Charity advertisements

My guess is that the charities use whatever images they find work best in raising donations. I don’t regard it as emotional blackmail but some are definitely tuggers at the heart strings. I remember a cancer charity a few years ago which used a mirror in which a bride in one and a schoolboy starting school in another imagined their dead mother there in the mirror on that important day and then she disappeared. Very moving but it didn’t impact on my donation behaviour however. As for your specific point re the use of a child, it depends on the charity as to the extent to which children may be disproportionately affected so I don’t think there’s a simple answer to that - iirc I see all ages represented across the board with different emphases for different charities so yes YABU

The Sightsavers ad got to me some years ago and I have supported that excellent charity ever since.

Yes but Maryeliza isn't your statement that the images that are used are those which prompt the greatest response exactly emotional blackmail?
I have lustened to requests for donations in radio 4 which have prompted a deeper response in me because the actual situation and need is explained without the need for imagery.
Some people are so affected by these images that the donate even though they truly cannot afford, and in these instances are they going without to pay the large wages at the top of the charities.

Yes I believe it is a form of emotional blackmail, the same as animal charities use pictures of distressed animals etc, etc.
personally I prefer a straight forward request to donate to any charity.
I guess the fundraisers are going for what ever gets the best result ,which usually involves tugging at the collective heartstrings.

I guess any visual advert for a charity will want to appeal to our emotions. It would be mad not to wouldn’t it? We can’t stop that just because some people donate when they can’t afford to - we have to take some responsibility for our actions. It’s not like being hassled by chuggers or having thousands of letters sent to you.

I gave to a couple of those “ text to 67676 to give £3”, then got a call from each a couple of weeks later, looking for me to sign up for a direct debit. As I remember, the second one was very pushy, so I’ve never sent another text.