Music video as public service announcement

Music Video PSA

Music videos have been used as promotional tools since their inception. The upcoming presidential election offers an optimal opportunity for the use of music to promote political goals. I therefore propose a music video that shows why Barack Obama is the right choice for the next American president. The video will also be used to encourage young people to vote.

The target audience for the music video will be young, first-time voters of both genders. Ethnicity of the target audience will be Caucasian: which is the largest demographic of undecided voters. Many young Caucasian voters may have been swayed by nefarious propaganda against Senator Obama and this video will dispel any myths as well as propel the candidate into greater fame.

Because more males than females tend to be suspicious toward Barack Obama, the video will be slanted to a male, heterosexual audience. The music used in the video will be hip-hop because of the affinity some Caucasian suburban dwellers have toward urban sounds. Imagery used in the music video will reveal realities of the street: poverty, violence, discrimination and crime. Sexuality will be underplayed in the video except to reveal the damage that would be caused by restricting reproductive rights and freedoms for women.

The target audience will respond to the imagery used in the music video because of the socially conscious message. Women as well as men are included in the target demographic, so the video will not be a typical MTV sexually charged marketing tool for hip-hop. Instead, the video will hearken to the roots of hip-hop as a socially conscious genre of art. Target demographic will be youth, first-time undecided voters of both genders from random economic class groups. The video will be especially relevant in swing states such as Florida, and will be particularly important in the final few days before the presidential election.

Because of the enormous popularity of Snoop Doggy Dogg's "Gin and Juice" single, the proposed video will be based on a similarly styled rhythm and blues-based hip-hop song entitled "The Power of Youth." Thematically, "The Power of Youth" will not resemble "Gin and Juice," but the overall rhythm and style will. Vocals will include a choral background and familiar song structure that will grab young listeners and include all demographics. Instead of gangsta rap lyrics, the lyrics of "The Power of Youth" will concentrate on life on the streets, poverty, gender inequity, and other issues relevant in the upcoming election.