This document discusses different theories about how audiences interact with media and advertising: - The uses and gratification theory focuses on why people use certain media to fulfill needs, rather than on the media content itself. - The hypodermic needle theory suggests media can directly influence large audiences by "injecting" them with messages to trigger a desired response. It views audiences as passive. - The passive/active theory considers whether audiences passively accept media messages or actively engage with them by interpreting based on their own life experiences. The document analyzes how these theories apply to different types of advertisements, concluding that the hypodermic needle theory often works best for beauty ads that aim to influence audiences without their awareness, while

1. In everyday life people depend on all types of media. It plays a huge role in our daily life than
it did twenty years ago. Technology is progressed constantly and is so dependable
nowadays. Media and technology allow us to communicate to others and develop strong
opinions on issues that occur day-to-day.
Throughout the modern world we are influenced by many diverse forms of advertising.
Advertisements allow people to communicate through what they see and hear, by
encouraging, persuading or manipulating them into believing into a specific product.
Advertisements are intensely planned before any filming can be done to make sure it turns
out the way it intended to. To make any successful advertisement there are several key
things that producers must consider before it is put out to the public, this being; sound,
script, image, SFX etc. All forms of advertising is seen a good actively participating as in
some way or another they have an effect on an audience, a great example of this would be
the ‘Go compare’ advert. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROCRoTz4oL4 Although this
advert is seen as ‘annoying’ it is very effective in the way in which people can associate what
the advert is trying to sell just through the music and actors used and is discussed in a social
environment which helps promote the product even though it might not be for the right
reasons. Almost everyone in the UK is familiar with this advertisement as it has a very catchy
slogan and it is very clear what is being said and told in comparison to an advert that is not
obviously stated who the company is, these adverts are usually telling a story.
We, as an audience view all different advertisements in unlike ways, three theories have
been produced to narrow down and to gain a better understanding of the audience. These
three theories are called Uses and gratification, Hypodermic needle and Passive and active
consumption.
Uses and gratification
One influential tradition in media research is referred to as 'uses and gratifications'
(occasionally 'needs and gratifications'). This approach focuses on why people use
particular media rather than on content. In contrast to the concern of the 'media
effects' tradition with 'what media do to people' (which assumes a homogeneous
mass audience and a 'hypodermic' view of media), U & G can be seen as part of a
broader trend amongst media researchers which is more concerned with 'what
people do with media', allowing for a variety of responses and interpretations.
However, some commentators have argued that gratifications could also be seen as
effects: TV helps to shape audience needs and expectations.
We use media to fulfil our needs this theory focuses more on the audience than the content.
The hypodermic needle goes against this theory as it drives more on the content and how
we are oblivious to what message is being portrayed.

2. Hypodermic needle theory
The theory suggests that the mass media could influence a very large group of people directly and
uniformly by ‘shooting’ or ‘injecting’ them with appropriate messages designed to trigger a desired
response. This theory suggests the powerful and direct flow of information given from the sender to
the receiver (the audience). They express the view that the media is a dangerous means of
communicating an idea because the receiver or audience is powerless to resist the impact of the
message. There is no escape from the effect of the message in these models. The population is seen as
a sitting duck. People are seen as passive and are seen as having a lot media material "shot" at them.
People end up thinking what they are told because there is no other source of information.
Passive or active
The passive and active theory states that as little as you watch TV, radio or
whatever you still agree with the media and believe it’s right.
A passive audience does not actively engage with a media text. A passive
audience is one that does not question the message that the media is sending
and simply accepts the message in the way the media out intended it to be
accepted whereas, an active audience is one that actively engages with the
text. The reader doesn’t necessarily immediately question what they they read
and develop their own interpretation of the media product based on the
background of their life. theories such as the uses and gratification and the
postmodernist theory usually assume the audience are active.
After looking into these three theories I have concluded which would be most
suitable for my advertisement, I feel the hypodermic theory is probably best as
huge success can come from having an advert that is not always liked but Is
good enough to still be in peoples heads even after watching it. From my own
experience I know that when I watch television i’m almost drawn into an
advertisement if I know someone I like is in it, by having a celebrity
endorsement it is basically sending out the message that if you don’t buy this
beauty product (for example) you won’t look like Gwen Stefani. Even if
celebrities aren’t in an advert there will always be someone equally as
beautiful and ‘model like’ in it to try and convince the audience that this is what
they’re missing out on if they don’t buy this product. Although I don’t feel this is
a fair way of interpreting media into peoples lives I do feel it works best when
any beauty product is being advertised as it really captures the audiences
attention without even being aware of it but when it comes to a series of
advertisements I think the audiences perception should be taken into account
before hand. Advertisements like UK Boots are on constantly on hundreds of
channels and they only way I believe it is a successful as it is now is because
they care and understand their audience without having to manipulate them
into it. After watching previous adverts by them i noticed how they put realistic
narratives into their performances, this makes their audience active as well as
falling into the path of Uses and gratification. They have used real life scene in
their advert to make it more relatable to as many people, families as possible.
All in all advertisements will forever be making money out of us but it’s adverts
that hold an impact on us that will be looked at and talked about.