Media Literacy Analysis: Project 84

Media Item

The media item that I am analyzing is a YouTube video, which reveals the idea of Project 84. It touches a subject that most people do not want to talk about-suicide- the UK’s biggest killer of men under 45. During the project, 84 sculptures were made by the artist Mark Jenkins and his assistant- Sandra Fernandez. Each one of the figures was a reminder of a real life that was lost due to suicide. That campaign is a way to encourage the society to come together and take a stand. I think that the media item that I have chosen is also relevant for the students of communication, media, and society, because we should all be aware of what is happening around us and we should think of how we can help those in need. Ignoring the problem would not change anything.

Authorship

The creator of the campaign was the communication agency Adam & Eve DDB. The activation was made for charity CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably), which aimed to raise awareness among people and, eventually, save their lives. The creators of the campaign partnered with the well-known sculptor Mark Jenkins, who designed 84 realistic sculptures. Mark Jenkins collaborated with friends and families, who lost their close-ones to suicide. His hyper-realistic street sculptures, as well as, the workshops, which he organized in order to demonstrate how he does those magical figures out of packing tape, has made Jenkins one of the most widely known American sculptors. The support organization CALM has been providing such support services for more than 11 years. Even though they are highly-trained, those years of practice were not enough to deal with the terrifying problem, concerning male suicide. However, as a result of this year’s campaign, the organization met 80% of user sign up in just a few days- over 2. 1 billion pieces of earned media and millions of Twitter followers. The campaign also reached ITV, which showed the stories during the most watched daily TV news. The owner of the media also helped by putting the statues on the top of ITV’s building, where the people could easily notice them.

Audience

The intended audience is not restricted to a certain age, gender or culture. Even though the campaign addresses the issue of suicide as the “biggest killer of men under 45”, it is also a message to their close ones. As the statistics are shocking, Project 84 aims to encourage people to have a conversation on the topic and stop ignoring the issue. Each person, who has received the message is a step closer to the success. It does not matter if he/she is the victim of suicidal thoughts or he/she is worried about somebody and wants to find help before it’s too late. What’s more, CALM aims to help people, who have already lost a loved one to suicide. This is a way for them to find support and advice in the hard times that they are going through.

Purpose, Content, Creative Techniques

The main purpose of the discussed media item is to inform. The purpose is to reach as many people as possible and make them aware of the problem. The creators want to send the message that being silent does not mean being strong. Conversation can save lives. The campaign also aims to inform how we should deal with people, who we think are in potential danger of suicidal thoughts. The main tools, used to reach the message, are not only the statistics, but also the visuals. The figures, representing the lost lives play the most essential role of the whole campaign. If the message was sent only verbally, the outcome would not be that successful. People are highly influenced by the figures made of plastic tape, as they can be easily visualized as the 84 lives that we have lost in the last week. The creators rely on pathos, by emphasizing on the emotions, reached by the physical impact of the installed figures. By writing individual stories on each one of the 84 statues, put on the top of the building, the creators make the impersonal number 84- truly personal. Each one of those 84 sculptures, represents a real life lost to suicide, which makes the people thinking. By seeing the number visually, they realize how serious the problem is and how important for the society to gather and take a stand against suicide is.

How is this media item different? How it helps the students from the course?

This media item highly differs from the rest, concerning an identical topic, as it touches the matter on a more personal level. The campaign involves real stories, which have a greater impact and manage to bring together people from different races, religions and cultures. The project also initialized a petition, which called for change, as currently there is no UK minister, who has the responsibility of suicide prevention. The petition gathered more than 103, 000 signatures. I firmly believe that even though the campaign is a little bit disturbing, there is a positive message of hope, which can help millions in need. That is why, every person, who is aware of the campaign can contribute by spreading the message. Being silent is not changing anything. We should all try to talk about the issue and prove that there is always help and there is always somebody willing to be there for you. You only need to have the courage to ask!