Visual Rhetoric

Kelley Hutchinson
English 103 section 33
Jin Liu
January 26, 2009

What Happened to Joe Camel

In the nineteen eighties and early nineties, the most popular spokesperson for smoking was Joe Camel, the mascot for Camel Cigarettes. Joe was created in order to promote Camel’s 75th Anniversary. As an advertisement gimmick, Joe was a huge success. By 1991, a report from the Journal of the American Medical Association published a study showing that more children 5 and 6 years old could recognize Joe Camel than could recognize Mickey Mouse or Fred Flintstone (Wikipedia). And with his popularity, Joe made smoking the “cool” thing to do. The exciting backgrounds and good looking people in the advertisements made smoking look like it was the only way to fit in. But now, Joe Camel is promoting a new trend, not smoking. Joe Camel, who was once an icon, is portrayed in current ads as being reduced to being confined in a hospital and bad health. Joe Camel is now the newest symbol for an anti-smoking campaign and is advertising that what Joe was doing back then may have been “cool,” his choices have led to deteriorating health. The new campaign uses many forms of rhetoric to covey the negative effects of smoking on health. The anti-smoking ad featuring Joe Camel shows through the rhetorical appeals of ethos and pathos, four of the rhetoric strategies, and all five of the rhetoric cannons, to convey the message that smoking if not actually “cool” and can lead to bad heath.

When the audience is looking at this ad, many emotions are provoked. First, you notice the downtrodden face on Joe. He seems depressed and deep in thought, looking at his signature shades he has taken off. The audience also notices that Joe is in a hospital gown and bed. He also has an I.V. in his arm, further making the reader think of a hospital. Joe also looks old, frail, and defeated. After taking in the picture finally notices the title and the message. The title of the ad reads “Joe Chemo,” which gives a sort of explanation to the picture. The caption below reads, “The surgeon general warns that smoking is a frequent cause of wasted potential and fatal regret,” which reflects the mood of the ad.

The first use of visual rhetoric used is Pathos, or the appeal to the emotions. One way Pathos is used in the expression on Joe’s face. The sad face on Joe makes the audience feel sad too. The sight of Joe in a hospital gown and bed also elicits deep emotional sympathy for the camel. The message on the ad furthers the rhetoric appeal of Pathos. The message reads, “The surgeon general warns that smoking is a frequent cause of wasted potential and fatal regret.” That, along with the picture makes the audience feel even more distressed about the ad. Another appeal of rhetoric that is used is that of Ethos, or the appeal to character. Usually Ethos is in reference to the author of the medium in which rhetoric is being presented. But in this case, Ethos is in reference to the character of Joe Camel. Back in the day, Joe Camel was a mascot and a symbol of cigarettes. He had established his credibility in the fact that smoking was cool and was a good thing to do. But, now that credibility is gone. And with his credibility lost it shows it is not cool to smoke. Even though the credibility is gone from what Joe Camel once represented, he is still showing another Ethos, one of a changed man. This Ethos is one of being regretful of his past decisions. His new character is one that understands now that he made many wrong decisions and is willing to change what he represents.

The anti-smoking ad also contained four of the ten strategies. The first and most prominent strategy used was cause and effect. The main point made was that if a person smokes, they could have serious health problems. This is portrayed by the once young, healthy, “cool” looking camel is now an older, sicker, and frail camel. Basically it shows that by using cigarettes, one is not cool and will regret their decision. The second strategy used is narration. Narration in definition is telling a story. The story told is one that shows if you make a poor life decision, then in the future it will cause you pain and regret. Illustration is another of the strategies used in this anti-smoking campaign. Illustration is showing how something can impact a person’s life. This ad shows that by smoking, one can go from having a carefree, enjoyable life to being miserable and sickly life. The last of the ten strategies used in the ad is process. Process is used to show how the product can be used. In the case of this ad, the product of cigarettes can be used to cause several health problems.

All five rhetorical canons are used into making the ad effective in rhetoric. The invention of ideas is seen throughout the entire ad. The usage of using an old campaign promoting smoking is used now to show the side effects of cigarettes. Also it shows the opposite of the stereotype that smoking cool, but actually just leads to regret. Idea invention is also seen in making use of rhetorical appeals and strategies. The second rhetorical canon is arrangement. The ad is arranged so that the sickly picture of Joe Camel is right in the middle. The image of Joe is also the largest thing on the ad, so to draw attention to him. It is also arranged chronologically in that the audience reads the ad from left to right in order to make it easier for the audience to follow. The commercial was also very effective in its use of the rhetorical canon of style. The ad’s focus on a camel named Joe Camel. What Joe is supposed to relay to the audience is an expression of deep thought and regret. So in order to convey that emotion, the ad has Joe looking at his trademark sunglasses in his hands with tired eyes that say defeat. The next rhetorical canon used is memory. The ad has a message at the bottom saying, “The surgeon general warns that smoking is a frequent cause of wasted potential and fatal regret.” The message supports the picture and makes the audience remember the significance. The last cannon used in the anti-smoking campaign is delivery. The delivery of the ad makes it so people think more about their decisions and shows them the consequences if one does make a poor life decision.

Joe Camel used to be the coolest guy to many people. When they saw him smoking, they also get wanted to smoke. The new anti-smoking campaign featuring Joe Chemo is one that is a successful ad. The reason Chemo Joe is so successful though is because its message is clear. And in order for that message to be communicated clearly, rhetoric needs to be used. For without rhetoric, advertisement would not exist. Rhetoric has such an impact on the way in which it is perceived with the usage appeals, strategies, and cannons.

Works Cited
Alfano, Christine and Alyssa O’Brien. Envision in Depth: Reading, Writing, and Researching Arguments. Pearson Longman. 2008.

"Joe Camel." Wikipedia. 23 Jan. 2009. Wikipedia. 26 Jan. 2009 .


Plous, S. "Joe Chemo." Cartoon. Joe Chemo. 2009. 26 Jan. 2009 .

Reyonlds, R.J. "Genuine Taste." Cartoon. Subliminal World. 03 Jan. 2003. Camel Cigarettes. 26 Jan. 2009 .

Link: http://www.notmytribe.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/08/ad-busters-joe-chemo.jpg