The samples below are merely to give you some ideas regarding characterisitcs of successful PSAs -- they do not meet the requirements of our project.
Characteristics of Successful PSA's
Examine some key elements of successful PSA’s. Some go back as far as the 1970's but use elements you will be expected to incorporate in your PSA. The sample videos below are only examples and by themselves do not fit our expectations for your final grade; they simply contain examples of elements you need to consider:
Element #1/ Entertaining Visual/ Audio Messaging:
You will be expected to engage the audience with a variety of media, such as narration, text, interviews, photographs, dramatizations, and music. A PSA is a visual medium. If the narrator says one thing (like the ocean is having problems) and the visuals say something different. It’s the visuals that the broad audience walks away with. So the challenge with a good PSA is to take your message and translate it into images that will convey your message in a compelling manner that will make people do things. The general test for whether you’ve accomplished this is whether if you watch the PSA with the volume turned off, does the message still come across. Narration and music will enhance those messages and drive home your point to make it more memorable.
Element #2/ Arouse and Fulfill vs. Unlikeability (walking the fine line):
With the “Arouse and Fulfill” principle, you need to provoke people to arouse their interests. But if you provoke them the wrong way or too much you can cross the line into “unlikeability” and then you’re actually making a mess of things. This is a major dilemma for television commercials and PSAs. Think about some you have seen that perhaps “went too far” and were too upsetting—be careful how far you go with “shock and awe” -- or others that just annoyed you for some reason. The bottom line is, you don’t see those ads any more. They managed to arouse, but were just plain unlikeable.
Element #3/ Clear Message and Language:
Most PSA’s are 30-60 seconds as commercials on TV. Since hey are seen “over and over,” they have the opportunity to be “relentless” and force you to hear the message. Infomercials have expanded the time limits of advertisng to full length shows to sell products. PSA’s sell ideas, so the language needs to be more concise and the time limitations shorter or the viewer will lose interest. 2-3 minutes will be your guide for this PSA to have time to sell your message to the audience. See a sample . . .
Element #4/ Persuasive Prompt for an Intended Action:
Awareness by itself is rarely enough to make the effort worthwhile. Send your viewer somewhere in the end. Simply ending with a “just don’t do it” message is not enough to compel action. Connect the PSA to an organization. Offer the website, phone number, a "helpline" contact or email and use a logo style visual that will help them remember the person or group. By the end, the "Intended Action" element should be clear, but the viewer needs to be givena direct route to the action. See a sample . . .
Element #5/ Credibility:
Just like a research paper, a message without research/ statistics to affirm its credibility, has no scholarly value. A PSA must use and cite data from reliable sources It does not rely on rumors or unsupported opinions. Not providing concrete evidence of the problem or idea you are selling underestimates, even insults, your audience. You will be expected to use resources and meet minimums for research to give your PSA credibility and turn in a Works Cited page using MLA format. See a sample . . .
Element #6/ The Target Audience:
Know the audience you are trying to reach. You might want to consider age group, gender, relationship to issue etc.How you will reach that audience depends on how they can relate to the issue at hand. Think about the target audience you want to reach and before constructing the PSA, consider the different ways that audience might have emotional attachment to the issue and a visual way to target the attachment. See a sample . . .
Element #7/ Tugging on the Heart Strings:
One of the most famous PSA’s ever made was the “Crying Native American”. It’s remembered by virtually everyone watching television in the early seventies. Today, when you talk to people of that generation about making an environmental PSA, they immediately remember it. Visually, it was very well made. It consists of two simple moments — people throwing litter out their car window, and a native American weeping. Could you possibly reach for any deeper sentimental icon than that? Native Americans were held up with a reverential virtuousness by the environmental movement so the heartstrings were already in place for this spot to work. See a sample . . .
Element 8/ Irreverent Humor (vs Inappropriate tone):
Be careful with this one. You could lose points if you choose to try this but are unsuccessful or don’t understand the point of this explanation. It can be a good idea to inject humor, but not at the cost of demeaning the message or cause. Making fun of teen drinking for instance, does not discourage, it may even encourage and it surely is demeaning to the issue. Injecting humor to drive your point home requires a high level of intellect that demonstrates a full understanding of the topic and the subtle nuances of how to deliver a message without losing gravity in the tone of the message. See a sample . . .
Element #9/ Holding Your interest-- Making it Stick:
There’s a general rule of thumb that people need to view a PSA four to seven times before they are going to finally do the “Intended Action.” Since you will not put yours on TV, you will not have that luxury. Therefore, it needs to be interesting or clever enough to make it memorable-- you know, like that song that get’s stuck in your head in the morning and you are still singing it in your head later in the day. Make the PSA stick! The challenge is to effectively weave together the elements in a 2-3 minute package that is memorable. See a sample . . .
Characteristics of Successful PSA's
Examine some key elements of successful PSA’s. Some go back as far as the 1970's but use elements you will be expected to incorporate in your PSA. The sample videos below are only examples and by themselves do not fit our expectations for your final grade; they simply contain examples of elements you need to consider:
Element #1/ Entertaining Visual/ Audio Messaging:
You will be expected to engage the audience with a variety of media, such as narration, text, interviews, photographs, dramatizations, and music. A PSA is a visual medium. If the narrator says one thing (like the ocean is having problems) and the visuals say something different. It’s the visuals that the broad audience walks away with. So the challenge with a good PSA is to take your message and translate it into images that will convey your message in a compelling manner that will make people do things. The general test for whether you’ve accomplished this is whether if you watch the PSA with the volume turned off, does the message still come across. Narration and music will enhance those messages and drive home your point to make it more memorable.
Element #2/ Arouse and Fulfill vs. Unlikeability (walking the fine line):
With the “Arouse and Fulfill” principle, you need to provoke people to arouse their interests. But if you provoke them the wrong way or too much you can cross the line into “unlikeability” and then you’re actually making a mess of things. This is a major dilemma for television commercials and PSAs. Think about some you have seen that perhaps “went too far” and were too upsetting—be careful how far you go with “shock and awe” -- or others that just annoyed you for some reason. The bottom line is, you don’t see those ads any more. They managed to arouse, but were just plain unlikeable.
Element #3/ Clear Message and Language:
Most PSA’s are 30-60 seconds as commercials on TV. Since hey are seen “over and over,” they have the opportunity to be “relentless” and force you to hear the message. Infomercials have expanded the time limits of advertisng to full length shows to sell products. PSA’s sell ideas, so the language needs to be more concise and the time limitations shorter or the viewer will lose interest. 2-3 minutes will be your guide for this PSA to have time to sell your message to the audience. See a sample . . .
Element #4/ Persuasive Prompt for an Intended Action:
Awareness by itself is rarely enough to make the effort worthwhile. Send your viewer somewhere in the end. Simply ending with a “just don’t do it” message is not enough to compel action. Connect the PSA to an organization. Offer the website, phone number, a "helpline" contact or email and use a logo style visual that will help them remember the person or group. By the end, the "Intended Action" element should be clear, but the viewer needs to be givena direct route to the action. See a sample . . .
Element #5/ Credibility:
Just like a research paper, a message without research/ statistics to affirm its credibility, has no scholarly value. A PSA must use and cite data from reliable sources It does not rely on rumors or unsupported opinions. Not providing concrete evidence of the problem or idea you are selling underestimates, even insults, your audience. You will be expected to use resources and meet minimums for research to give your PSA credibility and turn in a Works Cited page using MLA format. See a sample . . .
Element #6/ The Target Audience:
Know the audience you are trying to reach. You might want to consider age group, gender, relationship to issue etc.How you will reach that audience depends on how they can relate to the issue at hand. Think about the target audience you want to reach and before constructing the PSA, consider the different ways that audience might have emotional attachment to the issue and a visual way to target the attachment. See a sample . . .
Element #7/ Tugging on the Heart Strings:
One of the most famous PSA’s ever made was the “Crying Native American”. It’s remembered by virtually everyone watching television in the early seventies. Today, when you talk to people of that generation about making an environmental PSA, they immediately remember it. Visually, it was very well made. It consists of two simple moments — people throwing litter out their car window, and a native American weeping. Could you possibly reach for any deeper sentimental icon than that? Native Americans were held up with a reverential virtuousness by the environmental movement so the heartstrings were already in place for this spot to work. See a sample . . .
Element 8/ Irreverent Humor (vs Inappropriate tone):
Be careful with this one. You could lose points if you choose to try this but are unsuccessful or don’t understand the point of this explanation. It can be a good idea to inject humor, but not at the cost of demeaning the message or cause. Making fun of teen drinking for instance, does not discourage, it may even encourage and it surely is demeaning to the issue. Injecting humor to drive your point home requires a high level of intellect that demonstrates a full understanding of the topic and the subtle nuances of how to deliver a message without losing gravity in the tone of the message. See a sample . . .
Element #9/ Holding Your interest-- Making it Stick:
There’s a general rule of thumb that people need to view a PSA four to seven times before they are going to finally do the “Intended Action.” Since you will not put yours on TV, you will not have that luxury. Therefore, it needs to be interesting or clever enough to make it memorable-- you know, like that song that get’s stuck in your head in the morning and you are still singing it in your head later in the day. Make the PSA stick! The challenge is to effectively weave together the elements in a 2-3 minute package that is memorable. See a sample . . .