Superhuman audiences

• Target audience is a relatively broad demographic including channel 4 viewers who largely fall into the 16-34 age bracket fans of sport those who desire to see more inclusive representation or social groups which they might be a member
• From a channel whose remit states that it appeals to the tastes and interests of a culturally diverse society
• The use of personalisation will reach the audience. Superhuman deals with real human stories focusing on the day to day struggle of being an althete in training and disabled
• The individual narrative are constructed to encourage the audience to identify with the althete and their lives
• The technical codes include a lot of close up shots some of which are uncomfortable for example popping of the blister.
• Also gives the audience access to views which they may be unfamiliar such as the attaching of prosthetic blade all of which hold their attention.
• The editing cuts between the althetes gruelling routines and clips of cartoon moments lightening the mood and engaging the audience through humour
• The audio codes address the audience. The soundtrack is a recognisable song from bugsy malone so you want to be a boxer.
• The choice of this upbeat stirring tune grabs the audience attention with connotations of struggle and hard work paying off. Older audiences will be familiar with the film from which it is raken
• Other audio codes suggest struggle heavy breathing and grunting and these are juxtaposed with sounds from everyday life such as a woman in childbirth and a baby crying
• The unique selling point is the showing of the althetes stories there is no voice over and no graphics moraising on the plight of the disabled
• Instead there is an attempt to give a realistic portrayal of the lives of disabled althetes. The audience are left towards the end of the ad with the words to be a paralympians there's got to be something wrong with you
• Encouraging them to examine their own misconceptions of disability in light of what they have just viewed
• The ad was successful in reaching it's audience. Channel 4's paralympic coverage was viewed by 20 million people a third of the uk's population 22% of whom were 16-34
• The marketing campaign rwxhed 81% of the UK population
• The paralympic games attracted 2.6 million viewers accounting for the biggest channel 4 weekly share of TV since 2016 and the largest daytime share since 2012
• The superhuman advert sets out to challenge audience perception of disability
• The ad might make some audiences feel uncomfortable as it uses shock tactics to make audiences aware of the issue facing disabled people in their sport and everyday lives. For example time lapse photograph is used to show a bruise developing and there is a close up shot of blister being popped
• Audiences may also be affected by Kylie grimes unable to enter a cafe as her wheelchair cannot get over the step
• Ad challenges audiences to examine how they might use outdated language to categorise disabled people by the on-screen slogan at the end of the ad ' to be a paralympians there's got be something wrong with you. The aim of this is to encourage audiences to see this as something positive and that being a paralympian is something to be proud of
• Advertising campaign whether for consumable products events or charities reflect the concern and issue of society that produces them
• In promoting the paralympics and creating the trailer channel 4 is seeking to address the underrepresentatuin or misrepresentation of a particular social group
• The ad seeks to focus on that these are real people human rather than super which makes them more accessible to audience
• The representation of disability in this ad is affected by social and cultural context channel 4 has taken the active decision to present the althete neither as victims or heroes but just ordinary sports men and women facing extraordinary challenges
• This constructs a more compelling social narrative reflecting the appetite of the time for success stories that are accessible. This is evident at the beginning of the advert when the dream sequence is shattered and real life begins
• The upbeat soundtrack use of personalisation and positive representations of the event and althetes as both super and human encourages audiences to accept the ideology and intended meaning of channel 4 the encoder in creating the ad.
• The use of real people creates a preffered reading that audience should invest in the narratives and subsequently watch the paralympic games
• Some audiences may adopts a negioatef position acknowledging the legitmacy of the encoders position but may feel more distanced from the sporting theme or event. However this audience may be open to the positive approach of as and examine their misconception about disabled people and their lives more generally
• Oppositional responses may come from those who aren't supporters of channel 4 and it's ethos of giving a voice to those who are underepresented
• They may be older not regular viewers of channel 4 or not interested in sport of any kind
• Cultivation theory, this theory suggests that audiences may have become used to the conventions of this sub genre of advertising which raises awareness of a particular social group
• Due to the repitition of certain codes and conventions for example the focus on specific disability accompanied by a voice over with serious mode of address they may accept the view of the world and be somewhat immune to their response
• The narrative includes non sport related issue such as discrimination faced by disabled people. May help to educate audiences and encourage change
• Refers to medical illnesses such as crohns disease as well as shots of doctors, medication, long term health issues that many people with disabilities have to deal with. Relatable to audiences including those affected by context of covid, lockdown and postponed events
• The manipulated shot and audio codes of Boris Johnson reflect channel 4's anti-establishment and alternative standpoint perhaps suggesting the government aren't always supportive of those with disabilities
• The representation of disability in this ad may help to educate audiences and change their preconceptions about disabled people and may show disabled althetes as potential role models for others.
• So you want to be a boxer targets adults particularly 35+ who may be familiar with the song and see it as an upbeat performance
• The Toyota sponsorship message reflect the expensive nature of filming and broadcasting and need to get extra revenue from sponsorship to deal with this
• Channel 4 has a psb remit which may have an effect on the way they represent people in their products public obligation