A study of responses to advertising images designed to encourage lone parents into work

Abstract

This study looks at lone parents' responses to 5 discrete advertising images, aimed at encouraging them into employment, which have been utilised by the Government Agency Jobcentre Plus. It examines lone parents' reactions to the imagery by utilising a questionnaire linked to each image and focus groups to achieve open discussion. The aim of this methodology is to identify which image is most likely to make the lone parents' take action to find employment. The study concludes that lone parents can be influenced by astute targeting of advertising images. However, it also suggests that lone parents' are not an amorphous mass and it would be wise to utilise a range of images that would appeal to the broad spectrum of lone parents linking this to their age and the social area where they reside. Furthermore, it finds key themes that on a generic level are more than likely to appeal to lone parents. These include images of 'real people' to which they can relate and to specifically link imagery to their age group and the social area where they reside, identifying clear links within the imagery to employment.