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 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 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 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 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.