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Cigarette Marketing Tobacco companies have done whatever it takes to get their product out and known to consumers. Through their advertisements in magazines and newspapers, on billboards and through promotion, the cigarette companies are trying hard to sell their products. The purpose of cigarette ads and promotions is to make sure smokers keep smoking, get people who quit to start smoking again and increase the number of cigarettes people smoke each day. Most importantly, cigarette ads and promotions encourage young people to start smoking.
Many ads are specially made to attract teens and women (Jacobs). Around World War I, Cigarette companies put pictures of soldiers smoking on the packs. Since most people looked up to soldiers has heroes, this convinced people they should smoke. Cigarette companies soon realized that no enough women were smoking so they tried to appeal to women in their ads. Through ads, smoking has been pictured as going along with independence, careers, sexual freedom as well as beauty. Since the 1960’s, Virginia Slims ads have said, “You’ve come a long way, baby. Ultra slims, the long thin cigarettes, were made for women. In ads of these types of cigarettes, the women look very thin to give the idea that smoking will make a person thin. In the 1920’s, Lucky Strike cigarettes targeted their ads towards women with the slogan, “Reach for a Lucky instead of a sweet. ” Cigarette ads appear in most women’s magazines, such as Glamour, Redbook, Working Women, Cosmopolitan, People and Vogue. In 2007, Camel released No. 9 cigarettes which are made specifically for women.
From their pink packaging to its “light and luscious” description, the Camel Company is doing whatever they can to entice women to their product (Elliott). The Youth have always been an important target of the cigarette companies because marketers know that at least 75 percent of smokers are hooked before the age of 21. Many of the cigarette advertising campaigns appeal more specifically to young people by associating smoking with sexiness, glamour and sophistication (Jacobs). In addition, some campaigns seem specifically designed to catch the attention of children.
Joe Camel, the advertising mascot for camel cigarettes from 1987 to 1997, appeared in magazine advertisements, billboards and other print media. In 1991, the Journal of the American Medical Association, published a study showing that more children five and six years old could recognize Joe Camel than Mikey Mouse or Fred Flintstone. Although R. J. Reynolds denies it was directed towards children, the advertisement seemed to work anyway (Sullurn). No matter who the intended audience is, all cigarette ads portray the message that smoking is fun, healthy and attractive.
Advertisements show men who look masculine, hip, cool, adventurous, mature, and strong. Women look sexy, stylish, beautiful, glamorous, relaxed, secure, and independent (Jacobs). Cigarette ads give the impression that smoking is good for you. Since the true affects of cigarettes is well known now, strict regulations have been placed on these advertisements. In 1967, the Fairness Doctrine required that all TV stations broadcast one anti-smoking Public Service Announcement (PSA) for every three cigarette ads that aired.
In 1969, Congress proposed a ban on all cigarette advertising on TV and radio. The ban took effect on January 2, 1971. Ironically, in 1971, tobacco sales went up. This is mainly due to insufficient funding for anti-smoking ads (Jacobs). Even though cigarette companies were banned from television and radio, they still found ways to advertise their products. The NASCAR Championship was sponsored by R. J. Reynolds until 2003 when Reynolds announced they were unable to continue sponsorship. NASCAR found sponsorship from R. J.
Reynolds Tobacco Company in the early 1970’s following the ban on television advertising (The end of tobacco road). Now, the new excitements in cigarette advertisements on television are for Anti-Tobacco. TheTruth. com was founded in 2000 and exposes the tactics of the tobacco industry, the truths about addiction and the health effects and social consequences of smoking. Since 80 percent of smokers beginning smoking before the age of 18, the primary focus of the truth campaign is youth aged 12 to 17 years (Sunny Side).
Works Cited “Cigarette Commercials. ” . Elliott, Stuart. “A new Camel Brand Is Dressed to the Nines. ” The New York Times. 2007. . Jacobs, Marjorie. “From the First to the Last Ash: The History, Economics & Hazards of Tobacco. ” 1995. . Sullurn, Jacob. “Joe Camel Finally Gets Railroaded out of Town. ” Reasononline. 1997. . “Sunny Side of Truth. ” . “The end of tobacco road: NASCAR will end the 31-year Winston era and opt for a breath of freash air with Nextel. ” 2003 .