Transcript Sydney Collier

Visual Rhetoric
Sydney Collier
Background Information
This image came from a 2008
public health and safety
campaign called “Smoking is
Murder.” The advertisement
was used to raise awareness
of the dangers of second
hand smoke.
The campaign was sponsored
by a non-profit public health
organization called the
Chilean Corporation Against
Cancer (CONAC).
What is the meaning of this ad?
The meaning of the ad is to warn people that second
hand smoke can kill. Most people tend to think that
smokers are the only ones who suffer from medical
issues. Inhalation of second hand smoke is just as
dangerous as smoking a cigarette.
Who is the intended audience?
The intended audience in this ad is smokers. More
specifically, CONAC wants to reach out to smokers
who have children or those who are around children
on a regular basis. This ad should really have an
impact on parents or grandparents who smoke
around their children or grandchildren.
What is the focus of this ad?
The child’s face is obviously the focal point of this
picture. There is nothing in the foreground and
nothing in the background. The focus is on the
child crying and the cloud of smoke around his
face.
What does the cloud of smoke symbolize in this
ad?
The cloud of smoke framing the child’s face is
shaped like a plastic bag. It symbolizes how children
inhaling second hand smoke is basically just like
suffocating them.
What is omitted in the picture?
Everything below the child’s neck is omitted. You
can’t tell what kind of clothes or shoes he is wearing,
so you can’t make a judgment on his social class or
any other factors. All you can see is the suffering in
his face.
Logos- What is the logical appeal in this ad?
The logical appeal in this ad is that it is not
healthy to inhale smoke. It is much more
dangerous for young children and this ad
captures that very well.
Ethos- What is the ethical appeal in this
ad?
The ethical appeal is the CONAC logo on the
bottom of the ad. It establishes where the photo
came from and gives the ad credibility.
Pathos- What is the emotional appeal in
this ad?
The emotional appeal in this ad comes from the
young child’s facial expression. He is screaming and
crying from the suffocation of smoke. Children are
always portrayed as innocent and pure, so using a
child in such a serious ad provokes emotion from the
audience.
Works Cited
Gomez, Rodrigo. Smoking isn’t just murder. It’s suicide. 2008. Ads of the
World. Web. 8 October 2012.