Advocacy Project - Essay Example

The effects of cigarette smoking have raised concerns in contemporary society. With the development of technology, the exposure to tobacco products has increased significantly. This has made the product appeal to the younger age brackets hence, encouraging the use of tobacco among this group. It is essential for the relevant stakeholders to ensure that this trend is checked. Through the employment of various sensitizing campaigns, the detrimental effects of cigarette smoking are being revealed to the youth. PSA has been proactive in voicing several issues of social relevance. With the increase of cancer cases among the population, PSA, through an advocacy advertisement, aims to address the issue by discouraging tobacco use in society (Tobacco-free kids.org). This presentation will explore several aspects of the advertisement to determine its effectiveness.

The PSA advertisement on tobacco smoking has targeted to dissuade the use of cigarettes in society.  These advertisements are placed on a website and hence are accessible to individuals regardless of their geographical presence. The advertisement aims to promote healthy behavior by discouraging the use of cigarettes.

When exploring the website, it is evident that the target audience for this advocacy campaign is students. The campaign aims to dissuade students from using tobacco products and hence promote health among this group (Tobacco-free kids.org). This is considering that they comprise the majority population in society, and hence they are crucial in shaping future societal behavior.

In order to determine the effectiveness of the campaign, it is essential to analyze its features. Some of the features, which ensure the advertisement is effective, include compatibility. Based on the audience targeted, the objective of the advertisement, and the nature of the problem, there is compatibility in the advertisement leading to effective communication of the intentions of the advertisement.  When considering the complexity of the campaign, the message is portrayed simply, and the intention of the campaign is clear to the target audience. The campaign also shows commitment, in that the content of the advert is centered on its purpose, which is an anti-smoking campaign for students. Focus is maintained throughout the website, and there is no deviation in the content on cigarette usage and its consequences.  The advocacy campaign also impacts social relations since it portrays the tobacco companies as self-serving, hence creating a negative relationship between the target audience and the tobacco companies. In addition, the campaign also exhibits observation to detail with its exhaustive content and factual representation of the problem is the American and international perspectives.

The advocacy campaign is also effective since it offers an accurate outlook on the problem. This is by using documented evidence to bolster the claims made in the advertisement. The campaign is characterized by statistics and research supporting the sentiments of the campaign objective. The claims on the effect of cigarettes on human health and the statistics of cigarette usage in society presented in the advertisement are substantiated by credible research. This leads to the conclusion that the advert is well supported with facts.

Considering the aforementioned analysis, the PSA campaign appears to be credible. This is because the campaign is supported by credible information hence its sentiments are valid. Other researched issues, which are positive for the health of students, include the promotion of healthy eating habits, discouraging alcohol consumption, and promotion of physical activity among students. These issues will ensure healthy lifestyles for students.

The advocacy campaign is effective since it addresses the issue clearly and uses facts to support its objectives. It also maintains relevance to its target audience hence its effectiveness in addressing the health consequences of cigarette use. Therefore, the advertisement is relevant and effective for its purpose.