Nearly every American owns a vehicle and drives it every single day.  Even though it is illegal, many people choose to break the law and drive under the influence of an illegal substance.  Marijuana has caused many fatal car wrecks around the world. Marijuana impairs your perceptions, thoughts, and actions.  This commercial, developed by Taika Waititi for the New Zealand Transport Agency, called "Blazed" first hit the internet on September 13.  Blazed is still a very popular ad to this day with over more than two million and three hundred thousand views on YouTube.  This commercial uses realism, dull black and white color, and children's perspectives to portray how driving under the influence of marijuana is unsafe and can be the cause of deadly traffic accidents.  Not only can marijuana cause unsafe driving conditions, but can also set a bad example for others. 

Parents have a strong influence on their children whether it is a good influence or a bad one.  In this commercial, these three children use a realistic viewpoint to brag about their dads and how their dads drive under the influence of marijuana.  The two male kids sitting in the front of the car go back and forth, switching seats, imitating their fathers driving habits while "blazed."  From the audiences view, we are stunned to see how these children already know what marijuana is at their age.  Around the children's age I barely knew what a cigarette was.  At the beginning of this commercial, the two male children repeat the line "When my dad's been blazing, he drives like this."  Using this line in particular, it shows us how these children have noticed bad habits of their fathers and could possibly in the future repeat their actions.  Not only have the children noticed the behavior, the children also mimic and learn the behavior to be normal.  Situations like this happen every single day, not only with marijuana, but also other illegal substances.  Children learn from their parents and usually repeat learned behaviors.  Children learning the use of illegal substances is a grim reality the commercial illustrates to bring the viewer to reality.  Realism from a child's point of view, in this commercial, sets a negative attitude on marijuana and operating a vehicle while "blazed".  

Color scheme has a huge impact on the way the audience views any commercial.  Taika Waititi choses to use a black and white color scheme in "blazed" to leverage the viewer's emotional side.  This color scheme is used to make the viewer focus more on the impact of the words being said rather than the actions being presented, although the actions in this commercial have an impact also.  Bright colors normally give off a more lively/pleasant mood while more dull colors give off more of a melancholy mood.  The dull colors cause the viewer to be sympathetic towards the misguided children.  Black and white colors add to the magnitude of empathy the viewers feel for the children.  Black and white color scheme in "Blazed" sets a mood to allow the viewer to more easily relate to the negative impacts of driving under the influence of marijuana. 

A Child, to most, is a symbol of innocence and progression in not only the United States but also in many other countries around the world. Using a child's point of view, or perspective, in this commercial is crucial in appealing to the viewer's soft side.  As Americans, children are our prized possessions.  Americans want to see success from their children, and as a nation, America strives to better our children.  Drugs destroy many lives, and sympathy is felt for addicts.  These children in this commercial see it as a good thing that their dads get high and drive, completely the opposite of what we want our children believing and growing up doing.  While watching "blazed," we think to ourselves, "what if this was my child?" which is exactly what Taika Waititi wants the audience to think.  Using a child's perspective especially, has a strong influence on those parents who do smoke marijuana around their kids and drive illegally.  The perspective of youth will make one ponder and come to their senses while thinking, "Is this the lifestyle I want my children to end up having?"  Taika Waititi wants these thoughts to stick in the audiences head and run through it continuously as the audience watches the commercial.  Not only is a child victimized, but is more susceptible to becoming an addict just as their father.  The use of a Child's perspective has the greatest impact on the audience out of every technique that is used in this commercial.  Perspective is a key ingredient in a commercial that can really grab the viewer's attention. 

As shown above, the commercial "blazed," developed by Taika Waititi for the New Zealand Transport Agency, shows us how smoking marijuana and driving is not only illegal, but also a bad influence on children, through the use of realism, dull black and white color, and children's perspectives.  In South Carolina, marijuana is illegal and charges can be brought on you for being in possession of it or under the influence of it.  However, not every state in the U.S. considers marijuana to be an illegal substance.  Children do not deserve to be raised around any illegal substance.  

