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Jared Jones
Prof. Fielding
Section 40
2/20/16
Comparative Rhetorical Analysis of Alcohol Advertising and Teens
The argument of whether or not alcohol advertising influences teen drinking has been an
issue in recent years. The article examined claims that teen drinking is not directly related to
alcohol advertising. Additionally, the PSA examined was created by Jared Jones and is supported
by Alcohol & Drug Services. The rhetoric of Alcohol Advertisings Opposing Viewpoints article
focuses more on logical and ethical appeals while the companion PSA appeals primarily to
pathos; both arguments illustrate the anticlimactic effects on teens from alcohol advertising.
The main claim of this article is that alcohol advertising does not significantly influence
teen drinking. Demand for advertising is also nonexistent, the total advertising elasticity of
demand for beer has been calculated at 0.0 meaning advertising has no impact on total demand.
(Alcohol Advertising). This article is intended for the general public, but more specifically,
parents. Throughout the article, the author uses a scholarly way of writing. Alcohol
Advertising is well organized and easy to read. Its organization could be categorized as topical.
The article Alcohol Advertising achieves its authority through ethos, logos, and pathos.
Although the author is not known, Alcohol Advertising has credibility. Not only is the
article only available on Opposing Viewpoints, but the author also cites reputable sources.
Throughout the beginning of the paper on the topic of research, the author cites the Center on

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Alcohol Marketing and Youth, the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, and the
Center on Alcohol Advertising. The author then examines reviews by the National Institute on
Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse. Trust is easily achieved from this author. The confidence in the
authors writing can be represented by quotes such as, The divergent position of advocacy
research means we need to understand why certain kinds of research provide more reliable
evidence than others. (Alcohol Advertising). Overall, the ethos in this paper is easily
identifiable. However, even though this article appears scholarly and trustworthy, the fact that the
author is not known hurts the entirety of the articles credibility.
Logos is another large piece of this article. The author analyzes different types of
research studies to prove that alcohol doesnt significantly increase teen drinking. One of the
reviewed studies was the 2009 Roper Youth Report. 1,000 in-person interviews are conducted
annually with this study. The students were asked what influences them the most in regards to
drinking. 68 percent responded "parents" while 11 percent responded "best friend." Only 2
percent said that "what they saw in the media" (Alcohol Advertising). The author goes on to
compare teens to adults when it comes to money. Teenagers and young adults are more
responsive to price rather than advertising to the common shortage of money among adolescents
(Alcohol Advertising). Another big study reviewed by the author involves the decrease in teen
drinking. Although the article was written in 2012, the author reviews a study by the National
Survey on Drug Use and Health where, between 2002 and 2007, current use of alcohol by 12 to
17 year olds decreased significantly. (Alcohol Advertising). In this article, the use of logic is
apparent and refreshing.
Pathos is the least represented characteristic of this article. The author focuses more on
facts and research analyzation rather than trying to create an emotional response from the

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audience. Part of this is because the author does not believe that alcohol advertising increases
teen drinking. If the authors views were different, however, they would probably try to evoke an
emotional response from said audience. The only part of the article where there is remotely any
use of pathos is the conclusion. The author explains how advertisements that are against drinking
and smoking that show the long term effects of a certain substance are less effective than those
that promise immediate effects. immediate negative effects of smoking, like bad breath or
impaired athletic performance, are more effective with youth than those which warn of the
likelihood of lung cancer decades hence. Similar attention to how alcohol could make one lose
control in the social situations most important to teens might be a promising approach. (Alcohol
Advertising). The lack of pathos in the article is indeed a downfall, but the pathos in the PSA and
the overwhelming ethos and logos in the article make up for this fault.

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This is a PSA created by Jared Jones. It is
back by the Alcohol & Drug Services.

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The main claim of the above PSA is that parents should manage what their children
watch on television. When parents are with their teenagers they can decide what advertisements
their children see or hear. In addition to this practice, parents should also educate their children
on the negatives of underage drinking and alcohol abuse so that their kids are not influenced by
advertisements when their parents are not around. The intended audience is parents of teenagers
and young adults. This PSA is meant to be preventative by sending a message to parents to
educate their children early and correctly. The dominant picture is a frustrated young adult
(Medical News Today). This symbolizes how alcohol can ruin someones life, even at a young
age. This is supposed to help teens realize that things like this can happen to them. Although the
PSA does not have many words, it still has examples of ethos, logos, and pathos.
The ethos in this PSA is represented by the Alcohol & Drug Services logo. The Alcohol
& Drug Services is a credible non-profit organization whose mission is to provide a
comprehensive array of services that promotes health and wellness to individuals and families
impacted by addictive diseases. (Alcohol & Drug Services). Although the creator of the PSA,
Jared Jones, is not credible, the Alcohol & Drug Services is there to back him up. This
organization is dedicated to helping those with addiction and drug problems. The Alcohol &
Drug Services make up for Jared Jones lack of ethos by providing a foundation of trust and
credibility.
Logic in this PSA is presented through foreshadowing. The caption Babysit your
children, dont let the TV do it for you is foreshadowing what could happen if parents do not
educate their children correctly about alcohol. This kind of caption is meant to make viewers to
search for a deeper meaning in underage drinking. It is meant to make people question what they
let their children watch on television and how they can explain things that their children do see to

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them. A caption like this is meant to be short and sweet so that parents and adults in general
will remember the statement. Logos is the characteristic least represented by this PSA.
Pathos is the most represented in this PSA. The emotion behind the picture is
unbelievable. The frustration shown on the young mans face makes someone not want to drink
in the first place, let alone a child. Babysitting is a part of every childs life, so when a parent
sees a PSA like this, it makes them want to do it correctly. The caption makes parents question
their parenting tactics. No parent would ever want to see their kid through addiction our
frustration as depicted in this PSA. The support of the Alcohol & Drug Services also makes
adults aware that underage drinking should be taken seriously. Out of all three characteristics,
pathos is the most apparent.
Finally, the rhetoric of Alcohol Advertisings Opposing Viewpoints article focuses on
logical and ethical appeals while the PSA appeals primarily to pathos. The Opposing Viewpoints
article severely lacks emotion and imagery. However, when accompanied by the PSA, all three
characteristics are presented in full. The PSA focuses more on pathos and emotion because more
people are likely to be moved by their emotions and imagination. It is also more likely that more
people will see the PSA rather than the article. The article has very useful research and
exceptionable credibility. The article is more convincing because of the statistics and facts, but
the PSA deepens the meaning of the message through emotion. In conclusion, combining these
two pieces of media undoubtedly proves the point that alcohol does not significantly increase
underage drinking.

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Works Cited
"Alcohol Advertising Does Not Significantly Influence Teen Drinking." How Does Advertising
Impact Teen Behavior? Ed. Roman Espejo. Detroit: Greenhaven, 2012. At Issue.
Rpt. Of

"Alcohol and Advertising." Statistical Assessment Service [STATS]. N.p.:

n.p., 2010. N.

pag. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 20 Feb. 2016.

"Alcohol & Drug Services." Organization Report. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2016.
Medical News Today. MediLexicon International, n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2016.