My second FOA was on the topic of the representation of smoking put forward by cigarette producing manufacturers in the 1950s. The reason I chose this topic was that I noticed that smoking-related advertisements are quite sparse and I wanted to investigate the reason behind this (by extension the ethics of such advertising).
Throughout my FOA I utilized the SCRAP method of analysis to breakdown the meaning of the advertisements; in addition to this, I talked about the tone and the cultural impact of such advertising and its ethical implications.
Throughout my FOA, I learned about the subconscious and sometimes unethical ways large multinationals coerce audiences into purchasing their products. I also learned a lot about the history of smoking advertising from the 40s to the 60s and its subsequent ban in 1970. This gave me an insight into the mindset of people in regards to cigarettes and the public perception of smokers.
Through my FOA I have shown the characteristics of the IB Learning Profile. Most notably, that of Inquirers, Communicators and Thinkers as reflected by the analysis of my FOA.
