Here is something we have all seen before, an anti-smoking ad. They are everywhere: TV, radio, internet, billboards, you name it. They all have the same message as this one and that is, simply put, "smoking kills." The thing is, for the majority of people, it doesn't. You will always see an ad that says "1 in 4 smokers die." The vast majority of smokers live normal, healthy lives and never have to deal with lung cancer, emphysema, or chronic bronchitis.
The problem that leads to ads like this is a simple one: smoking kills... sometimes. For some people, sometimes is enough to ban tobacco altogether. The people who created this ad just want people to stop smoking. Most people logically think, "smoking kills people, and I don't want to die, therefore I will not smoke." I even admit to be one of those people, but truthfully, I could in all likelihood start smoking without any adverse effects to my health.
Since most smokers don't die from smoking-related causes, this ad and others like it have a weakened logical appeal, at least to smokers. The ethical and emotional appeals, I believe to be strong. People who create ads like this one are trying to prevent deaths, which says much about their collective character. And, of course, anything to do with death will stir up people's emotions.
I believe this ad to be effective, though not completely logically sound. Ads like these aid in the prevention of smoking, and in the process of quitting.
