It pays to know your hourly wage.

In 1998 the Blair government passed the National Minimum Wage Act. This created a legal requirement for employers to pay workers a set minimum hourly wage. To raise awareness of this legislation, a series of public information films were created by the government Central Office of Information. This film, set in the heart of an inner-city British South Asian community, is one of them.

The camera takes a journey around schools, shops, workplaces and streets. The message of the minimum wage being £3.60 takes the place of shop signs, graffiti, food labels and posters. The repetition makes this information unmissable for audiences.

The 1990s saw a growing prominence and interest in British-Asian film, music, fashion and television in British popular culture. TV comedy Goodness Gracious Me, the music of Cornershop and the film Bhaji on the Beach are just some of the examples that found mainstream success with British audiences. The public information film borrows elements of this in its use of setting, style and Hindi pop soundtrack. By placing the film at the centre of the community, it has the chance to directly address South Asian audiences. Wider audiences might also be reached by using pop culture references of the time to convey its important message.

Public information filler announcing new national minium wage.