This advertisement is a good example of how to effectively get a point across. The use of Uncle Sam and the slogan of the U.S. army in a playful way provide a unique means by which the message of not smoking is conveyed. The fact that Uncle Sam himself is used in this advertisement creates an almost Patriotic feel to not smoking, and thus it almost seems more American not to smoke. It also pokes fun at the issue in that it is almost “recruiting” people not to smoke. The ad doesn’t play into serious emotions as much as some nonsmoking ads do (such as those where someone has a hole in their neck), but it still remains effective because it plays into nationalism and touches on the fact that so many are proud to be American. Smoking isn’t nearly as big an issue as it used to be, but it still remains an issue that needs to be targeted until it is next to nonexistent because the fact of the matter remains, smoking kills and people continue to do it. According to the American Heart Association, nearly 50 million Americans smoke which means that 50 million Americans have a higher risk of heart attack, stroke, emphysema, lung cancer, and a number of other conditions associated with smoking. While 50 million is around 20% of the American population and may not seem like that much, it is still 50 million people that do not need to be smoking. In the campaign to end smoking, advertisements such as this need to be greater in number and in more places to create a more profound impact and thus help more people quit smoking.
This advertisement is a good example of how to effectively get a point across. The use of Uncle Sam and the slogan of the U.S. army in a playful way provide a unique means by which the message of not smoking is conveyed. The fact that Uncle Sam himself is used in this advertisement creates an almost Patriotic feel to not smoking, and thus it almost seems more American not to smoke. It also pokes fun at the issue in that it is almost “recruiting” people not to smoke. The ad doesn’t play into serious emotions as much as some nonsmoking ads do (such as those where someone has a hole in their neck), but it still remains effective because it plays into nationalism and touches on the fact that so many are proud to be American. Smoking isn’t nearly as big an issue as it used to be, but it still remains an issue that needs to be targeted until it is next to nonexistent because the fact of the matter remains, smoking kills and people continue to do it. According to the American Heart Association, nearly 50 million Americans smoke which means that 50 million Americans have a higher risk of heart attack, stroke, emphysema, lung cancer, and a number of other conditions associated with smoking. While 50 million is around 20% of the American population and may not seem like that much, it is still 50 million people that do not need to be smoking. In the campaign to end smoking, advertisements such as this need to be greater in number and in more places to create a more profound impact and thus help more people quit smoking.
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