Draft of Rhetorical Analysis

Edison Enciso

Professor Bailey

English 120-016

21 Nov 2014

Draft of Rhetorical Analysis Essay

Rhetorical Analysis of Anti-Smoking Advertisement

For many years cigarettes companies had promoted the consumption of cigarettes until 2011, year in which advertising of cigarettes was restricted. Many people start smoking cigarettes when they are young without having into account that cigarette is very harmful for their health. Also, some people know the damage that produces to smoke cigarette; however, many of them still continue smoking. The anti-smoking advertisement (shown on the next page) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) displays the picture of Terrie Hall, a former smoker, for an educational campaign of awareness to people of the consequence of smoking cigarette. The advertisement is an example of the power of rhetoric because it is challenging the assumption that smoking cigarette is not as harmful as many people think. The ad is also challenging the consumption of cigarette that was promoted by cigarette companies. Finally, the advertisement induces smokers and nonsmokers to take into consideration on the dangerous consequences of smoking cigarette in order that smokers quit smoking and nonsmokers do not try to smoke.

           The anti-smoking advertisement induces people not to smoke cigarette. The advertisement uses logos, pathos and ethos in order to convince people that smoking cigarettes is very dangerous for their health. Logos is portrayed through the message that if people smoke cigarette, they will end up undergoing throat cancer. Ethos is displayed with the picture in general, in which Terrie states “I never thought smoking would do this,” and with the fact, that cigarette produce cancer, that is supported by experts of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Finally, pathos is shown in the picture itself because the picture is very emotional to viewer.

    The advertisement challenges the consumption of cigarette that was promoted by cigarette companies. For many years, cigarette companies invested large amount of money in advertising to promote the consumption of cigarette. According to “Fact Sheet: Tobacco Industry Marketing,” these companies spent $8.37 billion on advertising and promotional expenses in the United States in 2011 and $8.05 billion in 2010. The report also state that “there is sufficient evidence to conclude that there is a casual relationship between Tobacco Company advertising and promotion and the initiation and progression of tobacco use among youth people.” The anti-smoking advertisement is fighting against the consumption of cigarette promoted by cigarette companies that for many years, they were focused on increasing the consumption of cigarette through advertising. This advertisement challenges the consumption of cigarette with the following message that if people smoke cigarette, they will end up suffering throat cancer.

The advertisement challenges the assumption that smoking cigarette is not as harmful as many people think. The concept that smoking cigarette is not so harmful has been imposed by cigarettes companies through advertising and promotions, making us believe that smoking cigarette is cool. Those companies with that assumption had governed us for many years and they also created different reasons to smoke cigarette. According to Chris Kinsey, editor for a medical publisher, There many reasons why teenagers smoke cigarettes, but “the most common reasons are that It makes them feel more independent, look older or more interesting, and can serve as a means for rebelling against authority figures.” Kinsey also states that for adults, the main cause is the misconception the smoking cigarette relieves stress. However, “tobacco smoke contains a deadly mix of more than 7,000 chemical; hundreds are toxic, and about 70 can cause cancer, [and] tobacco smoking increase the risk for serious health problems, numerous diseases, and death” (Fact Sheet: Quitting Smoking). In the Terrie’s case, she started smoking in high school and she said “I thought it was the cool thing to do” (Antismoking Champion Terrie Hall Dies). After being detected with throat cancer, she said “I never thought smoking would do this.”  This advertisement contradict the assumption that smoking cigarette is not so dangerous for smoker’s health because according to this ad, people who think that smoking cigarette is not so harmful may end up undergoing throat cancer.

In conclusion, the anti-smoking advertisement of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention has the power of convincing us that smoking cigarette is very dangerous for our health. This advertisement with its rhetoric challenges the consumption of cigarette that was promoted by Cigarette Company and contradicts the assumption that smoking cigarette is not so harmful for our health. Therefore, this advertisement is a good example of the power of rhetoric.

Works cited