Journal Entry 6: WaterAid

I came across a media campaign for social change here in London today as I was watching TV in my flat that was broadcast in order to gain support for struggling countries seeking clean drinking water. The organization is called WaterAid and their mission statement is: “WaterAid and its partners use practical solutions to provide safe water, effective sanitation and hygiene education to the world’s poorest people. We also seek to influence policy at national and international levels.” In my own words their objective is to receive donations in order to fund the work they are instituting in these desolate countries in order to provide drinkable water for villages to survive on. The original commercial I saw on television was a media ad similar to that of save the Children where they depict real images of suffering individuals in impoverished countries. As I went on to research the fundraising organization, I came across the video media work they have produced. I was interested by their organization because the ads they have created are unique and powerful. Below is one of my favorite commercials they have produced:

Especially living in the bustling metropolitan city of London, life is fast paced and technology, information and improvements grow here each day. This ad takes the common city goer who partakes in these every day activities: walking to work, showering, drinking fresh water or doing laundry; and makes the situation real by depicting how these normal every day tasks can be drastically different. It puts us in the shoes of the people who have every day struggles we cannot even begin to imagine having to incorporate into our lives. I thought the message was powerful, relatable, and concise and grabs the attention of the common viewer. The target audience is meant for a wide range of individuals but mainly ages 25 and up as it specifically depicts people in the work place. By logging onto their website anyone has the ability to easy become part of their effort and learn all the facets of their charity. 

The link is as follows: http://www.wateraid.org/uk/default.asp

Journal Entry 5: CLIC Sargent at Tesco

While watching TV at my flat here in London, I was subject to yet another example of media for social change. This campaign for social improvement was intermixed into an ad for the local discount grocery store here in London, Tesco. The average television consumer would think they are watching an ad for Tesco but in fact they are being subject to a social media campaign while watching their daily television. The ad appeared at the very end of a normal advertisement for Tesco. The ad was for Tesco’s support for the charity CLIC Sargent. CLIC Sargent is the UK’s leading children’s cancer charity and their mission is to research treatments to provide hope and care for the UK’s sick children. Upon further research into the correlation between Tesco and CLIC, I discovered that CLIC is actually the chosen charity of the year by Tesco for the year 2010. How might Tesco actually be helping this charity? I came to discover that Tesco is actually aiming to raise 5 million pounds for the CLIC Sargent charity. The money they raise will, “help fund specialist children’s cancer nurses so that children with cancer can spend more time at home and less time in hospital.” The money they hope to raise will be done by product promotions in their stores where if a customer buys selected items, a portion of those sales goes straight to the charity. Tesco and CLIC have even come together to create a comprehensive website together where the Tesco shopper can log online and donate immediately.

The link for their website is: http:/www.clicsargent-tesco.org.uk.

Tesco has created a telephone hotline as well to assist in their donations. The target audience for this specific campaign is mostly aimed toward mothers. Mothers have children of their own who they watch over and try to protect from illness and are the direct consumers due to the fact they are the primary Tesco shopper. Overall, these two large organizations teaming up together like this is a recipe for success. They are able to pull funds, media outlets and raise double the amount of money by working together. At the end of the day, the target audience might in fact be mothers but with Tesco’s well-known name and avid media use on television, the ad for CLIC Sargent has wide coverage and can spawn all television viewers.

Journal Entry 4: ActionAid

This weekend while taking the tube back home, I took notice of a large social media change ad that was posted along the walls of the tube stop at Russell Square. The ad was for the organization ActionAid. The ad was huge, spanning the length of the large wall at Russell Square. The mere size of the ad grabs the attention of the average traveler along the tube. I found their placement in London’s tube to be a very smart location for the fundraising campaign. When the average commuter is traveling along the tube, they stand at the edge of the platform waiting for the next train to arrive. You have nothing to do while you wait so your attention goes straight to the ads posted along the walls. This specific ad was smack in front of the platform along the wall so it was impossible to miss. This organization targets fundraising and support for a broad range of important issues including hunger, education, economic justice, HIV and AIDS and women’s rights. Therefore, the target audience spans all tube travelers. Their work involves support from all men, women, teens, young adults and children in London who are able to support their foundation. Regardless of its great location, however, their ad itself was somewhat vague and not impacting.

It depicted a woman who looked joyous and happy with the words “what a feeling” next to her. I did not make the connection of what the organization really was until I went on to read a few sentences included in the advertisement. Upon further research of this specific ad, I came across other critiques made about the poster. One viewer stated, “I didn't realize that Action Aid's charitable purpose was as much about improving the emotional wellbeing of the middle-aged sufferers of existential crisis. It's a nice spin off I guess, but are they volunteering for the right reasons?” Overall, it was an inadequate attempt by the organization to create an effective media campaign. The only reason I am now so familiar with their work is because I went home and logged onto their website to understand exactly what the organization did. Their ad might have been vague but their website was quite the opposite. Their website is divided into five easy to access sections that explain the work they do and how one can easily become involved. The five sections include: about us (describing who they are), what we do (details of the exact work they are doing), what you can do (how to become involved), schools (the work and curriculum they are implementing into the school systems), and news and views (updating web visitors on the improvements they are constantly working on). Their mission statement is as follows: “ActionAid works with local people to fight hunger and disease, seek justice and education for women, hold companies and governments accountable and cope with emergencies in over 40 countries. We want a world without poverty, where nobody goes to bed hungry.” A unique aspect of this organization that I admire greatly is a project they created called “Celebrating Your Wedding with Us” under the ways to give section. Their wedding campaign asks any future brides and grooms to have their guests donate to their cause rather than ask for actual wedding gifts. It is a special project that privileged couples can participate in and make a great difference in the world. Supporters of the organization can see exactly where their money is going and can get involved through supporting a priority project, sponsoring a child and campaigning with ActionAid. Below is an example of one of the video media campaigns ActionAid has produced:

Journal Entry 3: The Elephant Parade

Two weekends ago the communication program made its first excursion out of central London to Stonehenge and the city of Bath. We had the privilege of taking this trip in the comfort of a large touring coach and with the aid of our helpful tour guide Angie. While passing the shopping district on our way out the city, Angie leapt from her seat and shouted about some sort of elephant. At first I thought she might have been crazy but on further inquiry into what she meant, I was directed to look out the window. When I did, my eyes fell upon a decorated elephant statue that stood right in the center of the busy sidewalk. Angie went on to tell me the story as to why this colorful elephant stood there in the middle of the street. That specific statue was one of many elephant monuments that lay scattered all over the city in an effort to provide awareness about the plight of the Asian Elephant. A host of designers and artists have hand painted life sized baby elephants, which they have placed at landmark locations all around London. As described in a local London magazine, “A whole host of designers and artists including Lulu Guinness, Tommy Hilfiger and Jack Vettriano have hand painted life-sized baby elephant statues, which will appear on the night of May 3 at landmark London locations such as Parliament Square, Hyde Park and the South Bank. The Elephant Family charity has planned London's biggest ever public art event to raise awareness of the plight of Asian elephants, which it says are more endangered than their African cousins.” This is social media at its finest. When she began to explain the significance of the elephant, I instantly came to realize its connection to this class. An every day city walker or tourist like myself strolls the streets of this city and is submissive to media projections from every angle. This campaign is a unique form of media projection that takes advantage of this aspect to promote a positive cause while involving influential contributors who have expressed their creativity in a unique way. I then traveled to Copenhagen, Denmark this past weekend. As I went to depart back to London, I walked through the halls of the airport and came across yet another painted elephant statue. This campaign has now reached its campaign countries away. The campaign spans the world in the following countries: London, Copenhagen, Heerlen, Singapore and Milan. With my prior knowledge on the statue, I was thrilled to see the elephant and became even more interested in the work of the organization which is exactly what their mission was meant to do: spread awareness and interest. The target audience for this campaign truly spans all audiences. It is a form of media campaign that has created quite the stir and in a unique and expressive way. 

The Elephant Parade Website:

http://elephantparade.com/

Journal Entry 2: Save The Children

As I live this wonderful life abroad here in London, I come in constant contact with visual representations in the media that remind me of how truly blessed I am. One specific instance that I have come into contact with is a form of media for social change that was playing on the television screens at the YMCA gym here in Central London. As countless music video’s played one after the other on Britain’s Top 40 featuring the rich and famous of today’s pop icons, an add by the organization Save the Children was a dramatic change in tone during a commercial break. This specific commercial was actually too difficult for me to even watch. I found myself looking away at the horrid conditions experienced by these helpless children countries away in impoverished cities. The commercial had a clear narrative structure. The commercial began depicting specific children who are dying of starvation and mal nutrition. The visuals of these children were horrific to see as they depicted children depending on a respirator to breathe due to infection and in essence they were literally skin and bones. I was caught so off guard by this ad, I paid specific attention to its message. The narrative went on to describe that with only two pounds a month, these dying children have a chance to live. They then depicted children who have been saved by these donations and are no longer in desperate need of nutrition. Overall with a story narrative in which they feature real children in need and then showing the results of a donation as a happy ending encourages the viewer to become involved. The target audience for such an ad would definitely be of viewers over the age of 30. The audience would consist of mothers who are sympathetic or people of financial stability who are willing to donate. I found it odd, however, that they chose to feature this commercial on a network such as Britain’s Top 40. Viewers of that channel are probably not the ideal target audience. However, the more exposure for the campaign the better for the organization. This fundraising group's work is the most occurring social change media material that I have come in contact with while here in London. Every visit to the gym and nearly every time while watching television in my flat, I have scene several different campaigns they have produced for their cause. Their wide exposure has made their organization the most prominent in both my mind and the various other people in our program when we have discussed commercials in London. I went onto their website to further investigate the organization. What is so unique about this group is how personal it is. As I mentioned, their commercials center around a structured narrative focusing on specific children and their stories. Their website is no different. Their supporters who donate are featured individually on the site with their stories and a picture to show who they are. They feature the children and their unique stories and provide an update to their situation. They have a live news stream and an entire video gallery that features their work. Overall, I am in awe of the work this organization has done and the exposure they have produced. Their commercials have become a common existence in my television viewing here in London. Consequently, they have sparked great interest in me without even realizing due to its constant subliminal exposure. This ad was my favorite video produced by the organization:

To access their website go to:
http://bornto.savethechildren.org.uk/