Greenpeace advert

The greenpeace advert is very manipulative in the way it portrays its message. In the opening sequence of the advert the atmosphere is dramatic, tense and chaotic. The music represents this because it sounds as though it is causing chaos, destruction and explosion. The use of the cross in the opening sequence is relevant because thunder and lightning is used which is totally opposite to the cross, which is ironic because it represents peace and tranquillity and thunder and lightning is out of control. The cross represents the apocalypse, it stands for the end of the world, when everything ceases to be and the world is forgotten. In the opening sequence there is an image of a burning earth, this also represents the apocalypse, because the end of the world is near.

In the opening sequence there are images of several things, but the one that is most effective is the image of the man with his hands over his face, the man is in fear, in fear of what, it lets the audience interpret what the man is in fear of. The burning earth also represents just what people are doing through the greenhouse effect, with the burning of fossil fuels and pollution into the atmosphere we are destroying the earth.

In the opening sequence the moving images of buildings and buses exploding is effective, because it manipulates the audience and gets a good, firm statement across about the damage people are doing to the earth through greenhouse radiation and the faults people are doing. By dumping waste into rivers, the sea and small streams people are killing nature and destroying the future of world, as mankind knows it. Also in the opening sequence the image of the duck stuck in oil, this attracts the more sensitive part of the audience and creates a sympathetic vibe in the advert.

Throughout the advert there are a lot of different words and phrases used, for example to make the writing stand out on the screen black and white and a few other techniques are used. “Why have this?” Referring to the destruction, famine and the bad of the world, “Which causes this”. Ethiopian feeding child, self-destruction and the pollution of the world population today. “When you could have this”. This quote illustrates that by 2005 there will be enough wind generators in the North Sea to supply electricity for our country three times over.

In the opening sequence a man is in fear and so he puts his hand over his face, the image is an extreme close-up (ECU) because only his eyes, nose and mouth are present in the camera shot this adds drama and suspense to the shot of the man. Also in the opening sequence there is an image of a small boy with a dirty face who is caught in a close-up shot, these images make you take pity on the less fortunate than you and make you realise that you have life easy and again this is trying to attract the more sympathetic side of the audience. The music in the opening sequence is well picked out because it is of mass destruction and explosion, the music is fast and modern, it appeals to the opening sequence in a good response.

In the second sequence, the sequence with the wind generators the music is pleasant, chilled and calm this is because the advert is telling the audience that they can live longer and without pollution and toxins in the air, it also illustrates what the audience could have, if they work for it, this image is also shot in a tilted frame to add depth and emphasis to the scene, it is a short scene, however the music and wording wraps it up and makes it effective and the audience receive a positive vibe from the advert.

In the closing sequence birds and nature surround the dandelion in a peaceful and tranquil environment, the dandelion is shot in an MS (medium shot), this lets you see half of the dandelion, it is used for variation from the other parts of the advert. Also in the closing sequence the whole image is black and white, it is a very stark image and is of contrast to the rest of the advert, it is used for impact and works in a big way, it appeals to the sensitive side of a person’s nature. In the closing sequence of the advert there is one image of a dandelion and this represents what the audience could have the world like if they stop damaging the ozone layer through unnecessary pollution and toxic waste.

In conclusion the advert is very manipulative and opens the audience’s eyes to the world around them and makes the audience realize that there are people who need their help. The advert is very manipulative and opens the audience’s eyes to the mass destruction that is being inflicted upon the earth. Overall the advert’s techniques are used well, the most effective eye opener is the burning earth it makes the audience realize that through the greenhouse effect they are only ruining their’s and many other people’s lives. In the closing sequence the advert is rounded off well because it shows the audience that they could have life easier and that they are lucky, the shot of the dandelion is effective because it adds a little something to the end shot of the advert.