Social Action and Community Media

Existing Product Research

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Case Study: (Cancer Research)

Purpose: The purpose of the Cancer research UK, is to make people aware of the disease that is life threating. Cancer research charity is one of the biggest campaigns in Britain making it a national change. This charity is targeted at women to raise money by participating in the race for life fundraising events. This charity started in 1994 and have over six million participants that have raised £493 million making it UK’s most fundraising charity in the country as it helps to funds doctors and research to help beat this disease and find a cure to save people lives and give them the right treatment.

Aims:The aim of this charity is to make more people aware of the disease and to help raise money for treatment so more lives will be saved and also find other cancerous diseases that are not yet discovered. Also for the charity there is an event that is taken place every year for women to take part in the race for life to raise money for the charity.

Creative Media Production 2012

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Techniques:

There are many different techniques that are used to make each campaign stand out from the rest and to give a clear message and what it being asked by the audience. Many different campaigns use persuasive language to make the audience think and for them to change their mind and also have a different view. For example the cancer research has used very feminine colours such as pink. The colour has a lot of meaning symbolising the girlish style so people will automatically know that its targeted at women mostly. The colour pink also symbolises compassion, nurturing and love. It also represents hope, making it a positive colour making you feel warm and also giving the sign that everything will be okay. They have used this colour to make sure that people don’t find it scary and have used a soft warm colour to making it more appealing and that there is hope. The colour blue is a relaxing and calm colour. It reduces stress. I believe that this colour was chosen for this reason as it makes the audience more relaxed as people will often fell stressed. Both colours work well as they both link to what its trying to campaign. It’s a way of making the disease more approachable and that they should be terrified. They have also used a plain white background to symbolise purity and innocence. It’s a natural colour also classing that anyone can have the disease and that innocent people can be affected but also giving another meaning that cancer is not stoppable and it’s natures way. All three colours have strong meaning and link into what cancer research is about making it more aware that people know about it. The colours are also bold and is easily noticed as the message is clear. There is no image so therefore it makings it short and simple. The font size is eye catching and also clear to read but also not too bold so that its in your face screaming with large bold fonts and colours, this is making sure its more friendly and approachable.

Creative Media Production 2012

Case Study: (Cancer Research)

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Impact:

http://raceforlife.cancerresearchuk.org/about-us/what-is-race-for-life/index.html

Cancer Research UK has had a massive impact on the country as more and more people around the UK. For example more women are participating in the race for life event to raise money to fund doctors and scientists to find a cure and for treatment to save people lives.More people who are at risk or who have cancer are more aware of the disease and can get help. It has also had an impact because people who are afraid now can speak up before it is too late. This has reduced risk as people know more about the cancerous disease and has had a huge impact in the UK as the numbers have decreased and more people are doing something about it.

Creative Media Production 2012

Case Study: (Cancer Research)

Case Study: (Shelter)

Purpose: Shelter is a homeless charity that helps people that have no home and are living on the street not only does it help individuals but also families who have children as children will not only not have a home but basic things like education will not be a chose. This campaign is a national charity and it runs in the UK, this charity was discovered in 1966 by Bruce Kenrick. That same year they also released a Ken Loach’s film about homeless people and how they live their lives, it showed one of Britain's famous homeless films Cathy come home, over 12 million viewers switched to watch it as this made people release they could help and that homeless and gained more supporters in the charity.

Aim:

The aim for this charity is to gain as many supporters to help families that are homeless or who are becoming homeless, the shelter will not stop until everyone in the UK can access a decent and affordable home.

Case Study: (Shelter)

Techniques:

The techniques that are used on this campaign poser is the main title of what the charity is called ‘Shelter’ they have made this in bold as it’s the first thing your read and really grabs the audiences attention. As you can see by the image the ‘H’ is in a house shape, this is playing on from the word shelter as it automatically makes you think that it’s a charity for the homeless, the text is in red making it stand out from the white background the red can have a range of means as it symbolises love and anger, it’s a strong colour which links in with the purpose of the title, as its giving people the courage to stay strong, the boldness of the text makes the reader hooked as they description on the bottom is less bold telling you exactly what the charity is. The charity logo is clear, easy to understand and read and also simple but effective. There is not a picture used on this picture, they have used just text. No image is needed as I believe the title gives a clear message on what the charity is.

Case Study: (Shelter)

Impact:

The impact that Shelter charity has is that its making people aware and to gain support from people to help with people who are left homeless. There is a websites so people can help and support people in need of help.

On their website there is a verity of different things you can do to help, such as make a donation, get involved in activities to help raise money for the charity things such as marathons, music nights and many more other fundraising events. By supporting them and contributing this will have a massive impact on the people who are made homeless who are individuals and also who have families.

Case Study: (shelter and cancer research)

Compare and contrast:

Both charities are to raise awareness for different charities. They both affect people in different ways, one is a illness charity and the other is for supporting homeless families. They are both two things that affect people everyday in life, this things are unavoidable and happen. They are similar in a sense that they help with real life problems that affect families and loved ones in many ways. The difference between the two charities is that one is a life threating illness and the other is a financial issue, balacning out these are the most common problems people face everyday. Both charities speak to the audience and the people will feel sympathetic towards the charity cleverly persuading the audience to help/donate. The colours that are used have meanings and they are well thought out linking in with the purpose of the campaign, for example the pink is a warm colour representing hope and that everything will be okay, where as the blue relaxes you emotionally and physically and is a calm colour this makes the charity more friendly and appealing for people with this illness to feel comforted. The same thing has ben used for the shelter charity only they have used the colour red, this represents a number of meanings such as, love and strength this symbolises that losing your home and be a tough experience and that you need to be strong especially if you have a family which makes it even harder. They are both worded logos which makes it more formal and just by the title its telling you what is without and visual images.

Case Study: (NHS no smoking campaign)

Purpose:

the NHS no smoking campaign is to get adult smokers mostly with families to stop smoking. Not only does it harm the smoker its self but also people around them like children. A regular smoker knows the damages what smoking can do for your health and mostly it’s a choice, but however its more damaging to second hand smokers as they don’t have a choice and they are around.

Aim:

The aim is to get smokers to stop such this harmful habit not only for themselves but for others too. It’s a double affect as it better for your own personal health but also for children’s health as they are surrounded everyday with families that are smokers. This way the message will persuade people to stop.

Case Study: (NHS no smoking campaign)

Techniques:

This advert is a NHS campaign as the symbol is located in the top right hand corner. NHS run a number of campaigns to make people aware of illnesses and bad habits that could lead to a life threating illness.The techniques that have been used in the smoking advert is a child and the image of the hand is representing the harmful smoke placed over the nose and mouth area. The fact they have used a child in this campaign is to make the person look at this more persuaded to stop as children are mostly thought of as innocent. It makes the advert more effective just by the image as it draws you in, as it’s the first thing you see. In the bottom left hand corn it’s the box with the information, this is done purely because the image has drawn you in and has effected you, the main bold title says ‘your smoking harms your child’ the text is talking directly at you making it more personal with the language they have used, this makes the reader feel more guilty. Furthermore, there is more information about what you can do to stop smoking and if the advert has made you change your actions, this is however if the reader has been drawn in completely and is willing to read more. The colours that are used in this image are dark and dull with the plain grey background and smoke hand, this makes the advert less appealing and dark setting the mood, making the reader think. It’s a real image showing that this is an everyday issue and that many children are affected by smoking.

Case Study: (NHS no smoking campaign)

Impact:

The impact that this campaign is having is that its harming children, ‘98 per cent of children wish their parents would stop Smoking and 41 per cent said that cigarette smoke makes them feel ill (http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/parenting/childrens+health-234032.html) on the web page I have found that children don’t like the fact that their parents smoke and the majority don’t like the smell as it makes the feel ill. This shows that innocent are affected by their parents/guardians habit. This campaign is to raise awareness that even second hand smokers health is also at risk as they are surrounded by the smoke. The campaign image makes people who have children think more about the risk they are putting their children in as a single thing just by smoking in the house or in the car can have a massive impact to their health and they are not aware of the health issues it could lead to later in life.  

Case Study: (Women abuse)

Purpose:

The purpose of this campaign is to raise a international awareness that women in some parts of the country such as Islamic parts have no rights to speak up about abuse that they are facing everyday as they are afraid. Also its making people more aware that even people with a strict religion go through pain. Because they are covered doesn’t mean they can cover everything away especially physical abuse.

Aim:

The aim is to get people from all over the word such as women to speak up as they also to have rights to feel safe and not suffer in silence. Its also making other people aware around the world what is going on behind closes doors.

Case Study: (Women abuse)

Techniques:

When you first look at this picture you instantly look into the women’s eyes and you can see the physical abuse as the women has a black eye. As you can see she is all covered up and you can only see the eyes but also this makes you think how much more pain is yet unrevealed. The image is speaking to the audience without words as you automatically know that the women is in pain. The only colour used on the image is black. Black is the colour of hidden, secretive and the unknown, and also creates an air of mystery. The colour connects with the message of the campaign, for example the ‘air of mystery’ makes you think more about what else could be happening behind closed doors making it more dark. Using a women with a strict religion makes this more affective is that abuse is most common in Islamic countries as women don’t have rights to speak up about their problems making it more harder for them to turn to for help.If this image has hooked you then you will notice the caption on the image stating 'Some things can't be covered, fighting women's abuse together' the slogan involves everyone who is against women's abuse and also for someone in this situation they will see that they are not alone and can go for help. 

Case Study: (Impact)

Impact:

the impact that this campaign has its that women of all religion shouldn't feel that they don't have a right to speak up if they are living in a violent relationship. not only does it put the women in danger of getting physically harmed but also if they have families its also butting them at risk and it has a huge impact on their lives, as they should feel safe at home and also making sure they do not become a victim in abuse too. 

This campaign is to get women who have strict religions in Arabian and Islamic countries to speak up as there are many women in the same position as them who are to afraid to speak, but however the campaign uses the word 'us' involving everyone as it's not talking personally to the audience. Also this is making people without an extremist religion aware that people like this suffer in silence and also inform them that is sort of abuse exists.  

Case Study: (NHS no smoking campaign and Women's abuse)

Compare and Contrast:

As you can see these two campaigns are very effective as they both use sympathetic images. for the stop smoking campaign they have used a child and the abuse they have used women, by using these two the audience will feel more effective by what has been shown.Another thing that the campaigns have in common is they have used real life images and also very little text. the images speak for themselves. They are both harmful emotionally, physically and mentally, and are common issues people have in life.When thinking about smoking the child is more at risk and in danger as they become a second hand smoking but also suffer as they cannot control the environment they are in as its not a choice they have chosen to take, The women's abuse is common that the women is suffering abuse, especially in strict religions. therefore they have used the women and the child to touch the audience and make them feel effective by this. A you can also see both campaigns have dark colours making it more dark, deep and sad. this shows that these people are in risk and are suffering and it's setting their emotion through the colours. in the images the first thing you are drawn too is their eyes and you can see the pain and sadness. by looking at both images you don't need text to explain what its asking you to do or tell you the image is affective without description and you instantly know what its about .