Question: 70% of all today's clothes are made from synthetics. That's a lot of oil. Every 25 minutes, an Olympic pool's worth of crude oil is used to produce synthetic clothing - That's 350 million barrels a year.

70% of all today's clothes are made from synthetics. That's a lot of oil. Every 25 minutes, an Olympic pool's worth of crude oil is used to produce synthetic clothing. That's 350 million barrels a year.

Determined to help people make an ecological connection between clothes, the fibres they're made of and the impact on the planet, 20something, Park Village and Studio Birthplace have created a "Wear wool, not fossil fuel" campaign that features a series of powerful visual messages. 

It centres around a film, that captures a group of people that struggle to escape an oil-filled swimming pool. The film is accompanied by visually immersive and striking anamorphic DOOH* in London’s Piccadilly Circus and New York’s Times Square, along with global OOH, social support and an interactive WeTransfer partnership scheduled to coincide with the launch.

(https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/woolmark-company-wear-wool-not-fossil-fuel-20something/1797926)

(*DOOH - Digital Out of Home advertising

anamorphosis - 'forced perspective', the practice of mathematically waring imagers so that when viewed from a specific vantage point the illusion of 3D is created on a flat surface)

You can watch the advert here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAnfzSKFbLQ

For this assignment you must write a report analysing this advert and some of the issues behind it. What is the Woolmark Company and what does it do? This advert is not trying to promote a specific brand but has a bigger message - what is this? Consider what persuasive elements are used in this campaign. What was 20something trying to achieve? What techniques have they used? Who do you think the advert is targeted to, and why?

You will be assessed on the depth of your analysis, the extent to which you draw on theory to explain your arguments, and your ability to produce a well-written and researched report.

Your report structure should include the following (word count included for guidance):

• Introduction: This should include a brief explanation of the aim of your report and what you intend to cover including areas of theory (200 words)

• Industry and Social Context: Consider the context to this advert (i.e. fast fashion, environmental issues, the ciruclar economy, etc) and the role of this organisation. What is the Woolmark Company and what was their aim in producing this ad? What do they want their audience to feel, think or do?  How does this advert chime with current social and environmental concerns? (800-1000 words)

• Discussion and analysis of advertising issues: Provide an analytical discussion of the advertising issues related to the case study (see examples below). You MUST support your opinions with theory, i.e. the ideas and areas of debate you find in academic journal articles and books. You should also include references to comparable campaigns and organisations.

• • Advertising issues: what is the purpose of issue-based advertising? How is it different from other more commercially focused ad campaigns? Can advertising be used to change behaviour? You might want to onsider strong and weak theories of advertising and persuasion theories.

• • Message and creative issues: Why were the message and creative treatment particularly appropriate for the audience? How has the ad agency used creative techniques to emotionally engage the audience?

Make sure that you do not only describe what happens in the advert or give your own opinions without referring to theory.

For example you might want to look at persuasion theory, emotional advertising theory, environmental concerns, the circular economy, etc. (1500-1700 words)

• Recommendations and Conclusion: You should sum up your arguments and provide advice for other organisations that that might want to take a similar approach. Any recommendations should be supported by appropriate data or references. (300 words)

Not included in the word count: Appendices, References (Harvard style)

Useful sources:

O'Shaughnessy, J. & O'Shaughnessy, N.J. 2004. Persuasion in Advertising. London: Routledge.

Smith, M.E. 2017. " How neuroscience can aid public sector communications". Admap Magazine, July/August 2017. Available at: https://www.warc.com/content/article/how-neuroscience-can-aid-public-sector-communications/en-gb/111908