advert

• The Super Human advert is a campaign created by Channel 4 for the Paralympic Games. The purpose of the advertisement is to challenge audiences' perceptions of disability and to provide a realistic portrayal of the lives of disabled athletes. The campaign aims to give a voice to those who are not usually represented positively in the media.
• The advert shifts the focus from the "Super" to the "Human," emphasizing the everyday lives of the athletes. This is done to make the athletes more relatable and to challenge the idea that disabled athletes are somehow different than able-bodied athletes.
• Avoidance of Stereotypes: The advert actively avoids negative /stereotypical representations of Paralympians as either victims or heroes. Instead, it presents a realistic portrayal of the athletes, showing their strength, resilience, and determination
• 6. Conceptual Binary Opposition: The on-screen graphic "To be a Paralympian there's got to be something wrong with you" creates a conceptual binary opposition between audience perception of Paralympic athletes and the reality. It challenges the use of language and encourages the audience to reflect upon their own misconceptions of disability.
• 2. Lighting: The advert employs different lighting techniques to convey different moods and create visual contrasts. In the dreamlike sequences, dramatic lighting with rich colors is used to create a visually striking and captivating atmosphere. On the other hand, ambient lighting is used in the reality sequences to convey a sense of normalcy and everyday life.
• Juxtaposition: The editing in the advert cuts between the athletes' grueling routines and clips of cartoon moments, which lightens the mood and engages the audience through humor. This juxtaposition creates a contrast between the athletes' determination and the challenges they face, emphasizing their mental strength/resilience.
• Transition: The advert uses smooth transitions between different scenes to create a seamless flow and maintain the audience's attention. These transitions help connect the athletes' individual narratives and convey a cohesive story of mental determination.
• Pace: The editing also controls the pace of the advert to evoke specific emotions in the audience. For example, fast-paced editing during intense training sequences creates a sense of energy and excitement. In contrast, slower editing during moments of reflection or struggle allows the audience to connect with the athletes on a deeper level.
• Visuals: The advert juxtaposes images of disabled athletes in their training regime with scenes from their everyday lives. This visual contrast aims to make the athletes more relatable to audiences and challenge stereotypes or pity-based representations of disabled individuals. The use of realistic visuals creates a sense of authenticity and normalizes the experiences of disabled athletes.
• Gestures and Expressions: The athletes' gestures and expressions in the advert convey emotions such as frustration, competition, and celebration. These non-verbal cues highlight the dedication and hard work put in by the athletes, emphasizing their talent and determination.
• Clothing: The advert uses clothing as a signifier to place the athletes within their sporting context. The track cyclist's clothing and the swimming costumes differentiate the athletes in their training settings. In contrast, the athletes are shown in everyday clothing, such as hospital attire or casual wear, in domestic scenes. This contrast serves to illustrate different aspects of their lives and challenges preconceived notions about disability.
• Humor: The advert incorporates humor to convey information and provide a lighter tone. For instance, the image of a hamster on a wheel and the mention of a "puke bucket" are recognizable visual signifiers of struggle, adding a touch of comic relief to the grueling training regime. The use of humor helps to engage the audience and create a more relatable representation of disabled athletes
• By portraying disabled athletes as high-performance athletes, the advertisement challenges stereotypes and misconceptions surrounding disability, encouraging audiences to examine their own perceptions.
• • Stylized sequences, such as the dream sequence, convey meaning and highlight the impact of the postponement of the Games on the athletes.
• One factor that may influence audience interpretation is age. The advert specifically targets Channel 4 viewers who largely fall into the 16-34 age bracket. Younger audiences may be more open to inclusive representations of social groups and may be more receptive to the message of the advert. Older audiences may have different attitudes about disability, which could shape their interpretation of the advert.
• Viewing habits can also play a role in how audiences interpret the advert. Regular audiences of Channel 4 may be familiar with the approach taken by the broadcaster when promoting the Paralympics. They may have seen previous campaigns and have a certain expectation of how disability is portrayed. This familiarity could influence their interpretation of the advert.
• Attitudes towards disability can greatly impact how audiences interpret the advertisement. Those who have positive attitudes towards disability may interpret the advertisement as a powerful and effective representation of disabled athletes. Those with negative attitudes or misconceptions about disability may have a more critical or skeptical interpretation of the advertisement.
• Personal experiences: Audience members who have personal experiences with disability, either through their own lives or through close relationships, may have a more nuanced and empathetic reception of the advert, as their own experiences could shape how they interpret the advert.
• Media literacy: Audience members who are more media literate may engage with the advertisement on a deeper level. They may analyze the messaging, techniques, and representations used in the advertisement, which could influence their reception and interpretation.
• Cultural and societal context: This context in which the advert is viewed can also impact audience reception. Social norms, values, and beliefs about disability in a particular society/community can shape how the advert is received and interpreted.
• Realistic Representation

  • Ellie Simmonds putting on her goggles in the pool or training in the gym, along with domestic scenes.
  • The representations in the advertisement aim to create a realistic, "blood and guts" feel, highlighting the result of the athletes' hard work.
• Empowering Portrayal

  • The athletes' stories are shown without voice-over or graphics moralizing on the plight of the disabled, allowing the audience to form their own interpretations.
  • By emphasizing the athletes' dedication, resilience, and talent, the advertisement empowers them and challenges societal misconceptions about disability.
• The cultivation theory suggests that repeated exposure to media content shapes individuals' perceptions of reality. However, this advertisement challenges the cultivation theory by presenting a more realistic and empowering representation of disability.
• • The advert aims to counter the marginalization and under-representation of certain social groups, particularly those with disabilities, in the media. By providing a positive representation of disability and showcasing the talents and achievements the advert changes attitudes and preconceived notions.
• • According to YouGov research, 65% of viewers felt that the coverage of the Paralympics had a positive impact on their perceptions of disabled people, and 82% agreed that disabled athletes were as talented as able-bodied athletes.
  • The advert reached a wide audience, with 20 million viewers and a campaign reaching 81% of the UK population, demonstrates the potential for media to challenge stereotypes.
• • The Paralympic Games attracted 2.6 million viewers, resulting in the biggest Channel 4 weekly share of TV viewing since 2016 and the largest daytime share since 2012.
• • As a Public Service Broadcaster, it has a remit to ‘Stand up for

  Diversity in the UK’. This means they must represent those that don’t

  usually have a voice in mainstream media
• Chief marketing officer of Channel 4, said of the thinking behind the campaign, ‘The Paralympics has always been an afterthought of the Olympics. It was the first time that any broadcaster was making a meaningful attempt to elevate the Paralympics on an equal footing.
• In Disabling Imagery and the Media (1992), Paul Barnes argues that disabilities are represented in limited ways:

  • Super-cripples – portrayed as having special powers, example blind people might be viewed as visionaries with sixth sense.

  • Incapable of participating in community life – rarely show as integral or productive members of working society – Barnes calls this the stereotype of omission.
• Cultivation theory – George Gerbner

  • This theory suggests that audiences may have become used to the conventions of this subgenre of advertising which raises awareness of a particular social group.

  Due to the repetition of certain codes and conventions, for example, the focus on the specific disability accompanied by a voice-over with serious mode of address, they may accept this view of the world and perhaps be somewhat ‘immune’ to their purpose.
• This advert can also be said to challenge Gerbner. A result of viewing adverts whose aim is to raise awareness to previously under-represented groups, audiences may question their assumptions and be more open to the representations in adverts like Super Human. As it offers a refreshing, more realistic perception of it is to be disabled and challenges common preconceptions and mainstream values.
• Unique selling point: The advertisement focuses on showing the realistic lives of disabled athletes without using voice-overs or graphics that moralize their plight. This approach encourages the

  audience to examine their own misconceptions of disability.
• Realistic Representation

  • Ellie Simmonds putting on her goggles in the pool or training in the gym, along with domestic scenes.
  • The representations in the advertisement aim to create a realistic, "blood and guts" feel, highlighting the result of the athletes' hard work.

  
• 1. Juxtaposition: The advert juxtaposes images of the athletes' training regime with images of their everyday lives. This contrast highlights the mental determination and sacrifices made by the athletes.

  
• Visual Binary Opposition: The advert creates a visual contrast between dreamlike sequences with dramatic images, music, and a rich color palette, and the reality conveyed through ambient lighting and the sound of an alarm clock. This contrast reinforces the narrative and adds depth to the representation.

  
• Use of Animation and Archive Footage: The advert incorporates animated and archive footage in opposition to real-life actions. This technique introduces humor and reinforces the overall narrative of the advert.

  
• Camera Angles: The advert utilizes various camera angles to engage and captivate the audience. Close-up shots are used to create intimacy and allow viewers to see the athletes' emotions and struggles up close. These shots, such as the popping of a blister or the attaching of a prosthetic blade, may make some viewers uncomfortable but also hold their attention. Wide shots are used to show the athletes' surroundings and give a broader perspective.