D83 Representation

Deutschland 83

Shelter Essay

Analyse how social and cultural contexts can influence advertising. Use the Shelter advert to support your answer.  [15 marks]

In your answer you must:  

> Analyse how social and cultural contexts influences advertising 

> make judgements and reach a conclusion on why they advertised in this way

The shelter advert consists of three close up faces there is a lack of diversity both socially and culturally. In this advert there is a lack of culturalization represented. Consequently, this can be both a good and bad thing - people don’t stereotype homeless people or they want to go with a stereotypical white person, possible to appeal to the typical British citizen. The poeple used look ‘average’ and don’t look scruffy and dirty as people assume homeless people are therefore going against the cliche. This. Causes people to realise that homelessness can happen to anyone and isn’t specific to certain types of people. Overall, the people featured in the advert are ethnically diverse, however it is not obvious. 

As well as that, all the people used are adults possible causeing more of an emotional attachment due to being more relatable. They may feel that seeing someone the same age as them might help them realise that all of this may happen to them.
The colour scheme of this advert is very basic - red, white and black. It is dark yet simple with the colour scheme which connotations a sense of seriousness about the issue and shows that homelessness isn’t a joke or to be taken lightly.
Altogether, this advert creates a very serious tone when expressing the solemninity of homelessness. Like most adverts today there is an emotional attachment created when viewing emotive posters. Most adverts are relatable on some kind of levels which makes people want to donate and support them. 

Ideological Discourses in newspapers (feminism)

1)Make note of any language which assumes the reader holds the same attitudes/values as the writer?
The Guardian – The Guardian tends to concentrate on more political points of view due to being a newspaper for the more educated and higher class  i.e A or B m class males which suggests why they’ve chosen to take feminism from a political point of view. However, they have attempted to make a joke out of it suggesting that their going to be ‘mocking’ views on feminism as this if for a white upper class male.
Daily Mail – The Daily Mail also have attempted to mock females in power and be a bit sexist. However, due to being more of a female concentrated newspaper they’ve chosen to concentration most on women’s legs, a stereotypically nice part of the female body. By doing this they appeal to all genders and turn it into a more light hearted situation.
The Sun – The Sun however, have gone for a almost insulting approach, we know this from the language they use on the cover.  ‘Don’t call mums women’ and ‘could hurt trans parents’ sounds almost comical as well as ‘pregnant people is ok’’. It laughable due to the way they phrase it, it sounds as if a child. As well as that for a newspaper they use very informal language i.e. Trans instead of transgender. Although it’s an acceptable term its not the type of thing a person expects to see on a front cover.

2) List the ideological discourses which are referred to either directly or indirectly.
The Guardian – The Guardian headline suggests that having a female loader could be a disrupting circumstance and they almost doubt the female power which in turn is quite sexism but appeals to its target audience. As well as that by having the picture of Yvette Cooper in a unflattering position and Jeremy Corbyn looking more powerful it subliminally proposes that men, as they stand now, are more powerful than women and women who do try and gain power will always look silly.
Daily Mail – Like The Guardian, Daily Mail has took the stereotypical role of women and turned their article into that. Two women (Angela Merkel and Theresa May) and made them appear more revealing which downgrades them and makes them appear less powerful.
The sun – The Sun is suggesting that certain words that we have always said can be offensive to people in the LGBTQ community particularly Transgender people, a very good thing to address. However, they’ve taking a very serious topic and made it comical. And so, although their addressing a serious point that needs to be addressed their turning it into something they know their views will find appealing rather that addressing it formally.

3) Consider what part this particular article plays in maintaining the hegemonic*
belief. In other words, how does what is said correspond to what the reader wants to read?
The Guardian – concentration on the political side of feminism and try to minimise its importance but still inform its readers which appeals to their targeting audience (stereotypically a white,  upper class, middle aged, man).
Daily Mail – Try to appeal their audience which is stereotypically more of a female orientated audience and therefore turn serious topics into fashions and beauty which is a stereotypical thing for women to concentration on and not wanting to concentration on the actual power of women Ray their that fashion and beauty.
The Sun – Overall just mocks the whole topic. They make it comical and lower its importance and in a summary are quite offensive.

How does your chosen newspaper represent the issue?
This newspaper makes the issue (the issue being the 2007 riots) more melicious than it actually was. They Hide the persons face and purposely make them more menacing than they should. For all we know this person was just passing by however by not being able to see their facial expression due to being turned away and covered it elevates the devastation in this photo. As well as that the person passing is carrying a drinks bottle which could suggest that he’s just passing through his neighbourhood and this is the normal thing he sees on the streets proposing that it has become a casual event affecting peoples lives which makes this image more saddening as we feel more sympathy.

How does the selection of images and language shape and influence the audience?
The single image to the story brings a lot of attention due to the bright flames which we are immediately drawn to. However, a closer look allows us to deduce the image more and read more into it-doing this allows us to see the devastation which makes us want to read more and find out the story especially as its in our own country which makes it closer to home. However like an average newspapers there are smaller images promoting smaller stories which are also bold and bright which a reader might want to look at.

What is the cumulative effect of these “repeated patterns of representation over long
periods”?
We, being the audience, begin to think that all areas of London are ‘dodgy’ and that anybody living in a stereotypical rough area is altomatically a criminal as well as having rasial connertations.

George Gerbner

Gerbner argues that exposure to repeated patterns of representation over long periods of time can shape and influence the way in which people perceive the world around them

Subjects in the news such as:
Pro/anti Corbin, May and Trump
Brexit/Remain
Immirgration
Muslims
Mass shootings
Rich/poor divide

Music video - gender stereotypes

Stuart Hall

Oppositional reading = don’t believe anything
Negotiated reading = taking with a pinch of salt
Preferred reading = totally gullible

Looking into the power of mass culture and mass media in: DRCAGES
Believe the media are the cause of stereotypes
Believe stereotypes when dominant ideologies are involved

Dominant Ideology -
Stereotypes = the idea that media/companies are run by a white, straight, Christian man
ArcheTypes = this is the ‘ultimate stereotype’ for example a girl from essex is dumb, orange, blonde with bad eyebrows and extreamly white teeth
Countertypes =  a positive stereotype and emphasises the positive features about a person

DISABILITY - mental vs physical
REGIONALISM
CLASS - old money vs new money
AGE - teenagers are illmanered, aggressive, immature, lazy, screen addicted and hormonal
GENDER- women are weaker than men, men provide the majority income, women only look after children
Ethnicity
SEXUALITY - people who like the same gender where born differently