There are many varied types of charity adverts, meaning there is fierce competition between them. They all aim to challenge our sympatric side and use emotive language to blackmail.
This media essay will begin to analyse two Barnado’s charity adverts. How the advert is presented, how Barnado’s uses language and how effective the images are within the adverts to help persuade the public. It will identify how the visual adds meaning to the information
The first Barnado’s advert seems to be about a little girl getting abused. Barnado’s has presented this advert with little writing drawing the attention to the visual.
The visual in this advert plays a powerful role. It is able to give an immediate feeling of mixed emotions disgust and horror.
The whole page is taken up by the image of a little girl. The sides of the girls face are turned down; the impression created allows the public to see the sadness and grief. The painful sight of her haggard face draws us to see the fear and hopelessness in her eyes. Her silence may be a cry for help. Her feet are not able to touch the ground as she was not yet big enough to make decisions and choices. The girl was bundled up in one corner of the sofa; it’s seemed she was frightened of something. Her facial features look quite elderly; it seems she was deprived of her childhood.
Standing behind her is an adult male figure. His shirt is unbuttoned; this portrays his motive towards the little girl. His hands are placed on her head, the visual comes across that he is stroking her hair, not out of effectiveness however but as sickening that there seems to be a deeper meaning. The fact that there is a ring on his finger might suggest he is married.
“Why is she only in undergarments? What has happened to her? Who is the man behind her? Could he be her father?” These questions that Barnado's is able to create through visuals in the audiences mind causes the public take interest in this little girl’s problem.
The words written “abuse through prostitution STEALS CHILDRENS LIVES” gives the public an idea on what may be happening. Prostitution on its own means someone who is willing to sell their body for money. But when prostitution is linked to this picture of a girl only in undergarments with abused associated it seems that she is being forced to do certain distasteful things buy the male figure.
The colours used in the visual are very dull this seems to create a gloomy and depressed feeling in the public’s mind.
Barnado's has used strong visuals and powerful language in this advert these are two very effective methods in persuading the public.
The second advert is shows a baby born into poverty. It is a very disturbing image of a baby with a cockroach in its mouth. A cockroach is a filthy creature that you would expect to be in a sewer. Many people will feel sorry for this baby and will be willing to do anything to help it.
The visual is vile, although at first it causes the audience to look away, it also draws them back to look into detail Viewing. Baby Greg is only one minute old when he should have been gasping for his first breath in this world he is being suffocated by a cockroach. Baby Greg has no choice but to leave it there, nothing he can do will move it away. This cockroach may cost him his life.
There are no silver spoons for baby Greg he will be living his life with no luxuries. Due to poverty his dreams will remain dreams and he may not be able to accomplish anything in life. If his family had the money and he received the skills he could have a very bright future ahead of him.
His future lies in living in a squalor condition of dirt. Just by looking at the picture it seems to make the audience feel sick. Barnados tells us that there are thousands of others like Greg and they all need help.
This advert was in black and white as it creates a dull atmosphere.
On both the adverts there is a logo in the bottom right corner. The Barnados logo is two adults firmly holding a child in their hands. This represents that they will give the children help and support.
Barnados does not think of itself as society but as a huge family. Barnado’s give people a second chance by regaining the strength and confidence in people.
The reader may think Barnado's is being biased by showing a male figure. In today’s society this is not always the case, woman also do such disgusting things, for example just recently a nursery worker admitted of abusing the children she was suppose to look after, she had total disregard to the lives of those victims. .
Although they are charity they do not ask the public to sponsor directly instead Barnados has used strong language and vile images to aware the public of what is happening in this world. If the public is interested they have listed a website and phone number. Although barnados does not directly ask for money from the public, the audience is emotionally compelled to do so
Barnado’s tries to bring the best in every child giving them a bright future.
Barnado's uses affective methods in their adverts to persuade the public to sponsor them. My personal favourite was the one about baby Greg with the cockroach as it made me feel terrible for what I have and what people in this country take for granted. To imagine such a thing was not even possible until I saw Barnado's advert. I felt sorry for baby Greg and all the other children born into poverty.
