WaterAid Vs Oxfam
WaterAid is an international non-profit organization that was set up in 1981 as a response to the UN International Drinking Water & Sanitation decade (1981–1990).
The organization was first established by the UK water industry on 21 July 1981 as a charitable trust at their main office premises in London. As of 2013, WaterAid had fundraising offices located in Australia, Japan, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States while working in 27 countries worldwide. Activities involve providing people with clean water, safe sanitation, and hygiene education. By 1987 its income exceeded £1 million per annum, and its 2005-2006 accounts recorded an income of £26.9 million. In 2011-12, it raised £55.8m in the UK and spent £54m.
This is an example advert done by Water aid.
Within the advert, they specifically try to encourage sympathy and empathy to the people shown in the video, for example, the first scene is of a young boy drinking unclean water from what looks to be a muddy puddle the non diegetic voice introduces the little boy by his first name this is done in order to force an emotional attachment since we know his name connoting with friendship and would make more sympathetic audiences want to help their 'friend' by giving to water aid in order to help him. The non-digetic voice then says that he needs help and that he drinks dirty water every day (using the word dirty both connotes that the water is undrinkable and that it's a struggle to live with) then the voice sates that he has 'no choice' this is a common theme in the advert since they use two other people in bad suituations and that say they have no choice other than to live this way however from an oppositional reading what the audience sees and what actually happens in their day to day lives may be completely different. In my opinion Water aid is very convincing and good at inspiring both sympathy and empathy however it's very excessive since look at the most deprived cases and situations which could lead to negative connotations of African countries.
Oxfam is a confederation of 20 independent charitable organizations focusing on the alleviation of global poverty, founded in 1942 and led by Oxfam International. It is based in Oxford, England. Winnie Byanyima has been the executive director of Oxfam International since 2013. Oxfam's governance has repeatedly come under criticism. Its failing systems for accountability came to light in February 2018.
Within this advert Oxfam seem to make the advert less of a necessity to give compared to WaterAid because its more of a carefree vibe which makes it so that donataing feels more charitable than forced since the ocfam advert even though using a similar tactic to wateraid they have a different aesthetic by adding lighter music to connote happiness and a brighter future due to our help this is also paired with the brightness of the sun to connote a happy atmostsphere, the advert doesn't inspireas much sympathy and empathy in contrast to wateraid in my opinion, however that could be their way of getting audiences to donate since if someone really wanted to donate they would donate unconditionally and not need to see an advert designed to encourage empathy.
Both Oxfam and WaterAid both use non-diegetic voices in order to not distract focus from the 'product' which makes it easier to encourage donations since they are always focused on what they are donating towards. They also both use the first names of the people they focus on since it makes it personal which makes encouraging sympathy easier since the audience would know the people on a first name basis which would make the audience want to help. The difference between them is what their charities fight for Oxfam wants overall improvement like economic sustainability and education compared to WaterAid who want to help through providing water and sanitation.
In conclusion there is, not a better charity since they both want and do the same thing but how they do it in terms of adverts is different for example WaterAid emit an aura of desperation, that it's a necessity to act and without the help of the audience they will die; in contrast Oxfam have a much more lighthearted attitude in additon to an atmostsphere of desperation since they use more upbeat music which would connote happiness and would presumabily mkae the audience apsire to link the advert with giving as a charity and not as a need. In my opinion the audience is more likely to resonate with Oxfam since it's more upbeat and light-hearted but are more likely to give to WaterAid due to the advert sounding desperate and that the people in the advert need help also hearing that there are other in that situation paired with the sad music which would make most people want to donate.
