Semester 2: Blog III- Learning Outcome

            Mass media as a whole has become extremely diligent on addressing world issues and reaching out to the public for help. Their use of persuasive tactics, such as powerful images, especially those of children, and strong diction, really helps address the point being made. In the past year, there has been this obsession with reaching out to others and donating to such organizations like Kony 2012, Unicef, ASPCA, and so many more organizations. Not all are directed towards the human race, like ASPCA is meant to help save abused and neglected animals in need of a home. There are commercials, advertisements, posters, websites, clothing lines, in support of these causes, and the purpose is to inform and persuade.

            The hype of March was all focused on Kony 2012, where Jason Russell had created a 30 minute video talking about a leader of a child army in Africa, Joseph Kony. Russell used images of the destruction and pure terror of these innocent children, who have been snatched from their homes and forced to join Kony’s army. An audience will be more drawn into a film such as this if there are images of children being harmed, because to most people a child being forced to do such horrible things against their own will and at such a young age, would more likely persuade someone to donate or help in one way or another, than would an image of an adult doing the same tasks. The use of children in advertisements is the key to reaching an emotional level with the audience. They become vulnerable to the topic and are almost suckered in to giving a donation of either money or supplies.

            Another tactic seen in class was the use of strong diction. A play on words seems to intrigue people, because at first glance you see the blatant message, but a second look with analysis opens a whole other meaning, the true meaning. Puns are often used in successful advertising, such as the image used for blog 1, where there was a play on words with taking a hand for marriage. This tactic may seem small, but it withholds great power. Audiences are automatically pulled in when there are powerful hidden messages, because they acknowledge the cleverness and deep thoughts put behind this advertisement. It also shows that actual thought was put into making the advertisement, and that they are really trying to reach out for a good cause.

            This semester has really opened our eyes to the vast amount of the media and how they use language and image to inform, persuade and entertain the audiences. We looked at Banksy images where words were not present, but his paintings/wall murals were so powerful words were not even needed. Public Service Announcements use both images and words to attract their audiences, like the image we looked at where there was a black girl holding a water gun up to her head, but the message behind the image was revealed in the text, where the message was about how kids in Africa are dehydrated because of the unclean water. These advertisements are carefully placed in areas where they know their audience being addressed will be most likely to reach out and help, like an advertisement on feeding the hungry would not be placed in the slums, but in a higher class, wealthier area. Mass media deliberately uses these tactics, because they know how powerful their advertisements can be.