Freewrite #4

1st source= Krisberg, Kim. “Anti-Smoking campaign lowers youth smoking rates with ‘truth’.”
The Nation’s Health Apr. 2005: 35.3. Print.
The writer of this source, Kim Krisberg is the senior editor for a well-known publication called The Nation’s Health (TNH). She is affiliated with the American Public Health Association (APHA). The producer for the site that this article was published (TNH) is the APHA. This newspaper produces information about the latest health, public health profressions, legislators and decisionmakers. This newspaper is targeted to health professionals who need to know about health issues around the world. The Nation’s Health is a nationally-recognized, award winning newspaper, winning several awards such as 2009 and 2008 Excel Awards from the Society of National Association Publications and 1st place best newspaper feature series. The Nation’s Health newspaper’s purpose is primarily to release health related issues to professionals in this expertise. This is a credible source because the author is a well-known writer who provides numerous sources to where she got her information from.
2nd source= Farrelly, Matthew C; Healton, Cheryl G; Davis, Kevin C; Messeri, Peter; Hersey, James
C; Haviland, M. Lyndon. “Getting to the Truth: Evaluating National Tobacco Countermarketing Campaigns.” American Journal of Public Health 92.6 (2002): 901-907. Print.
The writers of this source all have extensive educational backgrounds. Matthew Farrelly, PhD, is a chief scientist and senior director of the Public Health Policy Research Program with an expertise in Anti-Smoking Programs and Policy Evaluation, Tobacco Control, Program Evaluation and Media Campaigns. Cheryl Healton is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Legacy Foundation (creators of the Truth Campaign). This article was published in the American Journal of Public Health (AJPH). AJPH is a publication dedicated to the original work of its research, research methods and program evaluation in the field of public health. The goal of AJPH is to advance public health research, policy, practice and education. This journal is mostly targeted to health professionals, who use this journal as a way to discover the most in-depth information relative to the field of health. The purpose of AJPH is educational, relaying information in the field of health through a professional journal.
Both sources are valuable reliable and credible sources because the authors all show professionalism and are a part of well-known organizations. These authors also include the sources they used in order to obtain their information. The sources were both published in well-known, award-winning publications that show the information present is reliable and accurate to use. Both sources present different methods of research in order to show that the Truth campaign is successful in reducing youth smoking.

Forum G

A strong reader and writer must be able to not only analyze the information within a source, but also be able to read between the lines of what the source is actually trying to tell you. In order to do this, a writer must use rhetorical analysis in order to understand the true meaning of a source. A rhetorical analysis consists of the Encoder, Decoder and Reality, which helps to reader and writer to understand the background and credibility for each source as well as how and why each source was created. Kantz was us as writers to show create ethos within our writing by including credible sources. Kantz also strongly wants us as writers to understand the importance of drafting within our essays. There is always room for improvement, especially when it comes to drafting an essay. Through the use of others ideas and constructive criticisms as well as your own, each draft of an essay will be that much better.
Within my sustained research essay I will use credible sources such as the online databases and researches conducted about my topic, rather than the opinions of just anyone who has seen anti-tobacco advertisements. Leaving out the opinions of a particular person who has seen these ads helps me to stay away from bias. I will knowledgably communicate my sources to the reader by using rhetorical analysis strategies to discover why each of these studies or articles were conducted. The bulk of my primary research will consist of credible researches conducted to compare and contrast the impact the Truth campaign versus other anti-tobacco campaigns have had on youths. I will also incorporate different Truth advertisements and analyze them using rhetorical analysis to discover why they have become successful in the minds of the youth.

Primary Research

Primary Research Method: Rhetorical Anaylsis

Through the use of rhetorical analysis, I want to discover why the Truth anti-tobacco advertisements are so successful. I plan on discovering this by comparing/contrasting the Truth campaign to other unsuccessful anti-tobacco advertisements through the use of various rhetorical strategies. I will be looking at different print, internet and commercial advertisements of several different advertising companies. I expect to discover why Truth advertisements are succcessful in decreasing the number of youth smokers.

2/11/10 Transgressive signs

These signs which originally only had one meaning have been vandalized and altered to change its meaning. Normally, a stop sign is a traffic sign used to tell drivers to stop and only proceed if the way is clear. On the top sign, the word “consuming” was graffitied on and on the bottom sign, the words “eating animals” was stuck onto it. The use of these words has completely changed the meaning of the stop signs. Now, not only are drivers being forced to obey a traffic sign, these drivers along with the rest of the public are also now being persuaded and influenced by these signs.
These signs are considered transgressive because the meaning of this sign as been altered due to someone that has vandalized a property that is not their own. I would consider these transgressive signs as graffiti. Although to many people graffiti is a type of art form, I feel that this type of art cannot just be placed anywhere, especially if it if vandalizing something that is not their own. I do think that these signs are considered transgressive, but only to an extent. Specific signs that have been vandalized which such art such as graffiti have been named as “transgressive” by the law, but not everyone feels the same way about this, especially the ones who are expressing themselves through these types of art forms. In this particular case, yes these people are vandalizing a traffic sign and disobeying the law, but on the other hand why must these people subject to not portraying their beliefs and concerns to others? These signs can also be considered transgressive because they are most likely offensive to a certain group of people, specifically with the sign “stop eating animals”. I do eat meat, and although i am not personally offended by this sign, other people who do eat meat on a daily basis might think that this sign is unnecessary and going against what they believe.
The people who drew graffiti on top of these stop signs are strong believers in a certain cause that they want the public to become aware of and act upon. In this case, the “stop consuming” sign was graffitied by someone who feels strongly about the environment, and wants the public to stop consuming, which could be a numerous different things. The individual who placed the “eating animals” sticker on the stop sign feels that eating animals is wrong, and that the public should become vegetarian. The public has responded to the stop eating animals sign by in a way competing against it, putting up other forms of graffiti right next to it. Part of the “eating animals” sign has also been ripped off, obviously showing that someone did not agree with this message.
I feel that people should be allowed to express how they feel and show others what they believe in, but where is there a place that one can actually do this? This relates back to the ongoing discussion we have in class about is there really public space? I think there is “public space” per say, but there are rules and laws we must abide by in this space. There may be places that are called public space, but that does not mean that the public are free to do whatever they want there. Therefore, public space is just a term that has come to be, not an actual place where people are fully free to express themselves how they want.

I came across this advertisement for the Texican Whopper from Burger King while searching through adage.com for my advertising design class. I decided to chose this ad because it has created much controversy as soon it was released to the public in Europe. Along with this advertisement, agencies have also used Burger King to degrade women and most recently offended the Hindu religion.

This advertisement has greatly offended Mexicans and their culture and lifestyle. WIthin both the commercial and the print ad, Burger King shows the Mexican flag, but portrays it as an outfit that includes red/white/green cape, pants, mask and necklace. This ad seems to be making fun of Mexican pride and love for their country by making their national flag into a cape or a poncho. Another stereotype of Mexicans is that they are a lot shorter than Americans. In the commercial advertisement, the Texan Man helps the Mexican clean part of the window that he cannot reach and physically lifts him up to put a statue of a horse on a shelf that he cannot reach by himself. The statue of a horse is also a symbol that many people refer to when they think of the Mexican heritage, once again stereotyping that all Mexicans ride horses.

Not only is this advertisement poking fun of the Mexican culture, it is also stereotyping the typical outfit of a Texan. The Texan is portrayed with a cowboy hat, a typical checkered button down shirt with a handkerchief around his neck and chaps with jeans. I personally know people from Texas and I know that is not how they dress. Yes, maybe some people from Texas do dress like that, but that is certainly stereotyping the average Texan, which does not apply to everyone from Texas. In the commercial, you also get a quick glimpse of a real horse, making the viewer think as if the Texan man came to the house by horse.

Feb. 2nd 2010

This is an icon because this sign is representing an object. The object it is representing is a kangaroo, and the viewer understands that this kangaroo symbolizes the awareness that they may be crossing. The color yellow also warns the viewer to proceed with caution.

The image of the skull and crossbones is a symbol because it represents something to the viewer. When one thinks of a skull and crossbones, it is almost always associated with death and a warning of danger.

This sign could be an index and an icon. It is considered an icon because the letter “H” represents that there is a hospital nearby. This letter “H” with the blue background has become a worldwide iconic image that is recognized by everyone. It is also an index because it also has a arrow pointing to the direction of the hospital.

Freewrite # 1

My hometown of Rockville Centre, NY, which is on Long Island, is a fairly wealthy town with very little diversity. There are some families who are of different races, ethnicities and nationalities but the majority of the people I grew up with are of white, Irish, Catholic dissent.  Many people associate my town, and other towns nearby Rockville Centre with living “in a bubble”. Not until people actually move out of Rockville Centre, I feel, they will really understand that there is a much bigger world outside of the people and places we grew around.

I currently live about 10 minutes from the closest beach. There are many different beaches that people can go to, including private beach clubs. More than half of the families living in my town belong to one of these private beach clubs.  My family has never belonged to a private beach club, but with certain guest passes, I would always go with my friend’s families in the summertime with them to their beach. Every time I would go to a particular beach club, and I have been to quite a few, all of them seemed to be pretty much the same. There is the same facilities and activities, outdoor swimming pools, and of course the beach at every beach club. But the one thing I began to notice was that all the people who belonged to the beach club were essentially the same. I came to realize that for the most part, with the exception of maybe one or two families within these private beach clubs that contained several hundred people, that everyone who belonged to these clubs were Caucasian, usually larger families with kids. Some of the private beach clubs are also more directly towards a certain nationality, such as Irish families, again always Caucasian.

At home, although most of my closest friends are Caucasian, one of my best friends, Steph, is African American. One time over the summer we all decided to go to our friends beach club. Knowing that Steph is African American, my friend who’s family owned the beach club was always a little hesitant to invite her. When we got to the beach club and we walked inside, I could tell that although Steph did not say anything or act in any way differently, I could kind tell that she felt left out. I could sense that people were staring at her, and wondering why she was at this beach club just because of the color of her skin.

The private beach club’s that are “supposed to be” public space are in actuality really not fully open to anyone. Although the beach club does not actually say or inform others that certain people (ie: people of a certain race) are not allowed to enter or become a part of the beach club, it is clearly obvious that the people or families who are minorities are looked down upon.