Analysis of Audiovisual Texts of Public Service Announcements: Approaches and Methodology

Abstract

This research describes the approaches and methodology of analysis of public service announcements (PSAs) created in the audiovisual (AV) format. Recently, PSAs have become an important tool used to adjust current social behaviour models and to bring forward the maladies of the modern society. To increase PSAs’ persuasive potential, their authors use different creative forms and solutions. This research analyses different ways to understand the essence of AV texts, suggests the methodology of AV PSAs’ analysis and presents the results of an experimental verification of the methodology described. The methodology of the analysis provided may be used to analyse other types of AV texts, including TV-commercials, creative AV productions, documentaries, etc. It can also be applied in the frameworks of the AV translation process. The main results of the research are presented as an analysis algorithm consisting of several consecutive steps that may help to understand the PSA author’s original intention, its persuasive potential, and to predict the recipients’ reaction.

“Washing Hands” Public Service Announcement as a Covid-19 Response Effort

“…It can be seen that these messages aimed to improve social behavior patterns and to attract the public's attention to certain disease [7]. PSA are advertisements that are used to convey information, persuade or target audiences where the ultimate goal is not to get economic benefits, but social benefits [8]. The social advantage here is the addition of knowledge, awareness of attitudes and changes in people's behavior towards advertised problems and getting a good image in the eyes of the community.…”