How Do Ngos Represent Humanitarian Issues Trough Images in Advertising?
How do NGOs represent humanitarian issues trough images in advertising?
Negative images of developing countries are a common means adopted by Non Governmental Organisations to raise financial support for those countries. However there has been much discussion as to weather such advertising for fundraising campaigns is really authentic and if the images used represent the issue as it is. More and more NGOs turn their backs on the use of negative images, for example of starving children, and adopting new advertising strategies. When the organisations are trying to raise cash from potential donors there is often a dilemma between using shocking images to raise cash in the short term or whether to focus on the longer term gains with more positive images. This essay focuses on how NGOs are trying to achieve the latter without losing donations. Through a different approach applying the shock effect to a corporate style of advertisements. Will the audience know with these modern fundraising campaigns that for example Africa is not a continent full of sorrow and but will learn more about the wider social historical and geographical context? Do these campaigns give the desired outcome in the end, which is raising money in a democratic way that empowers the subjects from injustice? (Ed Kashi and the Third Frame: NGOs and Photography Conference Report 2010)
“Pictures are powerful” notes Lester and Ross authors of the book “ Images that Injure” (2010). They argue that the publishing of strong images makes economic sense. However economic priorities should not conflict ethics. The fact that images of the starving African child can be used in advertising does not make it ethical, although they are often aesthetically appealing. These images are very welcome for their shock effect and raise money in a relatively fast way. “But aesthetics is not ethics” (Lester & Ross 2010, p.30 ). The authors point out the way media organisations are dealing with their role-related
Negative images of developing countries are a common means adopted by Non Governmental Organisations to raise financial support for those countries. However there has been much discussion as to weather such advertising for fundraising campaigns is really authentic and if the images used represent the issue as it is. More and more NGOs turn their backs on the use of negative images, for example of starving children, and adopting new advertising strategies. When the organisations are trying to raise cash from potential donors there is often a dilemma between using shocking images to raise cash in the short term or whether to focus on the longer term gains with more positive images. This essay focuses on how NGOs are trying to achieve the latter without losing donations. Through a different approach applying the shock effect to a corporate style of advertisements. Will the audience know with these modern fundraising campaigns that for example Africa is not a continent full of sorrow and but will learn more about the wider social historical and geographical context? Do these campaigns give the desired outcome in the end, which is raising money in a democratic way that empowers the subjects from injustice? (Ed Kashi and the Third Frame: NGOs and Photography Conference Report 2010)
“Pictures are powerful” notes Lester and Ross authors of the book “ Images that Injure” (2010). They argue that the publishing of strong images makes economic sense. However economic priorities should not conflict ethics. The fact that images of the starving African child can be used in advertising does not make it ethical, although they are often aesthetically appealing. These images are very welcome for their shock effect and raise money in a relatively fast way. “But aesthetics is not ethics” (Lester & Ross 2010, p.30 ). The authors point out the way media organisations are dealing with their role-related