Rhetorical Analysis on Nicoderm Ad

The ad that I chose to write a rhetorical analysis on was an ad for a product that helps the consumer to quit smoking. The purpose of the advertisement is to get consumers to buy their product. Based on the magazine that I got the ad from (SELF - a woman's health magazine) my guess would be that the target audience is young female smokers who are interested in their health. This is a very effective ad resulting from the ad makers many strategic decisions.

The first thing that draws potential consumers to this ad is the colors. The ad makers wisely chose very bright colors that as your thumbing through a magazine immediately catch your eye. Using a black background with yellow font makes the statement "CAN'T QUIT SMOKING? IT'S NOT YOU. IT'S YOUR BRAIN." Really pop out of the page. They were also smart to use orange as the main background, since their product color is blue. Orange and blue are complimentary colors and contrast well with each other. Around the blue Nicoderm CQ package is a whitish/bluish border which makes the product appear as though it is glowing towards the viewer. The bright colors used is different than many quit smoking ads, it makes for a much more lively and upbeat advertisement.

The next strategic aspect they used was the text of the ad. The first thing you read is "CAN'T QUIT SMOKING? IT'S NOT YOU. IT'S YOUR BRAIN." This statement is appealing to those who are trying to quit smoking and are not successful, it make's them believe (whether it is true or not) that it's not their fault that they have not been able to quit smoking. It's easy for people to come up with excuses why they can't do something, here the ad hands them their excuse. It then goes on in the boxes 1 & 2 to explain why they are unable to quit because of the receptors in their brain. The 3rd box is the one that offers the solution, telling you that with Nicoderm CQ the receptors gradually wear off making it easier for you to not smoke. The last bit of text on the bottom of the ad claims "Give your willpower a fighting chance." Reiterating what they said above. Not only does this claim reinforce the idea, it also was placed on the bottom for viewers who may have looked straight to the end.

When I think of smoking I think along the lines of dark and morbid. That's also how I anticipate stop smoking ads to be. I am accustomed to seeing ads where the point is quite blunt: if you don't quit you will die. This ad with its bright colors and cartoon type medium uses a much different approach. By positively enforcing the idea that you can quit, I think it makes for a much more attainable goal for consumers. Most people respond better to positivity and are more likely to try something if they are told they are able to do it.

They also chose to place this ad in a health magazine, which I think is a good audience to target. Those who are