‘The Score’ and ‘Drugs the Facts’ use different language formats to get the message through about drugs.
‘Drugs the Facts’ uses very simple, informal language, which gets straight to the point.
On the other hand, ‘The Score’ uses a wider range of language such as ‘psilocybe semilaneata’ (the Latin name for magic mushrooms), which is more accurate and more formal. Slang language is also used like the feeling of being ‘spaced-out’, although this language is used much less frequently, than formal language in order to attract a more knowledgeable audience.
In ‘Drugs the Facts’, there is a varied font throughout the whole page on magic mushrooms, which attracts the targeted younger audience. The headings in ‘Drugs the Facts’ imply semi-rhetorical questions, which makes the reader feel closer to the text, and draws the reader’s attention. In ‘Drugs the Facts’ the slang names of magic mushrooms, is written in the colour red, this is so the names will capture the audiences attention, and if they don’t read all the information, at least they will be able to recognise a drug, if or when they are offered it. The heading ‘What the risks are’ is highlighted in yellow. The connotation of the colour yellow is warning, and therefore this colour also attracts attention. This is one of the most important sections, as the aim of the leaflet is to discourage children from taking drugs, and that is why it is highlighted in yellow.
However the institutional belief about ‘The Score’ is that the audience is predominantly literate and have already been in contact with drugs as they are probably fourteen years onwards. Consequently, the information on magic mushrooms uses colloquial terms and slang such as ‘shrooms’ and ‘mushies’ to relate to the audience. The intention of this production is to give extra information about drugs to older teenage audiences, so that either they can be discouraged from using drugs or so that they can be safer users of the drugs, as they know the risks.
‘The Score’ uses teenagers in the images so that the audience can feel more comfortable with what they are reading. The words that the company thinks will catch your eye are highlighted in bold such as ‘depressant’ and ‘wise up’; when you read these words you become interested in the text they are used in. Also the institutional belief behind this leaflet’s target audience is that they already take drugs therefore in these pages they have suggestions of help lines available in case anything becomes too serious to handle. At the bottom of the page they have all the drugs dealt with in the problems so that anybody relating to these problems can easily find out more. In ‘Drugs the Facts’ all of the answers given are in bold, and nothing is particularly focused on, this is because it is believed that this younger audience does not yet relate to drugs, and has not really come into contact with them yet, therefore they would not be interested in any particular words. The woman and the man in the photographs both look like they have a problem but are to scared to talk about it, they also look sad and depressed. Not many people would look at them and like to feel what the characters are feeling, so the audience is encouraged not to take drugs. The faded background could connote fingerprints, hinting at the seriousness of getting caught with drugs on you.
The definition of the word subversion is to overturn, upset, effect destruction or overthrow. Many techniques that have such an effect are used on the front covers. As I am 15 I fall into the target audience for ‘The Score’. When I picked up this leaflet and looked at the circle of images, to be honest, I only could recognise and relate 5 out of the 16 images to drugs. Such unknown images have been deliberately placed on the front cover to fill the reader with curiosity so they will open the leaflet and find out what the images are. Once their meanings are discovered you become aware of these images and notice them appearing throughout the leaflet on the majority of pages, having more of an impact on the readers brain. The front cover for ‘Drugs the Facts’ is also subverted. An arrow at the bottom of the page looks decorative but is placed there to have a specific effect on the reader, which is to make them follow the arrow and turn over the page. The motif that is used is created from many dots, creating a blurry and fuzzy effect, resembling the vision of someone who may have consumed drugs. This would appeal to the target audience as with younger teenagers gaining such an effect from an educational leaflet may feel they will be treated with more respect if they’ve experienced drugs. However the authority producing these leaflets are not likely to endorse such a viewpoint, but acknowledge youth experience and that this is what they feel. This is why such a motif has been used as teenagers are gaining the effects of drugs through a simple pattern and are not out trying drugs to gain such an experience. The subverted front cover gives a taste of a drugs experience to the reader so the target audience’s desires will be met, to feel older and wiser.
The institution that produced both ‘The Score’ and ‘Drugs the facts’ is the Health Education Authority (HEA), which is a government funded education organisation. Logos for the HEA are placed on both front and back covers so it is clear to the reader who is responsible for producing of the leaflets. As the logos are extremely visible, if somebody wants some additional information then the logo will help them to remember the institution. On the back covers the logos are placed next to help lines, so the logo is being used to identify somewhere to go for help. A lot of money has clearly been spent on producing these leaflets so I assume a large number are distributed. I also think that the HEA produces these leaflets for the mainstream of their targeted audience.
Both ‘The Score’ and ‘Drugs the facts’ are effective as they both successfully attract their target audience. However I feel that ‘Drugs the facts’ is better at attracting and informing their target audience. The way that features have been used to attract their audience is very clever and in a way “devious” as the way each technique is conveyed was specifically designed to engage the reader. The way ‘The Score’ attracts its audience is by keeping it simple reflecting a mature life, which is to some extent, what teenagers want. However, they still lead a fun life, a main part of which is a driving social life. In this leaflet it is acknowledged that older teenagers already have an opinion along with experience of drugs. Consequently the facts are laid out for them and they are left to make their own final decision. This idea in theory is brilliant and has clearly been carefully planned. The institution realises their target audience are mature enough to make their own decisions and I feel the stereotypical teenager will take advantage of such trust. The stereotypical teenager is argumentative and experimental with their lives based around socializing so I don’t think enough will make the ‘right’ promoted decision, leading a drugs free lifestyle. Because of this, in some cases this leaflet may not be very successful and effective the leaflet will be seen as “just yet another leaflet”.