DISCLAIMER: You must forgive me if I appear less than amused in my writing this evening. An unexpected error crashed my entry before I saved it, and subsequently this is the second time I am about to write this entry. I assure you I will strive for my usual quality, however I find it hard to write with the overwhelming desire to smash my computer, kill small animals, and burn down the entire city of Chicago. I said something along the lines of:
While looking through a wild sea of advertisements, I found few that stood out to me more than this one. The attention catching text coupled with the clever image makes one stop and look for a moment. It has what I would call "good optics", and manages to say a lot in a rather simple visual. On top of all of that, the layout is effective and easy to look at.
Starting at the top, the first thing one notices is the question "Are your friends killing you?". The question becomes more and more curious upon reflection. Why would your friends want to kill you? Why are you in danger? This text is very large, close to the center, and is the only bit of color in the entire ad. It commands your attention with its domineering red stencil-like font. The small explanatory paragraph in the bottom half explains the preposed question in simple to understand and reasonably credible words. The last question however makes you ponder, however. "What type of friends do you have?"
Equally as important as the text (and every bit as noticeable) is the image. The concept ingeniously mores the iconic cigarette in the hand into a handgun. One only needs a first grade education to see the comparison between the deadliness of a cigarette and the deadliness of a handgun. However easy to grasp, the image and symbolism is memorable and commands mental reflection.
Finally, it is worth noting that the overall layout plays a major role in the effectiveness of this advertisement. From what little knowledge I do have about design layouts, this ad hits the mark spot on. According to a B&H photography class I once attended, whenever an image is involved, the human eye always scans first from left to right. (oddly enough this is supposedly true in countries that read right to left as well, it is said to have something to do with how humans process images) Keeping with that form, this ad forms a perfect left-directional sideways "U", starting with the attention catcher, moving on to the image, and finally ending with the explanation paragraph.
The combination of these three elements makes for a very memorable visual argument. This ad really drives home the dangers of second hand smoke and leaves you with a lasting image of that danger.