Texting and Driving in Colombia: El Colombiano's Take
El Colombiano, the most broadly-read newspaper in the second most populated district of Colombia (the Antioquia Department) published this advertisement; consequentially, it has the potential to be very far-reaching. The newspaper is part of the Latin America Newspaper Association, meaning it is one of the fourteen leading newspapers of South America. Since texting and driving has become a major issue, this popular Colombian magazine decided to make it clear to its readers how dangerous texting and driving is. This advertisement comments on the growing problem with having a smart phone and a destination: you can't reach for both at the same time. One of the leading causes of car crashes has become texting and driving, and this image discusses the problem and responds to it. The purpose of this advertisement is to project a clear message: using your smart phone while driving isn't smart. Don't text and drive, because you'll crash. Although El Colombiano undoubtedly achieved their purpose, their advertisement wasn't clear at first glance. Just casually skimming the ad, I didn't immediately understand what the ad wanted to advertise, but upon really trying to understand it, it was very effective and clear. I think the main appeals generated are ethos and logos, in particular because the iPhone symbol is well-known and because the ad is clever. In order for El Colombiano to discourage texting and driving, their advertising committee had to employ several rhetorical strategies to cater to a younger iPhone-tethered generation. One such strategy is establishing a single focus. Everything other than the little iPhone "slide to unlock" image is gray and out of focus. This directs the viewer's attention to exactly where the advertiser wants it. Also, it makes the center focus seem much more important. Additionally, El Colombiano used a well-known icon (the iPhone slide bar) and tweaked it to support their purpose. The audience of this advertisement was originally only readers of El Colombiano. However, this clever advertisement quickly became popular outside of the Colombia, and so its actual audience became much larger than its intended audience.
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