http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grB6Hm_NI4Q&feature=related
Many anti-drug ads only deal with the effect that drugs will have on the user. This Above the Influence commercial focuses on the effects that it will have on the people surrounding them. It concentrates on a younger brother, how he is also “hurt” by the decisions that his older sibling makes. They end the commercial by say, “smoking weed hurts more than just you”. What is your reaction to the commercial? Does having a little boy in the commercial make it more effective? Do the actions of older siblings truly have such a strong impact on younger siblings as this commercial implies?
I think this commercial was very clever. There have been some other anti-drug advertisements that say how using drugs affects more than just the user but in most cases I feel like I've always seen it as parents getting upset, disappointed, and stressed but to me, the more important people it affects are those that are younger and look up to the drug users. Of course it affects parents too but they're adults, they've already figured out their life for the most part and they can deal with it. Younger children, however, are still growing and don't always know what's right and wrong and they're still learning about life. They are the most impressionable and are the ones who are affected the most. Having older siblings myself, I know that there is a whole lot of truth behind this message. Older siblings, whether they like it or not, are automatically role models to their younger siblings. Siblings grow up together and learn about life together and whether seeing his older sister smoke weed drives this kid to smoke himself or hate it and never want to touch it, it is something that will definitely have an effect on this little boy.
ReplyDeletePrompt 7
ReplyDeleteThe Above the Influence commercial provides an interesting and effective message to viewers that using drugs, specifically marijuana, has a significant impact on others, especially children. The commercial addresses a large audience through targeting siblings and parents within the family structure. The main message of the commercial, “smoking weed hurts more than just you," challenges viewers to think about how their personal choices may have a negative impact on their families. A strong appeal to pathos is evident through the use of a young, innocent child who is clearly hurt by seeing his older sister smoking marijuana. Throughout the commercial, we see that he is emotionally hurt by the actions of his older sister as he is consumed with the image of the bright fire of the burning marijuana. Overall, the commercial successfully elicits a strong emotional reaction, clearly communicates a message, and provokes thought.
Prompt 1.
ReplyDeleteThe commercial is trying to suggest that smoking weed impacts those around you in ways that you cannot understand while you are using the substance. It does a good job of addressing its audience of teenagers, specifically those with family who care about them. The scene of the child becoming upset when he walks in on his sister smoking is the most convincing part of the commercial. However, I think the commercial as a whole did a poor job of pushing its rhetoric. I spent the first 20 seconds having no clue where the commercial was headed, and I felt that the climax of the commercial was rather weak. While the commercial has good intentions, I feel that it would fail to have a broad effect on users. Keep in mind that not everybody has a younger sibling.
Yes, I agree with Brandon. The beginning of the advertisement is not attractive enough. There are so many advertisements in media. If an advertisement cannot attract viewers’ attention at the beginning, there will be less people continuous watching the advertisement. Even this advertisement is quite compelling, but it is hard to be noticed from bunches of similar advertisements.
DeletePrompt 2:
ReplyDeleteLooking through the comments and the amount of likes this video has, I can conclude that this commercial is not very successful. Most comments on the video are dismissing the realism of the commercial, and I tend to agree. First of all, no teenager in there right mind is smoking marijuana in their house with their doors open. Second, I honestly doubt a kid of such age would even find out or know of what their older siblings were doing, I don't know of anyone who would openly smoke around their sibling or not try to hide it from them. Also, the point that the commercial is trying to make is quite weak. I still don't know the effect that these kids who are smoking pot have on the younger sibling. The commercial shows burn marks in the kids skin, but what is this saying? It surely is not saying that the teenagers are burning the younger boy with their joints, what is it?
Prompt 7
ReplyDeleteThe commercial advertisement “Hurt” focuses on the point that siblings in the family might be a significant factor which brings negative impact to younger ones. Siblings spend their most time together. The elder siblings in the family are always the model of younger ones. Youngers learn what to do from their siblings. In the advertisement, the elder siblings smoking in the room, but this scene is watched by their younger brother. As the advertisement says in the end, “smoking weed hurts more than just you”. Younger ones will learn to smoke their siblings.
The scene in the first half of the advertisement that flame fires body like paper will give viewers an impressive impression. The pathos in the advertisement is quite effective. Children are so fragile that they should be protected. But the bad behaviors from elder siblings will hurt them without our enough attention. This commercial advertisement comes up a new focus that elder siblings in family will affect the younger one. Parents should not only stop smoking by themselves, but also pay attention to siblings’ behaviors.
prompt #3:
ReplyDeleteThe comment that I chose to respond to was a comment that said
"smoking weed doesnt hurt more than just you, plus if i was her id make sure that little kid doesnt snitch. he'll get over it and learn the truth and smoke to and be like damn''when i was young i shouldve asked her to pass that joint''
how I chose to respond to this is I spoke on how the point of this commercial was not only just to say you hurt others, but this commercial shows you who you influence and how they could be effected. How might you respond to thi comment?
Smoking definitely affects those around you. Younger siblings are more vulnerable to situations that deal with events that trouble people such as this. This is why they tend to look up to their older siblings. I think that this commercial helps get the message out that even though you may not think others are hurt by your actions when smoking weed, there are many people affected from it and it can hurt the ones you love. Also, having the little boy playing the part of this commercial connects with most people that have a you get sibling. It could help give a more emotional play on the commercial when others are viewing it. I feel like the commercial could have started out a little stronger, it did not do a great job of catching my attention, but as for the message they were trying to get across I feel as though they did a decent job.
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