Anti-smoking adverts

1.0: Introduction

In this blogpost, I am going to analyse three different anti-smoking television adverts which are all based on anti-smoking themes. These adverts will be referenced from Youtube.com.

2.0: Advert 1 - Anti-smoking ad

• Product

The product that is being advertised within this advertisement is the NHS anti smoking helpline.

• Plot

The plot of the advert shows the effects of a smoker and his story on what it has done to him. The protagonist is first shown on a hospital bed, with tubes and pipes protruding from his face, and he was telling the audience about what has happened to him. It then shows in text format on the screen, what happend to him.

• Target audience

The target audience for this advertisement is for smokers of any age and gender. It can also be aimed at non-smokers to help them inform their family/friends about the service.

• Mise en scene

Colours - the colours included and used in the scenes for this advertisement is of dull, depressing and dark colours to represent the gloomyness of the subject. The use of colour also represents the emotion for the message trying to portrayed, which is trying to show that there is not much life left in him and they are trying to be more serious.

Setting - The setting used in this advertisement is in a hospital. This is to show the seriousness on the effects of smoking and where a potential smoker can end up.

Props - The props used in the advert is the protagionist lying in bed, which signifies he is weak, losing strength and dying. And they have used props such as hospital pipes and drips attached to his body to show the seriousness of his conditon.

• Camera shots

The camera shots used within this advertisement is a extreme close up shot of the protagionists face to what has happened to him, the emotions that he is trying to portray and to make sure that all of the audiences attention is focused on him, so they can fully achieve the message trying to be portrayed.

• Advertising techniques

The advertising techniques that have been used is the emotional response technique. This has been used because it wishes to pull on the audience's heartstrings and try and get a empathetic response from the target market.

The advert also used basic camera techniques and equipment to give it a sense of authencity, and as if the situation was not staged.

• Sounds

The sounds included within this advertisement is only the use of digetic (natural) sounds. The diegetic sound used is the protagonist's voice and breathing/wheezing sounds. This is so all of the hearing sensory attention is focused on his voive and to give a "real/not staged" effect.

• Content signs

The content signs mean what was involved within the advert (signifier) and what it meant (signified).

Within the advert, there were hospital tubes and pipes which were attached to the man for his health. This signifies that the man is very ill and his condition is critical in hospital

There is also the signifier of a hospital bed, which signifies that the effects of smoking are very bad, as it left the victim very ill, weak and almost at death's door.


3.0: Advert 2 - Government release new hard hitting anti-smoking advert

• Product

The product that is being advertised is how to apply for the NHS smoke free kit.

• Plot

The plot for this advert shows how passive smoking can affect those around you. The producers have shown this by setting the story in a family home, with children's toys and babies around. There is a main actress, who is supposed to be the mother who is smoking at a window. The camera uses special effects to show how the smoke and harmful gases travel around the room, affecting the children and their toys.

• Target audience

The target audience is for all smokers, but predominantly people who have families, because it shows the effects of passive smoking.

• Mise en scene

Colours - The colours included within this advert is dull, cloudy and gloomy colours again because it represents the effect/colour of smoke. It also represents and portrays the importance of the message that is trying to be put across.

Setting - The setting used for this advert is in a family home, which represents that many members will be affected by this message/product/service. The family home has also been included because this is supposed to be the place where they feel safe and protected, but it shows the creeping gases invading the space like a danger/disaster.

Props - The props included within this advert are objects such as childrens toys, paintings, babies feeding utensils, etc. These props have been used to portray the innocence of the other family members involved.

• Camera shots

The first camera shot that was included within this advert is  and close up shots of the childrens objects, and the toxic smoke surrounding/poisoning the objects.

Another camera angle that is used within the advert is a long shot of the room, with the sleeping baby placed in the middle. This is to capture how the smoke has invaded the whole room, taking over and poisoning the air and object of the surrounding baby.

Finally, another shot that was used was a extreme close up shot of the baby's hands and feet twitching. This is used to show how the baby can feel the smoke touching his/her skin and how it is affecting it. It is also to give off a effect to the viewers on how the rotten smoke is affecting something so fragile, innocent and perfect.

• Advertising techniques

The advertising techniques used within this advert were the shock factor technique of showing how smoking effects the people around you and how silent and discreet the fumes are, which will affect your loved ones.

The advert also used the effect of emotional response (pulling on the heart strings). This is used by the use of children within the advert, because the reaction that the target audience will give is that they want to protect their loved ones and their maternal/paternal instincts will help them to see the seriousness of smoking.

Finally, the use of percentages and statistics used within the advert shows that research has been carried out to make the facts within the advert authentic and real.

• Sounds

The sounds that are included within this advert are non-diegetic (un-natural/edited or inserted sounds) of deep rumbling to represent the smoke creeping in, like as if it is a disaster/danger waiting to happen (tension). There is also a included sound of a voice over to inform the customers of the product being advertised.

• Content signs

The signifiers included within this advert are childrens toys, paintings, babies feeding utensils, etc. This signifies that there are children involved in the situation and there may be more than one member.

Other signifiers included within the advert is the low rumbling dark smoke, which signifies that the toxic fumes are creeping in like danger and invading the room, poisioning the children and their belongings.
4.0: Advert 3 - Smoking: I wanna be like you

• Product

The product/service that is being advertised is the NHS smokefree hotline.

• Plot

The plot for this advertisement is examples of how youngsters copy their parents in everyday tasks and habits, making the advert seem a bit humourous and "cute". But then at the end of the advert, it shows a mother smoking and her daughter copying her.

The music at the start of the advert is quite uplifting and cheerful, then the music dies down to a awkward and tension-filled silence, which shows the seriousness of the message.

• Target audience

The target audience for this advert are for male and female parents/smokers who have children/younger siblings.

• Mise en scene

Colours - The colours used within this advert are happy, bright, and cheerful colours to represent the innocence and happiness of children, but when the scene of the smoker comes in, the "sunlight" through the window dies down, making the room and situation more gloomy/serious.

Settings - The settings portrayed within the advertisement are various places such as the on the road/outside/pavement/public, at home, in a bedroom, etc. This is to show that whatever you do, and wherever you go, there are always children around imitating you and you are influencing their decisions.

Props - The props used within the advert are grown up objects. e.g. prams, high heels, razors, etc. But the advert shows children using it, with the supervision of their parents. This is to show how children try to imitate their parents in their actions and habits.

• Camera shots

The camera shots used within this advertisement are various shots and angles, but the scenes are short and snappy edits/frames, which show all of the different examples and contexts/examples of actions that adults do, which children copy.

• Advertising techniques

The advertising techniques that have been used within this advertisement is a comedy response of the children imitating their parents, which will grab the attention of the target market (smoking parents/guardians).

The advert also used the shock factor advertising technique, when the little girl imitates her mother smoking, because it shocks people on how influencial smoking or the actions of a parent can be towards a child.

• Sounds

The sounds included within this advertisement is the non-diegetic sound track of "I wanna be like you" from The Jungle Book. This song was included because the words match the point of the advert. And it is a song, which relates to children, because it is from the Disney book, The Jungle Book.

There is also a non-diegetic sound of a voice over to inform the viewers on what is happening and some information on the service.

• Content signs

The signifiers included within this advert are many grown up objects, such as pushchairs, hammers, hoovers, etc. The messages that are signified with these signs are that children copy your every move, chore and habit. So by smoking, they will copy you and be influenced by it.
5.0: Comparison

The comparison between the three adverts is that the first one (Anti-smoking ad), it uses the effect of a real life situation and techniques to give the target audience a direct wake-up call on the effects of smoking.

The second advert (Government release new hard hitting anti-smoking advert) uses the techniques of showing smokers the effect of passive smoking using more serious terms. (by showing the smoke invading the room, around the innocent baby).

The third advert (Smoking: I wanna be like you) uses a more lighter, but shocking approach on showing how smoking influences your children. The message portrayed is not shown using such strong techniques, but the point that was to be shown hits the target audience hard.

In conclusion, I feel the first advertisement is the most effective anti-smoking advertisement out of all of the analysed ones because, it shows the full and real effect of smoking, and the message shown is a true situation, which was not staged. It showed raw emotion and pain that the smoker went through, which will scare or shock current smokers.

6.0: Bibliography

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hySFt8O11A (08/10/2012)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhuHeI4H00U (08/10/2012)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=688uHz6QYkQ (08/10/2012)