LO3:

The media has a massive effect on the general public. The media can change people’s perspective on

events, objects, places and life in general just by putting messages into their head. This is done by

cleverly showing and telling them why you should by the products they are advertising, and show it

off to make you want it rather than watch it and not acknowledge it at all. The media as a whole can

have a massive effect on the general public due to its 24/7 coverage on TV and Radio meaning you

can almost access it anytime, anywhere. The media can change opinions and views on stuff as it

usually gives you an insight to the main news stories, products on adverts, a song on a music video

etc.

Adverts have a massive effect on the public as they open up your eyes to new products, holidays and

new stuff in the world. Adverts give you a deeper insight and understanding about the thing they

advertise than just hearing it from a friend or source. Also what they say and do on the advert can

have an effect on what you think of the product, and change your mind set as to why you should buy

the product and why it’s better than any other similar products on the market. For example an

advert for shampoo, many people may watch the bog standard shampoo advert and think why

would I want that and not take any notice of it, whereas a clever and well thought through advert

will put messages into your head as to why you should buy this shampoo.

There are 3 theories which tell us why and how as an audience use and interpret the media, these

are ‘Uses and Gratification’, ‘Hypodermic Needle’ and ‘Passive and Active Consumption’.

Uses and Gratificationis how we use the media to help us give us understanding of the outside

world and get a grip of the latest news, fashion and trends in all sorts around the world. It is a

method for us to give us a topic of discussion for social events and needs, and gives enables us to

build on our knowledge and increase our understanding of the world events. It also is the term used

for explaining how the media as a whole gives us pleasure of all sorts, for example music and music

videos.

Hypodermic Needleis the term used when we explain how the media feed us information and

messages by ‘shooting’ and ‘injecting’ us. This is done by both giving us images and reasons behind

us wanting to purchase the product rather than any other existing similar products, and secondly by

expressing the importance of why this product will improve our lifestyle and personal needs. The

media is known as the ‘Media Gun’ because of the way it ‘shoots’ and feeds us with constant

information and news which then updates our understanding and knowledge.

Passive and Active Consumptionis the term used to explain how one feels after watching or seeing

media. Passive Consumption is when someone will watch an advert for example, and not take any

interest in the product or advert itself and let it fly over their head and go on to not purchase the

product. Active Consumption is when you take notice in the advert and watch carefully and listen to

the advert and then feel the need to purchase the product they advertised.

The advert I’ve studied and researched into can be interpreted in several ways by different audience

types. Football fans, sporty people and the younger generation will be drawn to it more than the

older generation and pay more attention to it. Once drawn to the advert and you’ve concentrated

on it, there’s a much higher chance of you going out to purchase the product.

The advert has used the ‘Hypodermic Needle’ theory by including hidden subtle messages in the

advert, but only those who know the players in the advert will notice the messages and get a sense

of enjoyment from the advert and then go on and feel the need to be like the player they inspire to

be and purchase the boots he wears and they advertise. ‘Uses and Gratification’ has been another

theory used in trying to encourage us to pay attention to the advert by updating our knowledge on

the latest football boot modelled by a role model to thousands of people across the world. Football

has a form of fashion and people like to be up to date with football boots much like their day to day

clothing, and they tell us why we should by these news football boots rather than another boot out

there on the market. Ways they’ve done this is by making the advert fun, showing all the advantages

in buying these boots and reasons behind it being suitable for your style of play.

In summary, I will be hoping to a produce an advert similar to the advert I’ve discussed and studied

as it has a very exact target audience which they know will be into the advert, and they’ve put a lot

of work and effort into researching what type of people will watch it and then go out to purchase

the product. The actual advert is well produced and has been edited it cleverly so that even if there

are people who aren’t into football or sport in general, they can still watch it and enjoy it. The 3

theories, Uses and Gratification, Hypodermic Needle andPassive and Active Consumptionare there

to help you find the right target audience and basically a checklist to make sure you’ve done the

right things to please a broader range of people which then results in selling more of the product

and therefore producing a better and more successful final project.