According to Twopeopleonefuture (2012) the war between Israel and Palestine has continued to affect the two countries in a negative trajectory which has seen the United States suffer huge economic losses through the aid mounted by the government. The campaign run in the US and other global cities through the various social media and media platforms originates on the basis of trying to get the military presence and aid of the American troupes out of Israel and Palestine. Twopeopleonefuture (2012) observes that it is done with the intention of pushing for a more conscious approach on the aid that is allocated to the two countries. The campaigns major goals are based on promoting adoption of a US policy that promotes peace, equality and security for both the Palestinians and the Israelites. It is also intended to promote and inform the Americans about the scale and the consequences of the US military aid to the two countries. Dagoni (2008) argues that through advertisements and public roll-out, the US public will be informed of the importance of ending the war and the military aid. This essay therefore tries to analyze the media campaigns that have mounted to change the perspectives that have been highlighted above. A thorough scrutiny into the fitting of the adverts and their background is also given a bias in consideration.
Campaign Overview
The ‘Be on Our Side’ campaign was originally designed by the US human rights activists and other members of the Israel and Palestine communities. They thought that the overall implications of the war was in a way being over-inflated in terms of spending, and the consequences of the policy of involvement adopted by the military assistance. It therefore started on a purely humanitarian backing. Dagoni (2008) notes that American involvement with the Palestinian-Israel war would result in economic advantages to all countries involved. However the same returns have dwindled with time and have been battered with the war taking a different angling. The US is thus left hanging on an empty cliff, beckoning a huge economic slump owing to the huge spending imposed by the military support for the two countries. For instance, Twopeopleonefuture (2012) reports that the military support from the US government to combating the war stood at $81.3 Billion in the last half a century. This is large amounts of money needed in the country to run other neglected areas, for instance the health sector needs more funding rather than the external war which includes purchasing ammunitions and military equipment for the war. Therefore, the negative implications and the economy of operation of the undertaking are defeated prompting a restitution approach into the situation.
The war’s support by the American troops has also been understood on a totally platform by the inhabitants of the Palestine and the Israelites. While some think that the military support is in aid to prevent the humanitarian crisis going on in the country, others think that the country has an inclination of bias to Israel, where major support is sent, thus breaching the international standards of peace and conflict resolution (Geer & Lau 2006). The social backing from the people from these countries and the economic crisis that has been created in the US therefore sparked the reaction from the common American taxpayers to question the legitimacy of the foreign aid provided by the experts. Information on the beliefs and stand of the campaign managers informs us that it is because of this stand and view that the campaigns stems its origin from. The recession and the hard economic overturns in the global economy mean that the humongous military spending to the foreign nations has large implications on the taxpayer. This is a major economic factor that continues to put the American person in a daily grapple over the foreign policy adopted by the government. Alijani et al. (2010) observes that this is the root cause of the usual demonstrations and spirited campaigns on the government’s spending in foreign aid rather than dedicated most of the resources in developing its own economy and world.
Market research and Media Overview
The economic assertion developed above goes a long way in backing the market findings. The economic implications fostered on the country due to the large military and foreign aid to the countries explains the urgency with which the committee though it was appropriate in switching the entire perception and policy of the government on the foreign policy to the countries under scrutiny. Dagoni (2008) reveals that the economic implications and the social impacts of the military aid to the war between Palestine and Israel are of striking amounts and anyone who is pro-US advancement would advise against the huge military spending and the legal policy bounding the country’s foreign involvement.
The campaign adopted by the committee is multifaceted. According to information accessed from the original website (http://www.twopeoplesonefuture.org), the campaign has utilized different platforms of media in availing the information to the larger public. Some of the methods that have been utilized include the use of pocket cards, the social media-Facebook and twitter twits, digital media, print media, direct marketing campaigns, placards which have been placed in various areas and designated for public exposure and even in the trains and public buses. The advertisement has been widespread particularly in Chicago and major cities in the country, thus implying a large following and outreach by the campaign. The variability in the mode of advertising and the different categories of media employed in disseminating information is vital for a large public awareness (Mazurkiewicz 2002). Therefore, the approach adopted by the committee is directly linked to the need to reach a wider spectrum of people. The diversity is specifically designed to reach different people in wherever they will be. For instance, the pocket cards are left in the libraries, cafeterias, public galleries and given to people. This reduces the costs of advertising and makes the process of advertising and breaching people easier than other methods, like the broadcast and radio.
Mazurkiewicz (2002) argues that the verbal or language of address in an advertisement must be short, terse, compelling and easily memorable to the audience. This is the same nature of the verbal rhetoric manifested in the images and the wording that accompanies the advertisements. Bird (2003) argues that the verbal hybridity and the transparency of the advert go a long way in drawing a familial reference in the target audience. The words and the images used will therefore form a clear and precise memory of the nature and the background of the information being passed over to the audience. For instance, the two contrasting images of an Israelite nationality and the Palestinian nationalities create a mingling and homogeneous view of the two sides. In the audiences’ view, the already known war on the two sides draws a contrastive view on the two. The images manifest a peaceful and tranquil union without any wrangles or signs of misunderstanding. This is the ideal that the advertising and the campaign struggle to maintain. Familiarity and international following as adopted in the images is thus encouraged, therefore the peace and equality being campaigned for is easily expostulated to the public.
The advertisements are run in English and the images taken are statements of the wish that the campaign team is trying to achieve. The end the US military spending messages are printed side-by-side on the advert. The words used are short and easily expressed without ambiguity or lack of clarity. Just as Bird (2003) speculates in the relationship between the images and the words meant to boost the understanding, the clarity of the messages helps in the easy understanding of the information thereby creating awareness. The families on the advert are clearly marked as Israel or Palestinian. This has much influence in changing the public opinion on the nature of indulgence of the military involvement in Israel and Palestine. The design is quite in context. Context here in the image refers to the nature of the targeted audience, the timing of the campaign and the prevailing market conditions with regard to the war undergoing in the two countries. Bird (2003) notes that the design and the nature if images presented at a particular time must resemble the traversing public opinion of the time, otherwise the information presented may have no major impact on the vast majority. The US citizens have expressed displeasure on the thinking behind the government aid to the civilian war between the two. The huge tax enforced on the US citizen is seen to be spent in the foreign aid which seems to do more harm than aid to the American, Israelite or the Palestinians (Twopeopleonefuture 2012). The divided tension therefore forms the major backing upon which the context’s suitability of the advert hit the public. It is easy to understand an advert contextually placed in proximity or reference to the underlying public opinion (Mazurkiewicz 2002). The advert utilizes this to its advantage, therefore amassing and enjoying easy penetration of the US penetration.
Evaluating the success and the suitability of the campaign
The changing face of the global consideration in the advertisement industry has had impact in the modes and channels adopted by individuals and corporate bodies in broadcasting and advertising their brands (Wright et al. 2010). The case presented in the advertisement of the campaign necessitated by the need to cease the American support of the countries in helping ease the macabre of war in the two countries is thus well placed and under the rightful advertising window. The campaign is meant to amass the support of the US citizens in trying to get the government to stop the military aid to the two countries. The support will go a long way in changing the opinion and the position held by the government with regard to the huge spending on the military aid. Twopeopleonefuture (2012) observes that a huge chunk of the American citizens tax go on to the spending in this countries, where peace efforts and civilian harmony is underdeveloped. The campaign seeks to boost the peace between the two countries and at the same time to lower and leverage the US spending in the countries wars.
The social media has for example been identified as the cheapest and the quickest way to receive a massive following (Bird 2003). The campaign committee has therefore embraced the thinking behind this, thus employing a major following on Twitter and Facebook of the same adverts. There is also an online website where members who willingly support the campaign by registration and contributing are free to share view and report on any matters that pertain to the campaign. This is in cognizance of the changing trends in the communication and advertising strategies in the global scene (Geer & Lau 2006). For instance, the traditional digital and radio, methods have been boosted by the inclusion of the placards, online interactive social media and the transit Lorries and carrier ways with placards on them. Overly the campaign has had a large effect in getting the public support, thereby confirming its relevance and adequacy in addressing the target. The goals of the campaign team have been met, with major political affiliations being mounted toward the increased cessation campaigns of ending the US military presence in the region. For instance the government acknowledged that the military aid was eating deep into the economic spending of the government (US to boost military aid to Israel 2010). Therefore the support exhibited by the government is a clear manifestation of the effect of the campaigns, therefore confirming the efficiency of the campaigns. The campaign may have had political influence in the country, especially in terms of support of ending the military experience. Major human rights activists and churches emerged in support of the movement. However there were no major negative influences experienced as a result of the campaign.
Conclusion
The ‘Be on Our Side campaign’ has utilized the audiences familiarity to the situation in Israel and Palestine to understand and amass the support needed. The way the linguistic devices and the images are inculcated and embossed in the delivery of the message has a gluing effect on the audience. This therefore boosts the understanding of the message. The different platforms that have been utilized in advertising also reveal a lot about the changing face in the advertising industry. The diversity has ensured that different people are easily reached through the variety of platforms chosen. The response from the public confirms the effectiveness of the marketing and campaign, thus placing the success of the campaign on a higher notch.
Alijani, G.S., Mancuso, L.C., Kwun, O. & Omar, A. 2010, "Effectiveness of Online Advertisement Factors in Recalling a Product", Academy of Marketing Studies Journal, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 1-10.
Bird, D. 2003, Book of the week: How to advertise, London, United Kingdom, London.
Dagoni, R. 2008, BRIEF: US military aid to Israel for 2009: $2.55 billion: Israel may use up to 25% for military equipment and arms from local defense industries, Washington, United States, Washington.
GEER, J. & LAU, R.R. 2006, "Filling in the Blanks: A New Method for Estimating Campaign Effects", British Journal of Political Science, vol. 36, no. 2, pp. 269-269.
Mazurkiewicz, G. 2002, "How to advertise, plain and simple", Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration News, vol. 217, no. 1, pp. 35-35.
Two peopleonefuture.2012, campaign-photos http://www.twopeoplesonefuture.org/about-us/campaign-photos/
Wright, E., Khanfar, N.M., Harrington, C. & Kizer, L.E. 2010, "The Lasting Effects Of Social Media Trends On Advertising", Journal of Business & Economics Research, vol. 8, no. 11, pp. 73-80.
US to boost military aid to Israel 2010, , Karachi, Malaysia, Karachi.
