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| http://theinspirationroom.com/daily/print/2007/1/get_unhooked_1.jpg |
Smoke Free sponsors this ad. It is promoting readers to obviously quit smoking. The use of its visuals and statement positively comes through to the audience to quit.
The quote reads, “The average smoker needs over five thousand cigarettes a year” and “get unhooked” under it in smaller font. It is highlighted in blue against the white background to obviously stand out to the reader. Typing out the number five thousand instead of 5,000 makes the word longer and seems like a much bigger number than it actually is. Spacing out the word by writing it out versus using the numbers creates an illusion for the reader and making the reality of that many cigarettes seem more intimidating and frightening, backing people away from smoking.
“Getting unhooked” is the almost punch line of the ad and that smoking is something that once you start, you can never stop. The vivid image of the hook going through the girl’s lip and actually seeing it come out the other side again makes for a disgusted feeling for the reader and making them want to turn away from smoking. We’ve all seen the ads of the yellow teeth and what your lungs look like as a smoker—it’s nothing new to viewers and people still continue to smoke. But with this new image, its something new, something different and still creates that disgusted feeling in a different way and to get people to think differently about something just because the picture is totally unrelated to the physical acts of smoking.
The ad does a great job of coming through to their audience in their intended manner and this image and thought of “getting unhooked” works well for their ad campaign.
I agree with you that this image has a brand new aproach to representing addiction. I believe it is a very effective ad and the image's bluntness and overall shock value really help deliver this message in a new light. Great job!
ReplyDeleteI honestly don't think that this ad could make me stop smoking. I look at it and it gives me goosebumps (so semi-effective) but I don't feel like I have a hook in my upper lip because I smoke.
ReplyDeleteThis ad worked you won't catch me getting hooked :)
ReplyDeleteI'm not a smoker, but this ad caught my attention regardless. The image is really graphic and actually makes me somewhat uncomortable to look at. I think it really ties how getting "hooked" to smoking is dangerous, which makes this ad effective.
ReplyDeleteThis ad works on the "weakening commitment" principle--most won't be moved to action by it, but they may be shifted a few degrees toward giving those cigarettes up. And a few people will have had their commitment to them weakened to such a degree that this will be the thing that pushes them to finally quit.
ReplyDeleteOne other curious rhetorical choice: "need."
This ad seems effective, but it's not, as a smoker this is not going to get me to stop. And like Felix I most certainly don't feel this imaginary hook on my lip that is tugging me towards this horrible end. It's effective in that it may stop potential smokers, but it won't get someone to quit.
ReplyDelete