference, as thoroughly as possible.