We had to make several creative changes to our original radio advert plan. Originally, part of the recording sounded bland and we rushed it. We lowered the vocal levels which made it quieter but more pleasant. We also had to tone down some slang words to make it appropriate for school. Working with a partner was challenging as it was hard to stay focused. Recording with others present caused embarrassment and ruined takes, taking more time. The advert uses techniques like direct address to hook the target audience and uses a relatable situation about not using a condom, though it relies on negative stereotypes. Feedback showed the advert was poor quality and needed reworking of many elements like acting, effects, and stereotypes used.

1. Radio advert
evaluation
Lauren Revell

2. What creative decisions did you have
to make to solve problems and how did
this depart from your original plan?
We had to make many creative decisions to solve problems
in our advert. One of these problems was that when we first
recorded our advert, there was a small section that we
thought did not follow the stereotype that we were looking
for, a chav. The recording was bland and boring and we
rushed. We also had to lower the vocals that we had
recorded, as they were too loud, and peaked over the red
bar. This made the advert quieter and more pleasant for
people to listen to. We also originally used stereotypical
chav slang words, but sadly, we had to tone the words that
we used down, as they were not appropriate for a school
environment.

3. Both individually and working with
others how did you work and what
challenges did you face?
I found working with others challenging, as I find it
hard to keep focused when I work in a partner, and I
found that when I worked on my own, my input was
far better, which then abled me to put my ideas that I
had come up with on my own, into my partner work.
Also, when I recorded my voice for the advert, because
other people were there, I was embarrassed which
made me laugh because I was nervous, which caused
everyone else to laugh and it ruined the
recording, meaning we spent more time recording and
had less time editing.

4. What advertising techniques did you
use to hook your intended target
audience?
The main techniques that we used was direct
address, we used this when the voice said “Don‟t
be a fool, wrap your tool”. We made the recording
at this part slightly louder, so that it sounded like it
was addressing the listener directly. Another
technique that we used was the fact that although
we exaggerated the story line behind the advert, we
used a relatable situation, as „I wish we used a
condom‟ is the sentence that nobody wants to use.

5. How did technology enable the creative process?
Was it difficult to use any of the equipment and did
you learn any new skills?
We were able to record and edit the tracks and
insert music and sound effects. Because we used
the computer to do this, we were able to edit things
in and out, to work out what sounded good/bad. I
found using the recording device easy, and I was
able to teach the other people that we worked with
how to use it, HOWEVER I am absolutely awful at
Sony Vegas, I find it so hard to use and I needed so
much help.

6. What conventions of radio adverts
have you used or not used and
why?
We used layers, sound effects, dialogue and slogans,
crossfades, and I think that we followed the conventions of
a radio advert quite successfully, however we did not
include a jingle, which a radio advert commonly has.

7. What or who are you
representing in your
advert and how?
We are representing a stereotypical chav in our advert, and I
think that we have done this effectively, however, we have
used a negative stereotype, and we have been quite
offensive whilst doing it, using phrases describing how they
are going to take everyone's „hard earned cash‟ because not
all chavs are like this, but people stereotype chavs into this
category. Although we have used a negative stereo type, it
will help us sell our product.

8. What feedback did you get and how did
this help you realise anything about
your product?
After receiving feedback from our teacher, we have
come to the conclusion that our work is rubbish and we
need to do everything again. Whilst we were still
editing our work, we received some feedback on how
to improve it, such as turning down the vocal levels
and adding some effective music, in which we did, but
our advert is still poor, and next time we seriously need
to rethink on our acting skills, and the effects we
use, and the stereotypes that we follow.