Charity Advert 1 - Save The Children

This advert is for the charity 'Save The Children' and is called 'The most shocking second a day video'. The advert shows a second a day from a young girls life, beginning with elements of a seemingly normal and happy life. Then the advert takes a tragic turn, displaying what life would be like if London was Syria, and the life of a child affected by war.

Ideologies:
The ideology presented in this advert is that children living in countries facing civil unrest will face trauma in their lives. That the war within their country will take over their lives and prevent them from living the same life again. This is shown through the comparison of her birthday at the beginning of the advert - her cake has multiple candles, she is smiling and surrounded by people. Then, at the end of the advert, there is only one candle, she is hospitalised and clearly unhappy, and has only one family member with her. This is just one example of how her life has been turned-upside down by the affects of war.
Another ideology presented is that just because we don't see the affects of war within out country, it doesn't mean that other people don't, too. I believe that this is why they chose the setting of London rather than Syria, it presents the idea that events such as the ones shown in the advert can happen to the audience, too. This will place fear in the audience and will act as persuasion to donate to the charity.

Visual and narrative techniques:
The fact that the main character within the advert is a child is effective, this will appeal to the audiences need to nurture. The audience will want to help the child, but feel useless in doing so, which will encourage them to donate to the charity.
As well as this, the need for safety from Maslow's hierarchy of needs is present within this advert. The placement of fear previously mentioned will result in the audience wanting to donate to the charity, believing that it will assist in themselves and others alike becoming free of the threat of war.
There are only diegetic sounds within this advert, adding to the realism of the affects of war. This makes the advert more emotive, as people believe it more. If non-diegetic sounds were used, the advert wouldn't be taken seriously, which would discourage people from donating.
The fact that the camera shot is the similar each time - always focused on the main character, and everything else being in the background - is effective as it shows how one person's life is affected, as well as the world around them.
Furthermore, the threat of war is present throughout the entire advert, adding suspense to the advert which, again, will appeal to the need to nurture. The audience is aware that the child is about to face trauma, even though she is not.

Advertising techniques:
The fact that the characters in the advert are a happy family will appeal to the audience, as everyone wants that feeling of belonging. Moreover, the use of a child is appealing. In the beginning, audience members may feel nostalgia as many happy moments of childhood are shown. Then further on in the advert, nurturing instincts are appealed to, as audience members will naturally want to protect and help the child as she faces the affects of war. As previously stated, this will appeal to the need to nurture. As well as the need to feel safe, as the advert proposes the threat of war being present within a city more close to home that we relate with more.
The persuasive tool of shock tactics is used within the advert. Seeing the affects of war on a child may be shocking for audiences. Stages of illness are shown - the loss of hair - which will be shocking for audiences.
The positioning of the camera mainly shows the affects of war on the young girl, she is the focal point for the advert. This helps to highlight the severity of the affects of war, showing the comparison in her lifestyle before and after the war begins.

What works/ what doesn't:
The most effective part of this advert, in my opinion, is the fact that the threat of war is present throughout the entire advert, and that it does not affect the child until the war actually arrives. It displays the innocence of the child and how war strips that from her. As well as this, having an insight into her life prior to war is effective as it makes the comparison following war even more shocking, her daily life has been affected drastically.
I don't believe there are any negatives to this advert, I think it has an amazing concept which has been displayed effectively and supported by the acting skills of the child.