How it used to be 

I wanted to look into Advertising in Charity campaigns. I started to look at early campaigns to see how it has changed. To understand the 1930/1940s charity advertisements a look into war time propaganda was essential to understand what the media was focussed on. These are some examples of war time propaganda images and campaigns in the U.S.A and the U.K. 

This strong forceful campaigning was to get everyone involved in the War. The charity advertisements was about supporting those in the war. With illustrations aimed towards families and and the potentials of them losing a dad a husband if they help any way they could. The images were just families without the male figure making women look at a family portrait without there love one. They didn't look towards the brutalities of war or how the men might die but just the picture without them in it.

One other campaign I found form the 1940/1950s was Barnardo's Children's Charity adverts. I was really surprised at the happy smiling children I saw photographed in them. All of them are children's faces looking either big eyed and sad (but not crying) or smiling faces showing how the charity makes the kids feel. This is very different to the advertising we see today from Barnardo's charity.

 Todays advertisements from Barnardo's have shocked the advertising industry showing extreme and horrific visuals of babies and children in situations that make the viewers squirm. As this was such a game changer  in the Ad industry as people where not used to seeing these images. Most of them became banned due to people taking offense. However the ballsy method behind the images caused a massive debate about the charity bringing more attention to it therefore promoting the brand.

 The Shock Tatics have died down as the campaigns were getting banned left right and centre. Instead the have turned to a less dramatic award wining campaign abut not leaving kids to suffer regardless of how they act. I think the message is good and they have used documentary portraits which are different to the shock tactics used a lot in of charity imagery. I really like the message behind these images but they wouldn't work on big billboards as the text is crucial to the message and the viewer wouldn't be able to read it all in time.

Another Charity I that has changed over the years are the Oxfam campaigns. But not a massive amount. They have moved back and forth from showing starving children to showing happy african children as a result of the charity work. 

1930s image shows a skinny child needing help. 1950s shows an illustration of feet (not very inventive or creative) 1970 show a kid looking directly at the viewer asking for help in the image. This is the image we are used to in todays adverts both commercials and imagery for help the children, oxfam and christian Aid. These images flood are screens every advert break and are pasted on bilboards and bus stops. They have become so frequent not only have people become desensitised to the imagery they have become irritated by the constant advertising.  

The final image I feel is the strongest. It is creative and attention grabbing. It is also relatable to most people. People can detach from the starving children because they have never experienced starvation or been around those who have.  We have all seen a muddy puddle and we have all eaten with a knife and fork. This makes it relatable.