Ideologies
The messages that this advert is putting across is that millions of girls around the world are forced to marry, despite being too young or not wanting to. Also, another idea that I think it trying to be put across, is that men have control over women, and its as if they are a possession to the man.
Visual & Narrative techniques
In the advert, we follow what we think is a traditional wedding, taking place in a church, and the colour white being the main colour throughout. The camera goes from various different shots, showing signs that say things like 'She belongs to me.' This could give the audience a first indication about the message that the advert is trying to put across. We also see drawings of the bride and groom which are clearly drawn by child, which may seem innocent at first. Parallel narrative is used to show the difference between the bride and groom. Although we have not yet seen their faces, we start to realise the idea of the advert, due to shots of their shoes together, showing a pair of black leather shoes for the man, and a smaller pair of white, childlike shoes. Then, the parallel narrative shows shots of the groom getting ready, and the bride colouring in a colouring book, and a teddy which implies that the bride in young. It is eventually revealed that the bride is lot younger than the groom so the message behind the advert is clear to the audience. Before we knew how old the bride was, the music was slow and is parallel to the wedding situation. However, after we see that she is under age, not only does the music connote a negative atmosphere, but the shots are quick and show things like a sign saying 'He owns me' and it shows the young girl drawing a picture of them both but scribbling out the man, to show that she is not happy with her situation.
Advertising Techniques
An advertising technique that has been used in the advert, is the use of shock tactics, due to the fact that at first we are seeing a traditional wedding environment connoting positivity however this changes to a unexpected situation where we see something that should be happy changed to a very negative and controlling thing. The audience would be shocked because it is not something that commonly happens here, which is why UNICEF have decided to take something very traditional and change to make the audience think about the reality in other places in the world. Maybe intertextual references are used in the advert through the use of a hashtag to share the ideologies on social media.
What works/What doesn't
- I think the use of shock tactics works in the advert because it will trigger a response in the audience. Also, the use of hashtags will raise more awareness of the charity to a wider audience. I don't think there are any bad elements of the advert.
Ideologies:
ReplyDeleteOne ideology presented within this advert is that young girls are able to be manipulated and used for the pleasure of men, as the man is clearly supportive of the marriage and makes constant contact with his young bride - showing that he believes she is a possession of his.
Visual and narrative techniques:
The shots used in the beginning of the advert - low and extreme close ups - help to disguise the brides age, making the reveal of her age more shocking. This is a use of shock tactics. The pictures coloured in by the child consist of bright colours, connoting happiness and a positive outcome from the wedding of the two. However, the juxtaposition of the black scribble over the groom in the drawing at the end of the advert is a clear indication that the child's innocence and hope for a future has been stripped from her as a result of this wedding - promoting the message that young marriage has negative effects on the children involved, and robs them from having a good and happy life.
Advertising techniques:
The need to nurture is appealed to within this advert, due to the age of the bride. Especially when we see tears rolling down her face, this will evoke sympathy and encourage the audience to donate time and money to the charity. As well as this, the grooms possessive actions towards the bride will place fear in the audience, there are connotations of unwanted sexual activity which would appeal to the need for safety.