Fear Appeals and Their Impact
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desire. Illustrating the pressure that the boy is under creates fear in the audience and is effective in order to make the audience to turn away from situations likes this. In this case it was his friend telling him that he would be okay and to take a hit. Even though the boy was uncertain of his decision he was reaffirmed by his friend's input even though he knew it is wrong to try the drug. What is important in this advertisement is the fear factor and the influence people have on one’s decision even though it may not be one’s belief. Letting the audience see how one can influence their decision-making will allow the viewer to know that there are factors that are going to influence their decision. By identifying these factors in the commercial, the audience can see the fear factor and take it into consideration and realize what could happen if put in a situation like this one. The boy then takes a hit of the crystal methamphetamine and he is now staring at junkies all around him. The commercial then shows the physical appearance of the junkies and their poor appearance, which demonstrates that they have been crystal methamphetamine users for a long time. The junkies portrayed here look horrific and have scabs all over their face as a result of scratching themselves as a side effect of the drug. They are also shown as not being well groomed and they have yellow teeth. These junkies look as if they have not taken a shower or done anything to clean themselves up in a long time. This part of the commercial can be labeled as the threat component. By showing the audience the negative side effects from using the drug, the persuader is attempting to scare their audience with the goal of having them not use the drug. Showing the appearance of the junkies creates fear in the audience. This fear is that ones appearance and life will change drastically by using this drug. Physical appearance is important for many people as it is part of our non-verbal communication. People fear