IB Paper 1 — How To Analyse Multiple Audiences
How to Analyse Multiple Audiences
Most students know they should talk about audience — but don’t know how.
Here’s a simple 4-step method you can use in any Paper 1.
Step 1: Identify the Audience
Ask:
Who is this text clearly targeting?
Who would care about this issue?
Be specific.
Not just “readers” — but:
Parents
Teenagers
Professionals
Homeowners
Environmentally conscious consumers
Step 2: Identify What They Value
Different audiences care about different things.
For example:
Parents → safety, protection, responsibility
Teenagers → belonging, identity, trendiness
Professionals → data, efficiency, credibility
Ethical consumers → sustainability, fairness
Ask:
What would matter most to this group?
Step 3: Link the Technique to That Value
Now connect the device to the value.
Structure your sentence like this:
The use of ______ appeals to ______ because they value ______.
Example:
The use of statistics appeals to environmentally conscious readers because they value evidence-based arguments.
Step 4: Evaluate the Effect
Push it further:
How effective is this?
Is it highly persuasive?
Could it be limited?
Add nuance:
While this may strongly persuade parents concerned with safety, it may be less effective for readers who prioritise economic issues.
Past Paper Essay
In the May 2018 IB past paper “Save the Bees”, a website appeal, the charity doesn’t just target one type of reader. It targets many, and that’s why it’s effective.
Who does it target?
🌱 Environmentally conscious readers → statistics + ecological urgency
👨👩👧 Families → future-focused language + educational bee kit
🌼 Garden owners → “create your own bee haven” + visible results
🇬🇧 Nationally minded readers → “Save Britain’s bees”
💷 Financially cautious donors → clear pricing tiers (£15, £30, £60)
🤝 Community-oriented individuals → “we,” “our,” “The bees need YOU”
When reading the essay response, below, focus on how each technique connects to a different value cluster:
responsibility, security, pride, control, belonging, transparency.
Essay
In modern society, where environmental sustainability is an increasingly pressing concern, individuals seek ways to contribute meaningfully to ecological protection. The provided text, a 2016 online charity appeal titled “The Bee Cause” written by Friends of the Earth and published on its website, aims to persuade readers to donate in support of bee conservation in Britain. To convey this purpose to multiple audiences, including environmentally conscious individuals, families, homeowners, nationally minded citizens, and financially cautious donors, the webpage adopts a multifaceted approach. By interplaying statistical evidence, inclusive and imperative language, structured pricing, and bold graphic design, the text effectively broadens its persuasive reach and encourages diverse readers to contribute.
This broad persuasive reach is evident in the way the appeal targets environmentally conscious readers by presenting bee conservation as scientifically credible and morally urgent. First, in the section “Why bees matter,” the text uses statistics about species decline and habitat loss. This logical appeal makes the issue feel factual rather than exaggerated. Second, the explanation that bees support food production and biodiversity widens the issue beyond insects, showing ecological interdependence. This is a form of systemic framing, positioning the issue as part of a broader environmental crisis. Third, the bold, imperative slogan “Join the generation that saves our bees”, placed prominently at the top of the page, uses inclusive pronouns, “our”, and an imperative call-to-action. Graphically, its large font size and central placement draw immediate attention. Because environmentally aware audiences value evidence and collective responsibility, this combination is highly persuasive.
Beyond environmentally conscious readers, the campaign further broadens its appeal by attracting families and parents through its educational and future-focused framing. First, the phrase “Join the generation” uses future-oriented diction, subtly invoking children and long-term responsibility. Second, the inclusion of items such as a “Bee guide,” “Garden planner,” and wildflower seeds” acts as a concrete incentive, shifting the tone from crisis to constructive action. Graphically, the images of the kit contents make the appeal feel hands-on and practical. Third, the bright yellow colour palette and simple, uncluttered layout create an optimistic visual tone. By blending educational language with inviting design choices, the appeal positions donation not as abstract activism but as a constructive, family-oriented activity. However, because the tone leans toward optimism and simplicity, it may understate the severity of the environmental crisis for some parents who respond more strongly to urgency than reassurance.
In addition to families, the campaign appeals strongly to garden owners by using practical language and visually concrete incentives. First, the instruction “create your own bee haven” uses a possessive pronoun “your”, reinforcing personal agency. Second, the offer of wildflower seeds provides a tangible reward, transforming donation into visible domestic improvement. Graphically, the images of blooming flowers visually represent potential success. Third, the boxed, structured layout of the Bee Saver Kit contents signals organisation and clarity. This blend of empowering diction and ordered visual presentation ultimately frames bee conservation as an act of stewardship that elevates gardening beyond mere aesthetics to a meaningful form of environmental responsibility.
This sense of responsibility is then expanded to a nationally minded citizens through national framing and inclusive language. The headline “Save Britain’s bees” localises the issue through the proper noun “Britain” and the possessive structure, suggesting ownership and responsibility. References to “British wildflowers” further reinforce national identity. The repeated use of inclusive pronouns, “we,” “our”, combined with their bold typographical emphasis, constructs shared national duty. Additionally, the consistent yellow-and-black colour scheme visually mirrors bee imagery, creating symbolic unity. By tying conservation to national pride through both language and design, the campaign makes the issue feel collective rather than abstract.
While emotional and national appeals broaden the campaign’s reach, the text also persuades financially cautious donors through transparent pricing and clear structural organisation. The clearly displayed donation tiers, £15, £30, £60, function as structured pricing, reducing financial uncertainty. The button “Make a donation” uses an imperative verb, encouraging immediate action. Graphically, the visual pairing of pricing with the Bee Saver Kit contents links money directly to tangible outcomes. The neatly separated content blocks prevent cognitive overload. This combination of direct language and organised layout frames contribution as a controlled and transparent transaction rather than an emotional impulse.
Finally, reinforcing its broad targeting, the appeal addresses community-oriented individuals through inclusive diction, emphatic typography, and movement-based framing. The repeated inclusive pronouns (“we,” “our”) construct collective responsibility. The capitalised phrase “The bees need YOU” uses typographical emphasis (capitalisation) to heighten urgency and personalise accountability. The phrase “Join the generation” frames donation as membership in a movement, appealing to those who value belonging. By blending identity-based language with visually emphatic design, the appeal transforms donation into a communal act, appealing to readers who see social participation as central to their identity.
Overall, the text’s ability to tailor its linguistic devices and graphic strategies to multiple value systems makes it highly effective in conveying its purpose to a diverse audience. However, its broad targeting may dilute the intensity of its message for some readers who feel disconnected from environmental issues or unconvinced of individual impact.
