Name: Melonie Mitchell Date: 28 September 2012 Class: Multimedia Writing and Rhetoric Rhetorical Analysis Advertisements use

a variety of techniques and methods to convince the viewer of their argument. Advertisements are usually used to try and sell a product or promote an event. This is done through text, pictures or videos. The anti-smoking commercial I have chosen is no exception. It uses disturbing pictures to bring across its argument. However, this advertisement is not like most other anti-smoking advertisements, the argument of this particular ad is explicitly stated at the bottom of the picture in text ensuring that the viewer has no misconceptions as to the pictures meaning. The viewers or intended audience are persons who currently smoke. This ad wants the smokers to realize just how much they are jeopardizing their lives by simply picking up a cigarette. This advertisement consists of two different images. The choice to use two pictures instead of only one helped to really bring across the argument of the advertisement. Both pictures are equally as shocking and hold the same basic argument but viewing them side by side helps the viewer to see how much harm he is bringing upon himself by smoking. At first glance the content of these pictures would shock most viewers. This is done intentionally as to catch peoples attention. Most people skim through newspapers and magazines only stopping when something has caught their eye. By putting forward such an appalling picture the creator of this advertisement would have successfully caught the attention of most viewers. Additionally, the nature of this picture would help all smokers to realize just how much harm they are doing to themselves by smoking. The first picture is of a woman holding a cigarette. The twist here however comes from the fact that the smoke coming off the end of her cigarette has formed a rope around her neck. The final image that is formed looks akin to someone who is trying to commit suicide. Smokers generally feel more relaxed and at ease once theyve had a cigarette and the image of the woman manages to illustrate that. Her pose is very relaxed; she is standing staring off into the distance with a slight smile on her face while her cigarette rests loosely between her thumb and middle finger. Her expression is one of contentment and she is seemingly oblivious to the fact that her current activity is slowly but surely killing her. She wears no make up and jewelry, this helps to portray the image that this is a regular occurrence in her life, that there is nothing special happening and she is not just a social smoker. She also wears a trench coat and a hat almost as if she wants to hide, and she does this by covering her body. This photograph is in black and white which helps to ensure that the viewer focuses on the woman and what her addiction is doing to her life. Also, by doing this picture in black and white, the somberness and seriousness of the situation is emphasized as the black background represents the unknown. The unknown refers to the smokers future if she does not quit and continues to smoke. The words at the bottom of both pictures read Kill a cigarette and Save a life.

Yours. The emphasis on the yours is important because it appeals to us as humans who want to live for as long as we possibly can and do anything within our power to ensure that we dont die prematurely. It makes you think about all the positives in your life that you would not want to lose should you die from something that was within your control. It makes you think of how your actions are affecting the ones around you whether it is that they are worried about you or even that you are jeopardizing their health throw allowing them to inhale second hand smoke. The second picture that is included in this advertisement is just a picture of a hand from the wrist down that is holding a cigarette. Once again the smoke coming from the butt of the cigarette forms an image but this time it is a dagger that is hovering over the wrist of the hand. The way that the wrist is tilted back it is seems as if the person is willing to die because they are giving the knife a clear unobstructed path to their wrist. The image formed is once again somewhat similar to a person attempting to commit suicide. The second picture is once again done in black and white, with the background being black. Black is a color that is usually used to portray something scary, mysterious, depressing and can even represent death. It represents the uncertain future of the smoker should she chose to continue this habit. Also, by using a black background there is nothing to distract the viewer from the pictures ensuring that the argument is brought across clearly. In both pictures the idea of suicide is underlined because by smoking, you are essentially, although maybe not consciously, deciding to kill yourself if you continue for a long period of time. It may not be as quick as hanging yourself or slitting your wrists, nor is it as taboo but in essence, it is like the same thing. Years of cigarette smoking deteriorate the body causing various forms of cancer, cardiovascular disease among many other illnesses. Additionally, in both pictures the smoke is faint but it is almost as if the more that you smoke and the older you get the thicker the smoke will become until it eventually becomes solid and the smoker dies, assuming that he has died from cigarette related reasons. The woman in the first picture backs this up; her face is unlined which could be an indication that she is young and not much of her life as passed. It also means that there is still time for her to save her life, that it isnt too late for her to try and reverse the damage smoking has done to her body. In both pictures the hand and woman have a solid shape but the rope and dagger formed are wispy and not quite real. This gives the impression that some people are unaware of the dangers of their addiction although others do recognize the dangers but cannot bring themselves to quit. It also makes the viewer think that the smokers are unwillingly committing suicide, like they may know the dangers but not the extent to which the habit is dangerous. Additionally, it brings about the image of something that is an acceptable method of suicide.