Students in an enrichment program at M.S. 101 at 2750 Lafayette Avenue participated in a Merchants Walk, helping them to learn how advertising can help local businesses succeed.
The students who are part of the School Enrichment Model at M.S. 101 are working on a project creating advertising campaigns, learning about working in that field by seeing if they can come up with ads to sell products.
The group toured businesses along E. Tremont Avenue with Throggs Neck Merchants Association president John Cerini of Capital Shield Agency at 3707 E. Tremont Avenue, who spoke to them about how different forms of advertising work, on Thursday, January 8.
“The students selected this particular project – it is something that they wanted to do,” said teacher Verona Williams, who accompanied the group of approximately 10 students. “They looked at magazines and books to see what makes a good ad – color, having pictures, and a catchy caption.”
At TD Bank at 3755 E. Tremont Avenue, students were shown the TD log; at ReMax Voyage Realty at 3867 E. Tremont Avenue, they learned the value of writing sales copy and TNMA secretary Tommy Melendez of Copy That!, at 3515 E. Tremont Avenue, students created ads.
Students received free backpacks at TN’s Amalgamated Bank, where they met branch manager Andrea Moore.
Cerini, who lead the tour, told the students about many different forms of advertising are all around them – signs on businesses, storefront displays, business cards, items like pens and water bottles with contact information, and word of mouth.
“I am the type of person who likes to put my picture on ads because I think if they see me they are more likely to want to purchase insurance or tax services,” Cerini said to the students. “Everything that I have in my office that I give away, like pens and key chains, has my name on it.”
Cerini also told students that in many cases, word of mouth is very important as businesses – and people – are often judged on the reputations they come to have.
