Advertising case study 2: Represent NHS Blood campaign

Sample questions for Advertising and Marketing

In your Media exams, you are likely to get questions similar to these:

1) Why do advertisers use stereotypes? [6 marks]

2) Explain how advertisements reflect the historical context in which they were created. [12 marks]


TV adverts: key conventions

As with any media text, the starting point is to focus on the key conventions. How do you know when you are watching an advert on TV or YouTube? What are the conventions that appear in the majority of moving image adverts?

Key conventions of moving image advertisements

• Narrative (storyline)
• Mise-en-Scene (CLAMPS)
• Editing (fast-paced, slow-paced, juxtaposition)
• Camera shots (& their effect)
• Sound (music, dialogue/voiceover, sound effects)
• Logo & slogan
• ‘Call to action’ – how audience can buy/support/take part

Broadcast advertising - notes

The internet may grab all the attention these days, but television advertising is still a significant media platform for advertisers to reach their target audiences.

Broadcast advertising is a powerful and persuasive tool for reaching consumers. It allows producers to target specific individuals or groups who are likely to be watching certain channels at certain times (e.g families tend to watch ITV and other mainstream channels at 7pm on Saturdays). Television adverts also reach a wide audience. 

To create an effective television advert, you must have a good script or concept and a strong offer or message. 

Advertising campaigns

Some adverts are produced in a series as a campaign. An advertising campaign is a series of advertisements that share a singular theme, message or idea. These are used to raise awareness of an issue or of the brand itself. The best campaigns have an emotional impact on audiences.

An advertising campaign will usually appear across multiple media platforms - print, broadcast and online.

Represent: background information

Lady Leshurr is an English rapper, singer and producer. She is famous for her freestyling rap style and has her own clothing line. 

This is the advert CSP:

The two articles we read in the lesson provide details on the campaign and how it was developed. This also gives information on why blood from people with a BAME background is so vital. 

GLOW words to use in connection to this campaign

• Literal – the actual, obvious meaning 
• Semiotics - the message behind what you see (hidden messages)
• Reinforce stereotype – when a representation is what we expect
• Challenge/subvert stereotype - When a representation goes against what we normally see in the media
• Mass - A mass audience is made up of a large group of people (men, women, children, elderly)
• Niche - A niche audience is a small subset with very unique interests or characteristics 

Codes and conventions of rap music videos

• There are many low-angled, close up shots in hip hop videos, to imply the artists’ power over their audience. The low angle gives them the power, because they look down on the audience and the close up gives status because it implies they’re important enough to have a frame to themselves.
• Sections of direct contact with the camera (the artist usually spends a lot of time looking straight into the camera as if to talk or have a conversation with the audience and relate to them)
• Props regarding costume tend to be used, for e.g. gold jewellery (male rap artists are commonly known to wear heavy chains or prominent rings)
• Show a clear display of emotions – if the tone of the song is angry, the artist is likely to present this through their gestures and facial expressions.
• Strong editing cuts between concept / performance and narrative.

Represent NHS Blood & Transplant campaign: blog tasks

Work through the tasks in this blogpost to make sure you're an expert on this CSP.

Re-watch the Represent video and then watch the 'making of' video:




1) What does BAME stand for?

Black, asian and minority erthic (bame)

2) Why is there a need for blood in the BAME community? 

because for them to donate it to the poor who really need blood.

3) What does this advert want people to do once they've seen it (the 'call to action')?

give to the poor for example money, clothes, blood and ect.

4) Why is the advert called 'Represent'?

to represent how poor people are treated.

5) Why have the producers chosen famous BAME celebrities to feature in the advert? Give an example of three well-known people who appear in the advert and why they are famous.

because they can explain clearly what it is about.

1) Lady Leshurr

2) and the NHS

6) Why is there a slow-paced long shot of empty chairs at the end of the advert?



7) How does the advert match the key conventions of a typical urban music video?

8) How does the advert subvert stereotypes? Give three examples (e.g. ethnicity, masculinity, femininity, age, class, disability/ability etc.)


9) How does the advert reinforce certain stereotypes of the BAME community? Could there be an oppositional reading where some audiences would find this advert offensive or reinforcing negative stereotypes?

10) Choose one key scene from the advert and write an analysis of the connotations of camera shots and mise-en-scene (CLAMPS).