The truth campaign has made many advertisements opposing
tobacco use; all of which have a certain level of effectiveness. Overall I feel
these advertisements are very persuasive. In this particular advertisement a series
of causes of deaths along with a bar representing the amount of deaths are
provided. Tobacco happens to have the biggest bar, meaning it causes the most
deaths than the other causes of deaths shown. If that is not already bad enough
the ad proceeds to say that “big tobacco’s products kill more than shark
attacks, Yeti attacks, fires, floods, sky diving Accidents, car crashes, and
murder combined.” Not only does tobacco kill more than these other causes of
death but even when you combine them all together it still does not compare to
the amount of deaths caused by tobacco. It is quite scary to think of. But that
is the feeling that this ad is trying to convey. And because they are using
actuals facts, it make it seem that much more real and terrifying. Though the
mood is lightened by them using the ridiculous cause of death by a Yeti, the ad
is still meant to frighten viewer to refrain from tobacco use. Many may look at
this and will not feel any different about cigarettes, chewing tobacco etc. but
many on the other hand will change their thoughts about it. Many ads including
this one have contributed in the decrease percent of teenage tobacco use. I believe
it used to be that 23% of teens used tobacco and now only 9% of teens use
tobacco.
I like this ad and think it is very effective. This is a serious issue which makes it very easy to persuade someone not to use tobacco. Although it is in cartoon form I feel it gives a good visual. Some people won’t be able to see the affect of tobacco unless they are able to see it visually and they are able to compare the death rate of tobacco to all other deaths. I also agree with you when you says part of it is ridiciuolous because of the death be a yeti. This is funny but is still a serious topic. Good advertisement to analyze.
ReplyDeleteIt is a very effective ad, I liked the added comedy of adding yeti attacks to the mix despite there are no yetis, as far as we know. I also like how it starts off small with shark attacks which isn’t a major threat sense despite what might be thought sharks can’t eat people do to the different levels of mercury in our blood. It’s a fun spin on a serious topic, won’t change the life of a serous smoker but it might persuade others from picking up the habit.
ReplyDeleteThe ugly truth ads have a tendency to start off simple and cute and move towards shocking and scary. It's a really good way to get the emotional manipulation they want without the consumer recognizing it right away. For instance, the ASPCA commercials show the sad, shaocking stuff up front, sso it's easy for someone to immediately recognize it and switch it off. However, when they've already grabbed your interest and then present you with the the shock, I think it has more impact. I know I was more interested.
ReplyDeleteThis ad is very effective in capturing your attention. This ad, in my opinion, was meant to appeal more to high school and college age kids rather than older smokers. I do not smoke but my parents do and my mother always tried to justify it with it would have already happened or so and so did it longer than me and they are fine. I do not think that this ad is trying to appeal to those types of people but trying to prevent more people like that by stopping it before it can begin.
ReplyDeleteT. Bowers
Anti-smoking ads are important. It is incredibly hard to stop smoking after developing an addiction to nicotine. They are most effective in preventing new habitual smokers. Enumerating the ways a person can die a painful death even an imaginary one and then saying tobacco still kills more people is impressive. In Mexico, the ads go further. They show damaged lungs, a close-up of rotted teeth and infected gums and other cancerous body parts in color on the actual cigarette package. There is no cure for the cancers tobacco causes so I say these ads while graphic are necessary
ReplyDelete