visual rhetoric essay

Jordan Reavis

25 January 2009

English 103

Above the Influence

            The “Above the Influence” commercials are used as a way to open viewer’s eyes and realize the consequences of poor decision-making, such as drinking irresponsibly, doing drugs, giving in to pressure, etc.  The perspective these commercials are trying to promote is one that shows viewers that the best decision they can make is to live “above the influence” by choosing to make good choices and making something out of your life instead of throwing it away.  In the commercial chosen, a girl has given in to pressure by doing everything that would make her “fit in.”  From doing drugs to making sure she does anything to keep her popular, the girl relates to teenagers who face these very same issues everyday.  This particular “Above the Influence” commercial implies that giving in to pressure is harmful to a person’s way of living and affects a person both emotionally and physically, informing viewers of the harsh effects of peer pressure.

            In this commercial, there are several strategies of argumentation used in order to establish a valid point and influence the audience to believe the reality of this scenario and that it could easily be one of them that this happens to.  Cause and effect is a significant strategy used in order to give the commercial credibility.  By giving in to pressure, she has caused herself harm, not only to her physical appearance but also to her personality and who she is now as a person.  Analogy is another strategy used to portray the effects of pressure.  The girl’s appearance is an analogy to what has happened to her since she has started to give in under pressure.  She looks “smushed,” and is shorter than she says she used to be.  When asked what happened and why she is not as tall as she used to be, her response is that pressure happened.  Her physical appearance shows viewers how it feels to be under a lot of pressure and the effects it has.  It is not used to say that someone will become shorter if they begin to give in to pressure, but is used to portray the struggles one has, feeling as if they are being weighed down all the time by the decisions they choose to make because of pressure.  The commercial as a whole is a narration, with the girl telling her story and why she is the way she is now, and what has become of her since being under pressure and choosing to make poor decisions.  Illustration plays a big role in the commercial because her appearance effectively gives viewers a sense of what they may feel like if it were to happen to them.  Her appearance makes a powerful statement to viewers, allowing them to visualize the consequences, both physically and mentally, establishing a strong point that pressure can have a major affect on your life if not dealt with in the right way.  This particular commercial effectively uses these specific strategies to create a sense of credibility about the commercial and have an emotional and ethical appeal to the audience viewing it.

            The message being made in the commercial has a powerful impact on viewers as they begin to understand the effects pressure can have on someone.  By using a teenager, this commercial creates a powerful sense of emotion and has a strong impact on that general age group.  Choosing to use a teenager in the commercial was a good way to influence many viewers because typically these types of pressures are most evident in the teenage years.  Also, by using a “typical” person instead of a celebrity or someone well known created a stronger relationship between the message and the person watching because it shows that giving in under pressure can happen to anyone and is an issue faced by many everyday.  The girl in the commercial gave reasons as to what kinds of pressure she was put under: being so cool that she did whatever it took, getting high, drinking, etc.  Merely stating specific reasons that are typical to most teenagers being placed under pressure helps to relate to viewers watching.  Teenagers are a large group of the population in the nation, and by putting this commercial out there, it shows teenagers that others know what they are being put under and are here to state that they can choose to not give in and stay strong and make a change in their life.  This emotional appeal creates the ethos found in the commercial, and influences viewers to listen to what is being said and de cide to make a change.  The symbol used by these commercials creates an ethical appeal to viewers.  The up arrow surrounded by the circle, with the website written beside it is a known symbol to people everywhere.  There is a website set up for teenagers and others to visit to have their questions answered, to learn about the effects of drugs, alcohol, pressure, etc.  These commercials and ads sponsored by the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign establish a sense of credibility, and give viewers a reason as to why they should believe what is being told to them.  The symbol also reminds people that they can live above the influence and do not have to go down the wrong path and can ultimately choose how they want their life to be.  Using ethos and pathos gives the commercial both a more powerful message and credibility, persuading viewers to listen and take a stance to make right choices.

            To create persuasive communication to viewers, the commercial uses the canons of rhetoric effectively to further establish a significant point being made by the ones who made the commercial.  The commercial is arranged in a cause-effect style, by first stating why she is like she is now and what has become of it.  This is effective in this type of commercial because it is trying to get viewers to understand the harms pressure can cause to them both physically and mentally.  In the beginning she states that pressure is the cause of her “shortness” and then goes in to detail by giving examples of the impact this has had on her life.  Arranging the commercial this way is a powerful tool because shows how progressively worse being under pressure becomes and that it will only keep being harmful to them if nothing is done about it.  Dealing with style, the commercial uses simple language, so that any viewer would understand what is being talked about.  There is also a serious tone to the commercial; it is not meant to be humorous in any way, and is specifically meant to get across a major point dealing with a serious issue.  This style is effective for the message trying to be made because it is a serious problem dealt by many everyday, and if it were a more humorous tone, viewers would not take it as seriously.  The delivery of the commercial is effective in that it reinforces the idea to people that pressure is not something to be taken lightly and that what may come from it could potentially harm your future.  “Above the Influence” commercials are beneficial to the media, and help prove a point that something can be done about it when many believe that they cannot change the problem.

            Overall, the purpose of these types of commercials is to inform the audience about the effects of major issues facing teenagers and others everyday.  The commercials are used as a way to promote viewers to know that there are people out there to help, and that they can choose a different path than one that will lead them to harm their life and its future.  In particular, this commercial is used to show one the effects pressure has on a person, and that it is not something they want to have to deal with.  By giving in to the peer pressure around her, the girl in the commercial felt as if she had been weighed down, with all the pressures making her “shorter” because she could not push through them and be above them.  The ones making the commercial are trying to get viewers to realize that they do not want to be like that and should choose to live a healthy life by living “above the influence,” ridding them of the harms pressure can have on them both emotionally and physically.  Easily the audience is persuaded to not choose the path the girl from the commercial picked.  This commercial was effective in promoting a message to anyone that choosing to make good decisions will lead them to a happier and healthier way of living, and will be beneficial to them in long run to live “above the influence” from pressure and other issues they may be faced with.