What techniques does the text use to engage the audience?
The Kony 2012 advertisement uses many techniques in order to engage the target audience. At the equilibrium of the advertisement (Todorov’s theory), the institution engages the audience through the use of text. The use of white font contrasted with the black background creates enigma, whilst hinting to the audience that this is a very serious subject. The colours white and black could connote Strauss’s theory of Binary opposition good vs. evil. The black connoting evil (Kony), and the white connoting the innocent children Kony abducted.
The male voiceover of the leader David’s, talks in a monotonus, sombre tone which connotes that he’s trying to inform and educate (uses and gratifications theory) the audience on a serious subject. The use of the male voiceover could connote the “Voice of God” narration which is used in order to anchor the images and text. The way David is also an American could connote capitalism whilst could connote the institution using this to promote hegemonic values. The use of the male American voiceover could also connote patriarchal values and Americanization because he’s conveyed as an independent dominant male. If the institution had used a female voiceover, the audience would be able to view the subject as more sympathetic and caring, but the way they’ve used a male voiceover could connote they are trying to give the audience a dominating and powerful approach. They are trying to state the facts, what they do and how we can help.
As we are introduced to our narrator David, we are let into the journey of his life, from the birth of his son to what life he wants for his son when he’s older. The short scene where we get a point of view shot of his wife having their little boy Gavin, could connote to the audience that he’s trying to get us involved and emotionally attached with him. The use of the point of view shot is almost as if we are the women giving birth which also gives us a sense of realism as if we are intentionally being placed in her shoes. The images and shots convey him as the perfect “father figure”. An example of this is of the medium shot of David wrestling with his son Gavin. The audiences are also able to view David as a reliable narrator, whilst allowing the audience to self-identify with him because he’s a father who wants the best for his children in the future.
The close up to medium shot of the globe connotes an iconic symbol of humanity, whilst giving the audience the sense that the advertisement is targeted globally. The beginning of the advertisement conveys close up and medium shot images of people hugging and embracing each other connoting that the institution are about to approach a more sensitive emotional subject. The words “Humanities greatest desire is to belong and connect” hint to the audience that the institutions are trying to target a wide range of audiences, especially by the way the people embracing each other are all different races and ages. An example of this is the black women picking up the black little girl for a hug. Not only is this used to engage psychographic groups, but to introduce the use of Face book which is an e-media platform that is used globally. The connotations behind this is that the voiceover is trying to convey that technology has become advanced by the way he says: “Now we see each other, we share what we love and reminds us of what we all have in common and this connection is changing how the world works.” The use of the e-media platform connotes that the institutions are trying to connote that these platforms such as; you tube, face book, twitter and technological devices are bringing the whole world a lot closer today through the use of globalisation, giving us a sense of McLuhan’s Global village theory. However, the close up shots of people using these technological devices connotes that these e-media texts and technology has reached a wide range of people worldwide. The use of characters of all ages, for example: the old couple trying to take a picture and the little girl saying I love you to her grandma, further connotes that people have become much more familiarized with these e-media texts whilst also connoting how we’ve become independent on these uses of technology every day of our lives. Also the institution plays a few different ranges of you tube video’s. For example, the little boy preaching about riding a bike which was considered as humorous and funny, whilst the other video of a deaf girl being able to hear again takes an entirely different approach and enables the audience to sympathize with her emotionally. This could connote that these websites as well as you tube video convey memories, some good some bad (Strauss’s theory of binary opposition) and that just like in real life technology allows us to capture those precious moments and keep them. The constant click of the close-up screen and the clicking of the share button (lean-forward media) gives us a sense of the hypodermic model and connotes that we should share this information on Kony and that if we do, this will then lead to the viral campaign. The way the institution uses these sad clips connotes that they want us to sympathize and connect with the characters and then use our sympathy to switch us on to the main focus of their subject.
The use of montage clips of the Arab spring protests and government could connote that the institution are trying to convey a political approach whilst using them to make the subject look more serious and as if they are trying to include these political people. The news footage is used not only to give us a sense of being “hard news” but could also connote that their trying to capture political events and wars and bring them together as one. This also gives the audience a sense of self-identification as we are all part of the society as well as trying to inform us of protests taking place worldwide. This then links to the protests of Kony that is taken place in Washington later in the advertisement.
The use of the David’s child within the advertisement gives the audience a sense of the topic being more personal to our narrator. Whilst, also allowing us to view aspects of his personal life and how he brings it into his work. The use of the high key lighting around the child connotes innocence, whilst when the camera then zooms into Kony’s face (as the little boys looking at it) gives the audience of Strausses theory Binary opposition good vs. evil. The innocence of the child and the evil of Kony. The fact that it’s our narrator’s child connotes that David wants us to view the topic from his perspective and from an innocent child’s perspective especially by the direct mode of address given by the child. He’s also trying to convey the innocence of a child brought up in an “Unfair” world, not knowing anything about what’s happening in the world. The way David says: “they take children just like Gavin” could be connoting that we see David’s son as a typical boisterous little boy with a happy childhood and loving parents. Then, contrasting this to Africa where the girls become sex slaves and the boy become young soilders connotes that whilst Gavin has his freedom and a childhood, these other children in Africa don’t
The countdown of the clock could connote that there’s urgency for time and that time is running out for us to help these people capture Kony. Whilst, the non-diegetic parallel sound creates the sad atmosphere that the advertisement is trying to convey. An example of this is the close up of Jacobs crying with his head in his hands. The slightly paced zoom in shot combines well with the sad ethereal music, making the audience feel even more sympathetic with Jacob.
