Radio Advert Analysis 3

In my third and final radio advert analysis, I listened to one from the Metropolitan Police. As it is only for the Metropolitan Police and not any other force, it will only have been played on London and the Metropolitan areas radio stations. The style of the advert is somewhat formal, very serious and informative. The advert can come across as quite aggressive as multiple voices talk in a serious manner, with some shouting and talking about things such as violence, murder and death. It is trying to encourage people to change their lives and to know that they are the deciders of their future. Though the advert is talking about life, it never directly refers to it in this way. It instead refers to life as being ‘new kind of film, you don’t watch –you live’. It is trying to persuade people to cut down on violence and not live it like a film as they will face serious consequences.

Multiple voices can be heard in the background, each talking in a very hostile manner. Some say things such as ‘stabbed or be stabbed’ or ‘you gonna come here with a knife and not use it?’ The voices make the advert very intense and angry, which makes the advert more likely to affect people. It is supposed to portray a realistic view of gang culture in London and to show people that it isn’t the right path. The tone of the advert will also most likely encourage people that it is a horrible way of living, with constant threats of death and the potential to completely ruin your life. The main person speaking in the advert sounds like a young black male, speaking in a London accent. Though this may come across as somewhat stereotypical of gangs in London, I do not believe it is racist and isn’t targeted at just one race. I think it is aimed at young people in general to deter them from a life of crime. The main speaker’s voice builds in volume and though his tone doesn’t really change, the music in the background makes it more intense.

Another quote that reinforces that the listeners to the advert have the ability to change the outcome of their lives is ‘You interact with it, you decide how it ends’. This is directly aimed at the listening audience, using the word ‘you’ twice for emphasis. It also continues with the theme of the advert, where the main speaker is telling people that their lives aren’t like a movie and can be interacted with and changed for the better. Throughout the advert there is tense music that is practically the same note throughout, before building towards the end and finishing with what sounds like a muffled explosion. The music doesn’t really add much to the advert, as it is very peripheral, with the voices and sound effects being at the fore throughout. Some of the sounds that can be heard include dogs barking and a police siren, both of which are within the first 3 seconds of the advert, immediately establishing the advert as a police-related public broadcast.

There are many hostile voices shouting threats in the advert, while a voice with authority, presumably a police officer, provides the contrast and reality to the advert. He states that ‘The police will charge you with murder’. This is basically stating the harsh truth of being involved with crime and gangs- it is no film and you will be charged. The man makes another appearance at the end of the advert, saying ‘Metropolitan Police: working together for a safer London’. This is finishing off the advert and its point- that the reason for it is for the police to help them make London a safer place.

Just before the end of the advert, the main speaker says ‘search online for choose a different ending’. This helps more people get involved and learn more once the advert is over, by finding help for their problems.

Overall, I think the advert was very good, suitable and effective for its message. The advert delivers a serious tone and effectively makes gang culture and violence seem less stylized and more dangerous with life-changing consequences. A flaw of the advert is that some of the voices are slightly inaudible, due to shouting and thick accents. However, this may merely be me, with people local to the area having the ability to clearly understand what is being said.