As you prepare for Paper 1, it’s essential to understand the nuances of different text types you might encounter, including charity appeals. Unlike analysing standard advertisements that focus on selling products, charity appeals are a unique form of visual text designed to connect with audiences on a deeper emotional, ethical, or logical level to inspire support for a cause.

Think about it – people who donate to charities aren’t buying a product. They’re spending money on a promise, based on trust and empathy. Charity appeals often feature compelling images, emotive language, and heartfelt stories to evoke a response and drive action. This blog post will guide you through analyzing charity appeals by exploring their unique conventions and what to watch out for.

We’ll be listing out 8 key conventions of these appeals to help you critically evaluate and interpret them effectively. And if you’d like further resources, such as study notes for Paper 1 text types, you can sign up for free!

8 Conventions of Charity Appeals

Before we dive into the specific conventions of charity appeals, it's important to note that knowing these key features can be a game-changer. Whether they are **present** or notably **absent** in the text you receive, understanding these conventions will help you critically evaluate and interpret the effectiveness of the appeal.

**1. Emotional Appeal, Pathos**
Charity appeals heavily rely on emotional **connections** to persuade the audience. This is achieved through heartwarming or poignant visuals and texts that elicit empathy, compassion, and a sense of urgency. For instance, the **Dogs Trust** poster here from the GCN uses a picture of a happy dog looking directly at the camera with its tongue out, which immediately invokes feelings of joy and warmth. The accompanying poem, despite its playful tone, gently highlights the emotional support dogs offer, especially during tough times like the pandemic. The poem also subtly prompts readers to feel a sense of gratitude and responsibility towards these animals, leading to the call to action to donate. This approach is designed to create a strong emotional bond between the audience and the cause, encouraging immediate support.

2. Ethical Appeal (Ethos)

Ethical appeal in charity advertisements builds credibility and trust. The Dogs Trust poster includes the organization's logo right below the poem, establishing the charity's authority and reliability. The rhetorical question, "Dogs save our lives, will you save a dog's life in return?" underscores the ethical obligation and inherent value dogs provide to humans. This appeal to the audience’s sense of moral duty is further reinforced by the website link, which emphasizes the direct and tangible impact of their contribution. Also, the visibility of the "save a dog" part in the link strengthens the ethical appeal by making the cause more immediate and accessible. This combination of ethical persuasion reassures the audience that their support is both needed and impactful.

**3. Logical Appeal (Logos)**

While emotional and ethical appeals are dominant in charity appeals, logical arguments are also used to persuade. By presenting **facts** and statistics to outline the issue, appeals can demonstrate the impact of donations, or explaining how contributions will be used. It’s about making a rational case for why the audience should support the cause.
For instance, the WWF charity appeal for the lives of rhinos states, "The rhino horn is made up of the same substance as human hair and has no medicinal value." This fact dispels common myths about the supposed benefits of rhino horns. The appeal continues, "Yet, approximately 30 rhinos have already been killed in India in 2023, for their horn”. By grounding their appeal in factual information and showing the ongoing threat, WWF makes a logical case against the killing of rhinos.
The accompanying visual—a woman with her hair styled into a horn—serves as a narrative tool to emphasize the rhetorical question, "Would you kill somebody for their hair?" This question adds a layer of logical reasoning by equating the absurdity of valuing rhino horns to valuing human hair, thus reinforcing the appeal's rational argument.

4. Visual Imagery

Charity appeals often use powerful and sometimes shocking images to highlight the need for support. These visuals are carefully chosen to evoke an emotional response and emphasize the urgency of the issue. Take the WWF appeal, for example. The image of a woman with her hair styled into a horn serves as a visual metaphor, drawing a stark comparison between rhino horns and human hair. This striking visual grabs the viewer's attention and drives home the logical argument against killing rhinos for their horns. By juxtaposing the rhino horn with something as familiar and mundane as human hair, the absurdity of the situation becomes clear. Such compelling imagery not only catches the eye but also makes the message memorable, boosting the chances of prompting the audience to take action.

**5. Call to Action**

A strong, clear call to action prompts immediate action. These calls are often **more urgent** and direct than typical advertisements. For example, this charity appeal urges: "Make a gift today" and then a promise to “match your donation dollar-for-dollar”, which not only encourages immediate donations but also highlights the doubled impact of each contribution.

6. Social Proof

Social proof shows that others are already supporting the cause, which can influence the audience to do the same. This might include quotes from donors, images of people at charity events, or statistics on supporters.

Let’s take the WWF Polar Bear Appeal: the poster reads, "The Coca-Cola Company will match your donation dollar-for-dollar." Seeing that Coca-Cola is involved adds credibility and encourages others to contribute, leveraging the company's reputation while also expanding the scope of the campaign due to their collaboration with WWF. Such social proof can create a positive effect, making the appeal more persuasive.

**7. Personal Stories**

Sharing personal stories of anyone affected by the cause helps humanize the issue. These narratives create a relatable and emotional connection, making the appeal more compelling. It moves the abstract problem into a personal, human context.
Take the RSPCA charity appeal for Rocky, for example. The stark line, "Shot six times. Beaten with a shovel. Dumped in a ditch," grabs immediate attention. But it’s the personal story that really pulls the audience in. This narrative makes the issue of animal cruelty deeply personal, since the audience now connects with the appeal and strongly feels that poor Rocky (nor any dog) deserves such treatment. By focusing on Rocky's journey from suffering to recovery, the appeal is able to transform what **could** have been a general plea for help into a compelling call to action, urging people to make a difference in the lives of animals like Rocky.

8. Transparency and Accountability

Charity appeals often emphasize transparency in how donations are used. This might include breakdowns of where the funds go, reports on the charity’s effectiveness, and assurances of accountability. This builds trust and reassures the audience that their contributions will make a real impact.

Consider the RSPCA's poster for the animal welfare crisis - "The RSPCA rescues thousands of animals every year, but cases of cruelty and abuse are becoming more common." This highlights the charity's active role in addressing the issue and the urgent need for support.

Transparency is further reinforced through clear instructions on how to donate: "Text CARE to 84010 to give £3 to help look after another abused animal like Rocky." This straightforward call to action not only makes it easy for people to contribute but also reassures them that their donations are going directly towards caring for animals in need. By showcasing specific examples like Rocky, the RSPCA provides tangible evidence of their efforts, building confidence in their accountability and effectiveness.

Resources and Support

If you’ll like to access free Paper 1 Resources for revision purposes, do check our guide for Paper 1 which gets updated weekly.

By becoming a free member, you can gain access to additional help from our IB Expert tutors at any time. If you’d like individual or group lessons to skyrocket your English score with structured lessons, contact us directly and enroll for regular sessions with an English tutor.

Featured