Above the Influence
April 3, 2008I enjoy the abovetheinfluence.com ads because they are so simple, yet hold a powerful message. All the ads have different actors and actresses in them, yet it is immediately known that it is an abovetheinfluence.com ad because they each hold realistic scenarios that people face; particularly high school and younger people.
The younger generation is this ad campaigns main target because they are our world’s future, and in order for them to be successful, they must be drug-free.
The ad I chose will hold an emotional response for many because it is a true scenario that numerous individuals have faced “the next morning.”
The scene is simple. It is set in a small, dorm looking room, with a young man who is awakened from the phone ringing. He answers in a cheerful manner.
While we only hear one end of the phone conversation, we get a whole lot of information. The friend on the other end of the phone does not appear to be happy with him. We learn this because of the guy we see. His tone suddenly changes to a serious one and he sits upright on his bed, with a somber look on his face.
The guy asks: “How did she get home?” There is a pause as the caller on the other end is explaining the situation. The guy continues: “Man, I was so high, I…” There is another pause. We see the expression on the guy’s face. It appears to be dejected and not happy. He responds: “Are we cool?” There is another pause. Finally he responds: “Tim you know me, that is not me.” We hear the call disconnect as the caller has hung up on his friend. The phrase: “Sponsored by Office of National Drug Control Policy/Partnership for a Drug-Free America” appears on the bottom of the screen.
I know many people can relate to this scenario. They partied the following night to the point where they cannot remember what happened, and what they did. Usually a friend or family member becomes angry and disappointed because of their actions.
The abovetheinfluence.com ads are wonderful. The are targeting young people for drug prevention. All their ad scenarios are realistic. They are saying: “Hey if you do drugs, this can happen,” which is great because young people need this type of awareness.
As stated above, these ads hold an emotional response to the viewer, as well as a recognition response because they are all quite similar and very powerful. The sound and images of these ads work hand-in-hand to get their messages across. The ads would be less effective if one was missing.
Your iPod analysis is pretty good, but for many of these you are falling into a trap I want you to avoid in your final project: spending more time telling the reader about the ad (which, on the blog, they can watch for themselves) and less time analyzing. It’s fine to tear an ad apart bit by bit and apply the ideas from class. Just try to put more emphasis on your ideas and the class notes than on a rehash of the specifics.