SMOKE SMOKE SMOKERSSS
Non-verbal communication, something that did not strike me until recently(due to some special reasons) is much more effective than its verbal counterpart. As the old saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words.
The gruesome images are designed to disgust smokers, and try to use the shock factor to persuade smokers to quit. The effectiveness of this campaign can be seen especially on the teenagers. For instance, I have a female friend who was so disturbed by the images on the cigarette boxes, that she got one of those cigarette containers, just to put their cigarettes in.
In the past, words were used to inform the smokers on the danger and harm smoking can deal to one person, an advertisement of the quitting smoking can get you a near motor-bicycle, but that did not really stop the smokers from cutting down. Now the usage of these new unsettling images of cancerous growths and (more recently) deformed foetuses are far more effective in deterring smokers from lighting up their next cigarette. A television advertisement, featuring a woman with a sallow complexion and whose teeth had fallen out, was panned by the public for being too unsettling. At least now there are more people (especially the female smokers) aware of how smoking can destroy the image of being BEAUTIFUL.
Hence, the dilemma of how much of the shock factor to include in future anti-smoking campaigns. Too much, and the general population will complain of the overly repulsive images shown. Too little, and the intended effect will be completely lost on smokers once again.
In the mean time, we must keep in mind that the longer we take to decide just how unpleasant we want to make our health warnings, the more time the smokers have to get used, and eventually become immune, to yet another method of discouraging them from smoking.
posted by Boey Mao Qing at
11:51 PM
8 Comments:
But then the image is only printed on the box. The smokers can just get one of those ciggy holders to hold their cigs. Lol. The pics are quite useless, if u ask me.
Hmm i think its useful, very useful to be exact. What that maes me do not even dare to try smoking is due to all the photos. You can also see from the facts in mao's post about how many people find this useful.
They should go all out to have these posters being put up widespread, everywhere. Banners, posters, pamphlets, car decals, newspaper/magazine ads, online ads, bus/train ads.
So what if people complain of it being unsettling, it is still an undeniable fact that smoking poses these risks and problems.
If the message doesn't get across, the people who suffer the most will always be passive smokers.
non-verbal com is probably onw way of persuading ppl to stop doing whatever the message was aiming at but it's very unethical if there is deception involved like the advert where they had a woman with supposed oral cancer speaking into the camera. I have to admit however that non-verbal com is probably the best way to persuade people as thay say, pictures worth a thousand words! pictures primes the audiences better than words does simply because it's easier to take commit pictures to memory than words. only up to 7 words can be retained in human's short-term memory.
I think ultimateely, the decision to smoke boils down the the user himself. You can lead a horse to a water trough but you cannot force it to drink. If the user of the cigarettes have the intent to smoke, regardless of verbal or non-verbal warnings, he will still go ahead. Although I do agree that non-verbal forms of persuation seems to be the most effective method now as can be seen in all places. Adverts in the MRT station for example. As the saying goes, a picture paints a thousand words. Ultimately, the user must decide for himself if he wants to walk down the wayward path or to stay straight.
shock only lasts a while. after getting used to what is seen, smokers may choose to ignore the warning pictures as they are not fresh anymore.
there can be many ways to counter this shock effect. you did mention that your friend bought a cigarette box and transferred her sticks in there. another common thing smokers do is to black tape or color black the pictures so that they do not see them.
i guess, there are many smokers who wish to quit, but find it very hard. on the other hand, there are a lotof young punks wanting to pick up smoking to 'fit' into society.
if this perception of smoking is cool does not go away, i am afraid that we are fighting an uphill battle with limited results.
The effectiveness has yet to be seen. It takes more than just grotesque images of hideous consequences to deter smoking. As you have mentioned, unsightly packaging can be removed and the cigarette sticks placed in self bought containers. This way, we can see the effect reduced significantly.
the positive aspect of this particular campaign is that it reaches out to smokers and non-smokers alike. it deters new members by unsettling them, and warns the regulars by doing the same.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home