Very interesting, well structured blog full of informed and knowledgeable ideas and eyes-opening videos. Visit this blog and gain a deeper insight regarding the currently hot issue of booming social networking.
Unique blog focusing on portrayal and representation of wheelchair users in contemporary media. This blog will definitely broden your horizons about a topic that does not enjoy high media coverage, even though it would deserve to get into a limelight of the public interest.
An eye-catching blog concerned with both positive and negative consequences of celebrity influence. It is interesting to see how harmful can an obsession with a famous person be for a fan's life. On the other hand, it is very pleasing to see that some celebrities have found a way of concentrating their power and influence into the right direction.
A slightly darksome blog, especially due to its topic: 'emo' and murder music, suicidal and hateful media messages. Its spine-chilling content will make you realize how potentially dangerous and destructive influence might these music genres (and the lifestyle connected with them) impose on teenagers, who often incline to get engaged with such self-destructing concepts during their chaotic and emotionally unstable years of puberty.
This blog explores issues of racism, gender inequality, stereotyping, and violance in mediated sports. Its aim is to draw the attention of its readers to things they might not have realized before, perhaps due to commonplace and frequent exposure to mediated sports, which has made us less sensitive and less attentive to the potential negative consequences.
This blog, as a part of a Media Literacy Project within Media & Society course, is trying to evince, in spite of current anti-advertising mood, that advertising can be not only commercial, dumb, entertaining, or controversial but also extremely helpful, trying to make the world a better place.
The aim of this blog is to show that advertising has always been, and especially nowadays is, an indelible part of our everyday lives. Advertising is a natural thing – tradesmen, companies, and organizations have always used diverse means of communication, later particularly mass media, to create awareness and to promote their products, ideas, and services among larger audience.
Moreover, the pro-social media and campaigns allows innovative ideas and new concepts, as well as important social, public and health issues to be shared with others and to be presented in a more attractive and appealing form. Usage of wittiness, innuendos, emotions, and humor – hand in hand with technical advantages of diverse types of media – contributes to better remembering of the advert and potentially greater effect on viewers. It has been proved that some pro-social campaigns, such as MTV safe-sex spots, have considerably boosted public awareness on particular issues.
I am aware that the ratio of commercial vs. pro-social ads is still considerably uneven. However, the pro-social advertising is quickly expanding and getting into the limelight of public interest. Everyone can help, at least by not ignoring the alarming issues of our world.
I would like to call your attention to an official spot of the 2007 Amnesty International campaign called "Signatures." It is a rather moving and disturbing video, but extremely creative and sending a strong message. Watching until the end recommended.
Reference:
Amnesty International - Signatures. (2007). Youtube – Broadcast Yourself. Retrieved January 6, 2009 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEwkrnw9g84&feature=related
Above all we must realize that each of us makes a difference with our life. Each of us impacts the world around us every single day. We have a choice to use the gift of our life to make the world a better place - or not to bother.
(Jane Goodall)
For many people, ‘pro-social behavior’ may appear as an empty and inflated cliché. Nevertheless, pro-social behavior may be virtuously simple, starting with basic day-to-day comportment – such as holding doors or helping an old woman up the stairs – and continues to volunteering or charity donation in form of money, food, or old clothes. Recycling or buying fair-trade products might be another everyday example. In general, pro-social behavior is any selfless, kind, and altruistic act, which would not benefit us – at least not in a material sense – but especially some other person, the whole community or the whole world. However, the personal benefit for each of us may lie in an elevating feeling of inner satisfaction, resulting from a contribution to public good.
Recently booming sector of pro-social advertising, social marketing, and public service announcements (PSAs) is here to help with a necessary social change. Social marketing, often impugned and underestimated tool of social and environmental improvement, can be defined as “selling of socially and personally positive behaviors to ensure or improve one's health or safety” (Harris, 2004, p. 335). Despite many potential obstacles to effectiveness and to a more tangible impact of pro-social advertising, certain positive effects have been proved. According to Richard Jackson Harris, professor of Psychology at KansasStateUniversity, the positive effects of social marketing and media campaigns can be divided into five main areas.
Firstly, pro-social media help to boost awareness on important social, public, environmental, and health issues. Secondly, a cumulative exposure draws the attention of the community to particular problems and thus may increase receptivity of the public regarding the given issue. The next positive consequence lies in a “stimulation of later conversation with one's family, friends, or doctor.” Even though the resulting positive behavior change might not be caused directly by the advert, at least it helps with arousing a discussion. The fourth effect is providing a stimuli for further exploration of the topic and for seeking additional information. Finally, the pro-social marketing is able to emphasize and strengthen the already existing positive attitudes and behavior. (Harris, 2004, p. 339-341).
PSAs are particularly important in the area of public health. The history offers many examples of their effectiveness, especially in the area of so called ‘civilization diseases,’ such as lung cancer resulting from smoking, obesity, or high blood pressure. An interesting illustration coming from the US can be found in a Christopher Byron’s article, also published on this blog: “When broadcasters were required to air one anti-smoking ad for every three cigarette ads, the smoking rate decreased so markedly that the cigarette industry decided to stop advertising on TV altogether – and a few years later Congress made cigarette ads illegal” (Byron, 2007).
The main difference between commercial and pro-social advertising is that the latter is trying to make us think, ponder over the current world problems and eventually to help, while the primary aim of the profit-making ads is to influence or persuade for a purchase. It is an area which deserves to be in a limelight of the public interest, in order to stimulate a productive discussion, followed by a proper action. According to Osocio (http://osocio.org), a phenomenal blog devoted to pro-social advertising, such ads and campaigns should be appreciated and celebrated. What do you think?
List of References:
Byron, Ch. (2007). AIDS Awareness: Smokey and the Cell Video – the Personal Public Service Announcement. NowPublic – Crowd Powered Media. Retrieved December 25, 2008 from http://www.nowpublic.com/culture/aids-awareness-smokey-and-cell-video-personal-public-service-announcement-0
Harris, R. J. (2004). A Cognitive Psychology of Mass Communication. Available from http://www.questia.com/read/104643229?title=A%20Cognitive%20Psychology%20of%20Mass%20Communication
Opening Quote. (2008). Positive Communication. Retrieved January 7, 2009 from http://marcomblog.web-log.nl/
Osocio is one of the most extensive blogs about social advertising and non-profit campaigns. It was founded in 2005 by Marc van Gurp as a “Houtlust Blog,” originally written in Dutch. Transformation to the current level came in 2007 due to cooperation with interactive agency Onstuimig and branding agency Alef de Jong. The blog prides itself on an attractive design and a very elaborate and rich content. You could spend days watching all the pro-social ads! In their own words, “Osocio is more then a blog. It’s a complete resource for all things in the world of non-profit and social messaging.”
At first glance and contrary to Osocio, this blog deceives with a rather simple and modest graphics. However, it is loaded with a high-quality material regarding all thinkable areas of pro-social advertising. The blog lists 14 categories, from Alcoholism and Animal rights to Environment and Smoking, and altogether contains more than 280 posts with attached videos and printed ads. The author himself presents his blog as a “Social Advertising Journal. Media observer of social advertising movement”.
ACT Responsible is the largest social and environmental ads gallery. The Website is run by a Swiss non-profit association “ACT” – Advertising Community Together. The claimed goals of this organization are collecting, encouraging, and inspiring a responsible and community-benefiting communication. It is mostly concerned with sustainable and rightful development of the world. The creators believe that the power of creativity, if combined with an effective and elaborate campaign, can perceptibly help in the process of improving the world’s most disturbing issues.
The first article I would like to draw attention to is called “MTV Is Playing A New Riff: Responsibility,“ written by Mark Robichaux, then reporter of the Wall Street Journal. This article is more than 15 years old and discusses, with a rather skeptical tone, a surprising MTV channel transformation, which started in the early 1990s.
1993. This is the year when it all began – the year in which MTV decided to become a pro-social actor and launched its first public service campaign. The slogan of this think-positive mission was “Free Your Mind” and it was aimed particularly at young people, loyal viewers of MTV. The main goal of the project was to “embrace different races, religions, and lifestyles,” using a series of somewhat controversial TV spots. Regrettably, I have not found the first original spot, which is mentioned in the article, but under this post, you will find two later videos of this pioneering campaign.
Such a new pro-social image of MTV was for many people rather shocking: “MTV, which once affected an anti-establishment style, now urges its young throngs of viewers to read more books, abstain from drugs and register to vote. The proud-to-be-mindless music channel, formerly an obstinate oasis from preachy parents, now warns against the evils of excessive drinking and encourages kids to take better care of the environment.” What is wrong with this? Nothing. The only problem was that the original viewers, young rebels and orthodox rock lovers, needed to cope with the change in programming. The rest of the public, on the other hand, did not believe in the genuineness and effectiveness of the new MTV approach and foretold it an ephemeral life. They were mistaken – very soon, MTV started to “air more than 10,000 public-service spots each year.”
Subsequent campaigns, still ongoing and successful, are concerned with issues such as AIDS, HIV, safe sex, and condoms. These projects are called MTV Against AIDS and Staying-Alive.org – below you can watch two videos related with them.
Robichaux, M. (1993). MTV Is Playing A New Riff: Responsibility. Wall Street Journal. Retrieved January 4, 2009, from http://aidsinfobbs.org/articles/wallstj/93/31.txt
LGBT AD - MTV Free Your Mind 1. (2007). Youtube – Broadcast Yourself. Retrieved January 7, 2009, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVLMxS2Admo
MTV Against AIDS. (2007). Youtube – Broadcast Yourself. Retrieved January 7, 2009, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZx8C5-llu4&feature=related
MTV Staying Alive: This is Not a Commercial. (2007). Youtube – Broadcast Yourself. Retrieved January 7, 2009 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xN1DjBaTSfI
Robby Romero "Free Your Mind" PSA. (2008). Youtube – Broadcast Yourself. Retrieved January 7, 2009 from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mErROwVxGjM
The first article I recommended to read was about the origins of pro-social campaigns; the second one is about their future. This contribution by Christopher Byrne is called “AIDS Awareness: Smokey and the Cell Video – the Personal Public Service Announcement” and includes a transcript of a blog posting from Scott Shamp, Director of the University of Georgia New Media Institute, which I highly recommend to read until the end.
Your first question might be ‘What does the PSA mean?’ – the answer is Public Service Announcement, defined by the Federal Communications Commission as “any announcement for which no charge is made and which promotes programs, activities, or services of governments or non-profit organizations.”
The article is about a project called “AIDS Personal PSA 2008,” which was realized under the auspices of the New Media Institute by the University of Georgia. Its aim was to show daily life situations of people infected with HIV and to encourage young people to get tested on the virus.
What is the actual breakthrough? It is the first campaign in the world dealing with “personal PSAs,” labeled like this because they are transmitted and spread via the most personal devices – the mobile phones. Within the scope of this campaign, the personal pro-social spots were downloaded and spread free of charge, thanks to cooperation and support from the cell phone companies Verizon and Nokia. To keep the pushing of future PPSAs free of costs is the goal of the project organizers.
There is a couple of reasons for such development. Firstly, TV is not our only screen anymore – now we can watch our favorite series or movies on the Internet, on our iPods or on the new generation mobile phones, often avoiding commercials so typical for TV. Nowadays we can watch anytime and anywhere, due to technical advances and a small size of these modern gadgets. Secondly, PPSAs (Personal PSAs) offer new possibilities for more precise and effective targeting of the audience, making it a progressive and promising future tool of advertisers. In words of Mr Shamp, “Think of the power of these new PPSAs to change people, to make lives better, to make communities stronger.”
You can find more information about the project and the edited PPSAs videos here
To watch the AIDS PPSA Project 2008: Moments – a video overview click here
List of References:
Byron, Ch. (2007). AIDS Awareness: Smokey and the Cell Video – the Personal Public Service Announcement. NowPublic – Crowd Powered Media. Retrieved December 25, 2008 from http://www.nowpublic.com/culture/aids-awareness-smokey-and-cell-video-personal-public-service-announcement-0
Moments – a video overview. (2008). The AIDS PPSA Project 2008. Retrieved January 8, 2009 from http://www.mynmi.net/aids_ppsa/moments/
Despite reading this blog and despite the examples shown, do you still feel as if in reality there are no such PSAs (Public Service Announcements) around you? Let me prove the contrary – here are few examples from the neighborhood of our school:
1)Linka Bezpeci / Safety Line: 2007 informational campaign alerting to the threats of anonymous cyberspace of the Internet – every fifth person on the Internet impersonates himself/herself, pretending to be someone else. This campaign, series of posters, TV spots, and Internet banners, is promoting safe usage of the Internet space, especially concerning children.
→Where?: sliding doors of the TESCO Express store at Jugoslavska Street
→Slogan: “Na internetu nikdy nevis, kdo je na druhe strane.” / “On the Internet you never know who is on the other side.”
→Text on the poster: “12:11:35 Andy12: Jsi moc mila holka. Mas zitra cas?☺” / “12:11:35 Andy12: You’re a very nice girl. Are you free tomorrow?☺”
→more information at: www.linkabezpeci.cz → Press → Medialni kampane
2)Cesky Cerveny Kriz / Czech Red Cross: 2008/09 promotional campaign, encouraging people to donate blood. The project is supported by many Czech celebrities, especially models who competed for the title of the Czech Miss, or Ali Amiri, participant of the Czech Pop Idol.
→Where?: escalators inside the Namesti Miru metro station
→Slogan: “Daruj krev. Mas na to. Jestli jeste vahas, navstiv www.cervenykriz.eu” / “Donate blood. You can do it. If you still hesitate, visit www.cervenykriz.eu”
→Text on the poster: “Jdi se bodnout se strachem!” / hardly translatable Czech play on words – basically making fun of people’s possible fear, encouraging for action and stressing that a pain during the venipuncture is nothing compared to a great good that one can cause through the blood donation
→ to see the posters of this new Czech Red Cross campaign click here
→more information at: http://www.cervenykriz.eu/cz.php?id=aktuality
3)Linka Bezpeci / Safety Line: 2006-2009 informational and promotional campaign, emphasizing the importance of one’s choice in life. It is run under the auspices of a popular Czech music group Krystof, namely of its frontman Richard Krajco. The controversial series of posters is trying to show how could have Krajco ended up if he had not been surrounded by a caring and loving family when he was a child.
→Where?: citylight at the tram station at I. P. Pavlova
→Slogan: “Vyber si svoji budoucnost.” / “Choose your future.”
→Text on the poster: “Jediny telefonat muze rozhodnout, jaky bude tvuj zivot.” / “A single phone call can decide on what your life is going to be like.”
→more information at: www.linkabezpeci.cz → Press → Medialni kampane
List of References:
Krajco v necekane roli!. (2006). Sdruzeni Linka Bezpeci. Retrieved January 4, 2009 from http://www.linkabezpeci.cz/webmagazine/articles.asp?ida=120&idk=322
Medialni kampane – Rok 2007. (2007). Sdruzeni Linka Bezpeci. Retrieved January 4, 2009 from http://www.linkabezpeci.cz/webmagazine/subcategories.asp?idk=322
Nova tvar projektu darcovstvi krve. (2008). Cesky cerveny kriz. Retrieved January 4, 2009 from http://www.cervenykriz.eu/cz.php?id=aktuality&id_aktuality=174
The Night of the AdEaters is an annual showcase of the worldwide advertising: not necessarily of the best, the fanciest, or the most artistic advertising but simply of the most interesting commercials or the ones that cannot be missed. The event was founded in 1981 by a film-enthusiast Jean Marie Boursicot in France and the concept became successful and well known very soon. Later, the show spread all around the world - nowadays it is run as a tour in more than 160 cities and 40 countries.
The 2008 Edition had its premiere 25 April in Moscow. In the CzechRepublic, this year’s show was held at the beginning of October – 3rd and 4th in Prague and 10th in Brno. The almost six hours long screening contained 500 ads and short films, 480 of which were previously unscreened. The menu was very diverse and included a huge number of forms of the international advertising, such as 2008 soccer collection dedicated to this ‘Year of Football’ in Europe, Paris as seen in advertising, the winning Russian, Polish and Mexican commercials, celebrities, old cultic adverts, and of course a large amount of pro-social ads.
The Night of the AdEaters allows no censorship: alcohol, tobacco, and sex are openly shown. Celebrities, politicians and top sportsmen and sportswomen are also present. Humor, wittiness, innuendos, sarcasm, and emotions are without any doubt the strongest weapons of the commercials presented. Controversy is a part of the plan – it is there to shock, to make the ads memorable. Despite the fact that the fun factor is high, the most important goal is to open the eyes and hearts of the audience. Thus, the world’s greatest concerns and issues are openly discussed: AIDS, nature protection, racism, hunger and poverty, smoking, alcohol and drugs, domestic violence, abusing of children, euthanasia, black market with human organs, etc. The organizers of the event believe that such a personal encounter with these problems cannot let the public cold and idle.
The creator of this tradition, Jean Marie Boursicot, is also a director and owner of the unique Cinématheque – “the only film library in the world dedicated to TV and cinema commercials.” Up to this day, Boursicot has collected more than 800,000 adverts from all around the world. The oldest one comes from a year 1898.
The attached video files should give you an idea about the pro-social commercials that can be seen during the Night of the Adeaters. These seven deal with the issues of smoking, AIDS, guns, and sharing among people.
Adeaters 2008 – 6. (2008). Youtube – Broadcast Yourself. Retrieved January 6, 2009, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_khIjRME7mU&feature=related
Adeaters 2008 – 7. (2008). Youtube – Broadcast Yourself. Retrieved January 6, 2009, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDp-hTdzsj4&feature=related
Against Guns. (2007). Youtube – Broadcast Yourself. Retrieved January 6, 2009, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFifGnokwY8
Jean Marie Boursicot’s Cinematheque. (2008). The Night of the AdEaters - Official Website. Retrieved December 25, 2008, from http://www.nuitdespublivores.com/us/cinematheque-jean-marie-boursicot.htm
Pub MTV Sida. (2007). Youtube – Broadcast Yourself. Retrieved January 6, 2009, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3J80ttz11A&feature=related
Quitting is Hard, Not Quitting is Harder. (2007). Youtube – Broadcast Yourself. Retrieved January 6, 2009, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3W2fmYz2os
Sidaction – Sablier Humain. (2007). Youtube – Broadcast Yourself. Retrieved January 6, 2009, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WhPTygHLMI
The Concept. (2008). The Night of the AdEaters - Official Website. Retrieved December 25, 2008, from http://www.nuitdespublivores.com/us/nuitdespublivores.htm
Think Smoking is Sexy?. (2006). Youtube – Broadcast Yourself. Retrieved January 6, 2009, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bblNcA0U6Fo&feature=related
Worldwide Tour. The Night of the AdEaters - Official Website. Retrieved December 25, 2008, from http://www.nuitdespublivores.com/us/tournee-nuit-des-publivores.htm
