Drug Video rhetoric

Video 1: Frying egg



Observations: The video is short. It begins with hot grease, butter in a frying pan. An egg is cracked into the pan of hot grease/butter. As the egg cooks, its qualities change. The egg cooks quickly. The "egg white" changes from clear to white/cloudy. As the egg white cooks it is bubbly. The white cooks faster than the yolk. The words "Partnership for a Drug-Free America" are presented. Spoken words: "This is drugs." = frying grease/butter. "This is your brain on drugs." = egg frying. "Any questions?" = a rhetorical question.



Inferences: Drugs: 1. work quickly 2.are dangerous 3. harm the brain 4. change the qualities of the brain 5. cloud the brain 6. give the brain boils 7. All Americans are responsible for contributing to a drug-free America.



Video 2: Violent frying pan



Observations: The message is presented by a young female. She has short hair and is wearing a white tank top and blue jeans-- casual dress. The setting is in a kitchen. The color representation is mostly black and white. The girl holds an iron frying pan in her right hand and an egg in the left. She says, "This is what happens to your brain after starting heroine," then places the egg on the counter and smashes it. Egg smashed and dripping, running down to the floor is accompanied by comment, "This is what your body goes through." Smashes other things in the kitchen and mentions family, friends, money, job, self-respect, and future. She throws down frying pan and asks, "Any questions?" "Office of National Drug Control Policy-- Partnership for a Drug-Free America." The tone starts softer and calmer and progresses to loud, angry, and violent. Video uses symbolism.

Inferences: Heroine is bad for the physical and mental health of the user and affects the people around the user in a negative way. Heroine is violent toward the body and society. Frying pan(heroine) in "right" hand and egg in left = putting heroine before your brain. Heroine will destroy the life of the user and those who care about the user. Heroine dulls life. Sound getting louder = heroine gaining control. "Any questions?" is a rhetorical question. All Americans are responsible to contributing to a drug free America.

Both comercials are intended for an age group of preteen through adults. The tone of the first video is serious and remains firm and soft; the speaker is unknown beyond their voice. The second video has a slightly more appealing tone because it is also serious and includes a speaker the viewer can see. Also, the second video includes the use of pathos more as the tone remains serious throughout but progresses from soft and firm to loud and angry. The first video context requires a relation and knowledge to cooking eggs on the stove, i.e. use of grease, butter, etc. However, the second video is more cultural specific and appeals better if one knows that the girl is 1990s American teen star Rachael Lee Cook; this strategy is more geared toward American youth. Both videos serve the purpose of discouraging trying and using drugs; however, the second video specifically targets heroine. Video two overall is the most effective because it appeals both to ethos and pathos. Pathos are a strong persuasion tool to use when attempting to discourage drug use because the general population can relate to the emotional appeal of pain as being a negative factor. Video 2 includes more effects of drugs than those on the brain alone where video 1 only targets negative side effects to the brain. While both videos get a person's thought process going, video 2 surpases video 1 by adding the extra emotion and extra details to the same idea, drugs destroy.