Each day in the United States, over 8 people are killed and 1,161 injured in crashes that are reported to involve a distracted driver (“Distracted Driving”). People all over the world are trying to prevent more accidents relating to distracted drivers from happening. An advertising campaign in India that was released in 2010 responded to the topic, that has been a long standing issue. In the photo a woman is holding a cell phone, and blood is being projected out of it. The woman is holding the phone away from her ear, almost bracing herself from what is happening. The small text in the image says “Don’t talk While he drives”. It is very subtle, but at the same time powerful. The artists and creative thinkers behind this image are directing this advertisement toward the people on the other end of distracted drivers. The text functions as the center of the image as well as the message behind it. The campaign is trying to account for the people who are the reason why divers get distracted. Analyzing the image by looking at the colors, the emotional appeal, and different context, allows for a more deeper meaning into the photo. 

The image in its entirety is very muted, minus the red. Looking at the background, it is just black and white, and nothing stands out. Even the woman is dressed in soft color that does not really catch the eye. The red color, the color of blood, is what really stands out in the picture. Everything is dull except for the bright blood, which calls to be the center of attention. Red is usually a color for danger. Being that red is the only bright color in the picture, it is both alarming and a little threatening. This gives the mood of the image a dark undertone. In red writing, there is also the text which is like an alert. It is meant to be read and taken in a way where it needs to be thought about deeply. 

This image is meant to appeal to people’s emotions. Blood is erupting through the phone. Even if it just makes people feel sick, that is still some sort of emotion. Calling someone while they are driving, and then minutes, even seconds, on the call they get into a car accident. Thinking about that is disturbing, but it does call to basic human emotion. It is assumed in this photo that the woman is on the phone with someone who has been in an accident. Blood is coming through the phone which suggests that the person on the other side of it is bleeding. This brings the text “Don’t talk While he drives” to light. Another assumption can be made that if the woman was not on the phone, then maybe the person on the other line would not have gotten in an accident. If there was no phone than there would not be any blood. 

This ad campaign went around in India. Before, the woman was just another woman in the photo, her race was not accounted for because it has nothing to do with the central message of the whole campaign. Because the ad is based in India, it makes sense that person in the photo is Indian. People can look at this from a race standpoint, but the truth is people get in accidents all over the world. It does not matter if the person is the photo is a man, a woman, black, white, Hispanic or Indian. The main point is not about racial profiling and who gets in accidents more in each country. The point is that people everywhere make the mistake of calling people who they know are driving, and driver themselves answering the phone and getting in accidents. In another time the image could have been taken very differently knit picking each racial and gender element. Being that is it the twenty first century the photo is just exactly what it is. 

This ad campaign is a very strong, and thought provoking. The image being as alarming as it is calls for deep thought into what the message is trying to say. By analyzing this photograph, considering the tone, color, and emotional appeal, and looking through each element of the image, gives it a larger, more clear meaning. The message “Don’t talk While he drives” is very distinct, and should be taken wholeheartedly. 
