TOW #3 - Visual Text, Fiat PSA

             

          Despite the Spanish phrases, this powerful PSA crosses the language barrier and gets across the message without much trouble. This much needed PSA in a world where drinking and driving is becoming more and more of an issue is sponsored by Fiat, an extremely popular car company, which makes them credible to the topic. This ad speaks to all drivers globally as it simply but boldly states, “Now you see. Now you don’t. Avoid Accidents. Don’t drink and drive.” Although the message is clear and easily understandable, it is not what the message is but how Fiat conveys it that makes this piece truly effective. The most predominant rhetoric device here is pathos. Fiat brilliantly uses a child riding a bicycle as the victim to draw out intense emotions from the audience. Undoubtedly, any driver knows a child that they car strongly for, whether it be a son or daughter, a niece or nephew, or maybe even a student. This ad forces the audience to think, “What if that was me behind the wheel, and my son on his bike?” Another important aspect of this piece is the mood it creates for the audience. Fiat’s use of neutral and somewhat solemn colors gives off the feeling of emptiness and isolation. Colors play an important part in our emotions: often times red stands for anger, blue for sorrow, green for envy, etc. However, the lack of color sends an important feeling of thoughtlessness and emptiness, the emotions felt during and after drinking and driving (not that I would know). Fiat wants to raise awareness of the dangers of drinking and driving, and expertly chooses specific rhetoric devices to achieve this goal.