Anti-Drunk Driving - Cultural Systems Operating in the Advertisements, Text, and Images - Term Paper Example

DRINK DRIVING by Student’s Name Code + Name of Course Institution City/State Professor Date Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction 2 2.0 Key Terms 3 3.0 Theoretical Frameworks 3 4.0 Description of Data and Data Collection 5 5.0 Analysis of the Communication System 6 5.1 The Cultural Systems Operating in the Advertisements 6 5.2 Text and Images Being Used 7 6.0 Conclusion 8 Reference List 9 1.0 Introduction The use of alcohol and abuse of drug substances continues to be a major quandary. According to numerous campaigns aimed at sensitizing people about the effects of driving when drunk, statistics indicate that drunk driving contributes to a considerable percentage of road catastrophes. This is because, when drunk, one’s ability to drive well is weakened, thus, increasing the odds of crashing as well as causing severe injuries and sometimes death. The Australian populace is one of the most affected societies with regard to this issue. Law enforcers as well as media personalities have hence taken a step to ensuring that they alert the populace on the dangers they face when driving in an intoxicated situation. According to the Australian Office of Road Safety, the campaign denoted Towards Zero is aimed at sanctioning the furtherance of upholding collective responsibility of the drivers and road users as well. To achieve this, the use of billboard advertisements has been adopted (Queensland Government, 2013). Most billboard advertisements relating to this issue portray a law enforcement personality issuing a warning to the road users and drivers about drink driving. Consequently, there are other advertisements that have been designed to incorporate warning words like Think twice before you drink. Think twice before you drive. Overly, these messages are aimed at reminding people about taking responsibility of their behaviour as well as ensuring that they desist from drinking and driving. In this dissertation therefore, focus will majorly be on the theoretical frameworks that effectively highlight the delivery of these messages. The communication theory as well as the systems will provide a basis for this discussion. 2.0 Key Terms Anti-drunk driving, Road users, Drivers, Law enforcement and Billboards 3.0 Theoretical Frameworks The communication theory traditionally was designed to evaluate mathematical situations. In this context, the aspect of the advertising in relation to this theory can be effectively deducted from the major components of the communication process. According to the communication theory, the originator of the information, the target audience, message to be disseminated as well the means of communicating form the basis for this theory. Conversely, in communicating messages about drink driving, the law enforcers as well as the advertisers constitute the originators of the message which in this case is aimed at warning people against drinking and driving. The drivers as well as the road users on the other hand form the target audience for the message while the billboards represent the means through which this information is being communicated (Connors n.d). Overly, the communication theory denotes the passing of relevant information to an identified audience through a means that is deemed to be effective to that extent. Among the most major originators of this theory are Claude Shannon and Weber Weaver. According to Shannon and Weaver, communication forms an essential basis for human interaction. It is identified as an assessment of authority and influence. In this case, communication provides the campaigners with a means of putting forward their message to the road users and drivers as well. The law enforcers considerably reveal their authority through the billboard advertisements by posing their pictures and an inclusive message that warns the road users about their vitality in addressing the issue of drinking and driving (Connors n.d). The systems theory on the other hand denotes the holistic interconnection of human life (Connors n.d). Essentially, this theory was originally used to assess a biological concept. According to this theory, the human nature is perceived to be a system. The systems theory posits that all life is interrelated. With regard to the drink driving campaigns, the driver, the law enforcers as well as the road users are all connected in the sense that, they all have a responsibility to ensure that they protect life and minimize road carnages. The systems theory ostensibly advocates for the need to incorporate process thinking. In this, the theory seemingly supports the drink driving campaign concept requiring individuals to think before they drink as well as to think twice before they drive. This majorly forms the basis for the current campaigns advocating for responsible driving by the Anti-drunk driving public education 2012/2013 (Queensland Government 2013). This conceptual thinking indicates the need for drivers to evaluate their behaviour and actions before engaging in behaviours that may cause them or others harm. In process thinking, the drivers are encouraged to pre-conceive their actions. For instance, if one wants to go drinking, he or she should consider the means they are going to use for getting back home. If they want to drive, then they need not take alcohol, if they are taking alcohol, they should consider using another means of transport and not drive while drunk as drinking will disenable their driving abilities. 4.0 Description of Data and Data Collection Alcohol has been acknowledged to blight the driving ability of individuals. This is mostly because of the effect it has on one’s judgement while driving under the influence of alcohol. Such behaviours have considerably led to the increase in road accidents as well as injuries to road users. In this regard, this dissertation sought out to assess the use of billboards in campaigning for an anti-drunk driving populace so as to minimize these accidents. Data was generated from different quarters including the Queensland Government offices as well as the Department of Transport and Main Roads through interviews as well as the filling of questionnaires and was later analyzed (Queensland Government 2013). These sources provide effective and detailed information on the causes as well as measures being taken to minimize road carnages arising from drunk driving. According to these sources, a considerable number of the populace seem to be conscious of the required blood alcohol limit. This accounted for 89% of the participants taking part in this research. Some also ostensibly embrace the process thinking seemingly advocated for by the systems theory. This is where an individual is usually required to plan as well foreseeing the necessary steps they need to take in case they decide to go drinking. A considerable number of approximately 73% participants acknowledged that, while the traditional forms of advertising generate a considerable response from the targeted audience, the use of billboards in advertising against drunk driving seems to be more effective (Queensland Government 2013). 5.0 Analysis of the Communication System 5.1 The Cultural Systems Operating in the Advertisements Traditionally, drink driving advertisements have been overly popular in the television and online productions. The original television advertisements were found to create an impact that was considerably regarded to be ineffective. While some people may have knowledge of the advertisements on television regarding the dangers of drinking and driving, a considerable number pay no attention to the warnings being disseminated. The use of billboards thus, seems to be effective because, first and foremost, the billboards are usually strategically positioned on the roads. This reminds the road users as well as the drivers of the consequences they stand to face if they drink and drive (Connors n.d). Second, while the traditional television advertisements may be an overall warning of the consequences of drinking and driving, the billboards tend to be more personal as they are designed and worded to direct the information to an individual. In addition to the television advertisements is the traditional use of online campaigns. Like the television, online advertisements have overly been used to target the larger driving populace as well as the road users. These messages have essentially been designed to highlight the risks involved in drinking and driving. For instance, according to the Queensland Government, the campaign on Anti-drunk driving public education 2012/2013 aims at initiating a new Pourmeister Web application that will facilitate the creation of awareness among the larger population. In addition to this, there is the traditional use of mirror stickers. This form of advertising has ostensibly been in use for a long period of time. It has apparently helped in reminding the road users as well as drivers of the anti-drunk driving being advocated for by the respective government (Queensland Government 2013). 5.2 Text and Images Being Used Pictures play a vital role in information dissemination. This is because; they create a lasting image of the message being communicated. Law enforces have considerably taken up the anti-drunk driving campaigns by embracing the use of their pictures in these campaign messages. They seek to help minimize the increasing cases of road carnages being reported especially over the holidays. With regard to various states within Australia, most billboards have incorporated the use of pictures of law enforcement officials. This in a way has contributed towards the effective delivery of the campaign message. Mostly, the billboards incorporate a picture of a uniformed law officer who appears to be informing the target audience about the anti-drunk campaigns. The use of the pictures usually act as a reinforcement for the message being communicated by the text of the advertisement as well as represents the power and authority of the law in trying to eradicate drunk driving (Office of Road Safety n.d). Wordings play an essential role in advertisements. They normally form the basic text of the message being communicated. More often than not, the words being used to advertise usually determine the effect the advertisement will have on the targeted audience. Considering the use of billboards to communicate an anti-drunk driving message, the font as well as the coding of the words being used is vital. This is because, billboards tend to be overly used and in most cases, people usually take a glance at the information being disseminated sometimes without much concentration on the billboard. Thus, using words that are captivating and intriguing will determine the way the advertisement will impact on the audience. For instance, the anti-drunk driving campaigns coined as Think twice before you drink. Think twice before you drive as well as the wordings, Going out tonight? We are. Never, ever drink and drive highlight the main information being communicated. These words tend to capture the interest of the driver as well as road users and hence, facilitate the effectiveness of the anti-drunk driving campaign (Office of Road Safety n.d). 6.0 Conclusion The abuse of alcohol has seemingly been a major concern for law enforcers as well as the Australian State Government. This concern arises from the increased road deaths and injuries resulting from drunk driving. In this regard, law enforcers have taken interest in joining campaigns against drunk driving. According to the communication and systems theory, the use of effective means of disseminating campaign information can have adequate effect on the results being sought. Considering the human populace as a system helps in the design of this campaign messages. Additionally, the use of text and images in the campaigns helps to facilitate the impact created by the originators of the campaign information. Billboards play an essential role in emphasizing the anti-drunk driving campaign messages. This is mainly because; by using the pictures of law enforcers as well as coding the words in an intriguing manner, the campaigners are able to accentuate the seriousness of the consequences involved when one chooses to engage in such behavior. Reference List Connors, J n.d, Systems theory and interpersonal relationships, Available at: < http://www.academia.edu/664210/Systems_Theory_and_Interpersonal_Relationships> Office of Road Safety n.d, Towards Zero: Drink Driving Campaign- it’s never ok, Available at: < http://www.ors.wa.gov.au/campaigns/drink-driving-ok-is-not-ok.aspx> Queensland Government 2013, Anti-drunk driving public education 2012/2013: Think before you drink. Think twice before you drive, Available at: Read More