Drug Advertisement Debunk
I choose to focus on tobacco because it is one of the most heavily used and normalized drugs in society. It effects almost every individual whether they are the smoker themselves or they have family or friends that use this drug. Its prevalence in society throughout history also influenced my decision to study this drug. Tobacco has been used for hundreds of years and its presence has impacted society heavily. I choose this ad in particular because I think it highlights key techniques companies use to manipulate consumers. The ad illustrates these techniques through text and imagery, both of which are extremely important to analyze. It is important to think critically whenever you are presented with material created for consumer viewing, practices of debunking drug ads are applicable to other media you are presented with every day. Who is the target audience? How do you relate to the target audience? What is the intention of this ad? How does it make you feel, is this a logical or emotional response? How reliable is the information? I will discuss all of these questions and much more using this ad as an example.
This ad was run in 1952 by Liggett and Myers the makers of Chesterfield cigarettes. Liggett and Meyers was established in 1873 and dominated the market for chewing tobacco until it moved into cigarette production a few decades later. During this time in history, tobacco advertisements in the US has a strong relationship with Hollywood, and Liggett and Myers was no exception. The main sources of information at this time was the newspaper, print was also the way companies reached consumers. Hollywood celebrities therefore were very influential because they held the greatest social status next to politicians, as they had the greatest social reach. Liggett and Myers knew this and acquired many endorsers such as Barbara Stanwyck, Gary Cooper, and Claudette Colbert. In the mid nineteen hundreds Chesterfield cigarettes had the most celebrity endorsers of all tobacco companies. In 1929 the Federal Trade Association released an order that prohibited the scripting of endorsers. However, this did not stop the use of endorsers in the ads created by the tobacco industry. In the early nineteen there was no social media influence, or television, even radio didn’t come into households until around the twenties. Stanton Glantz explained it clearly he once said, “It (celebrity tobacco endorsement) was a way to thoroughly embed tobacco use in the social fabric.” Liggett and Myers were well established in the tobacco industry and used tailored tactics to manipulate the public perception of tobacco use and to persuade consumers to buy their product. In the advertisement above young Ronald Regan promotes Chesterfield cigarettes during the peak of his career in acting. Chesterfield cigarettes was well established and relied on distinctive branding and packaging to distinguish itself from other companies. Chesterfield was strategic in its advertising and use of endorsers making it a very successful company. They were also one of the first companies to target women in their tobacco advertising, making their product acceptable to a wider market. This company was very professional and knew how to swing the market in their favor.
In this specific advertisement the audience is all readers of the print newspapers, however I would argue Liggett and Myers target audience is individuals who celebrate Christmas. They’re selling the spirit and prestige of smoking this limited edition packaging. Christmas marketed as a happy time for gift giving and cheer. The advertisement explicitly says “I’m sending Chesterfields to all my friends. That’s the merriest Christmas any smoker can have.” This is telling the consumer that being a good friend can be as simple as getting them a gift of quality cigarettes. Ronald Regan is featured in the center of the advertisement and is endorsing the product. He is smiling and smoking, surrounded by packages of Chesterfield cigarettes. He is addressing these packages to his friends. This is telling the consumer that he has many friends, this is desirable and by association so is the product. Ronald was a celebrity at this time, due to his career in acting. Therefor Liggett and Myers is also selling the prestige associated with him. The product is linked to luxury and status, which all consumers crave. They are also selling a limited edition package; this adds a rush to consumption. The box is large and featured next to Regan, its opened suggesting accessibility. The notion is that you have to purchase this product now or you will never have it. This gives the consumer less decision making time and they are there for less likely to analyze possible negative outcomes. The imagery is also enhanced by the colors used. The palette is warm, featuring red, greens and creams. The tone of these colors is inviting and comforting. The image shows an ideal Christmas setting, addressing gifts to many friends, surrounded by beautiful décor, fitted in formal clothing. They are selling the ease of this lifestyle Regan is pictured in and that is associated with Chesterfield cigarettes therefor consumers are likely to strive for this lifestyle by purchasing this product.
The dangers of tobacco are not at all mentioned in this advertisement, but those dangers are real and relevant. Tobacco contains nicotine which is a very addictive compound. This means that consumers who start using this product usually have a hard time quitting. This means that companies are focused on getting consumers hooked on the product and the addictive nature will keep them buying the product. This is an issue for consumers because not only is this a potential financial strain but it is also known that tobacco has detrimental long term health effects on the human body. Tobacco contains hundreds of harmful chemicals, many of which consumers are uninformed about when buying the product. For example, sixty-nine of these chemicals are cancer causing agents. Other risks of smoking regularly include developing gum disease, lung damage, early signs of age. Tobacco use is the largest preventable cause of death and disease in the United States. This is a staggering statistic and attention to these negative health effects should be duly noted. Not only is tobacco a problem for the individual who is consuming it, but when consumed via smoking it becomes a problem for everyone around them. Second hand smoking can still cause many of the harmful effects of smoking. This is an issue primarily within families as an estimated fifty-four percent of children are exposed to second hand smoke each year. This is an issue for obvious health reasons but it also normalizes this drug, making it more likely that future generations will continue to use it.
In my opinion the consumption of tobacco in our society is extremely detrimental. It is normalized, glamorized and the gravity of harmful side effects are not touched on enough. In the nineteen seventies the last tobacco advertisements aired on television because of increased government regulations. However, the new wave of tobacco use in the form of electronic cigarettes has not been fully regulated. E-cigs offer accessibility and variety to smoking tobacco. They come in a range of styles, flavors, and concentrations of tobacco. The promotion of these E-cigs is primarily through social media influence, and online advertisements. Instead of relying on celebrity endorsements tobacco consumption is put on a peer to peer level. It isn’t uncommon to see snapchats of people smoking, and doing smoke tricks, or to be offered to smoke at a party. Many people claim to only smoke when they are drinking and it’s a selective and controlled event. However, these people are ignoring the harmful side effects of using at all, as well as the addictive effects of the nicotine in the E-Cigs. From studying this specific advertisement by Liggett and Myer and through my research of tobacco advertisements over the last hundred years in the United States it is clear to me that tobacco companies have developed highly effective and detailed strategies to attract and ensure that consumers repeatedly buy their product. For example, in this specific advertisement they’ve show professional use endorsers, associations to success and luxury, and limited supply, and these are just a few. Other tactics include weasel words, attention grabbers, and statistics. I would never recommend this product to my family or friends. However, I would recommend that as a society we use critical thinking skills every time we are going to make a purchase, and to do thorough research on the products so you can make an informed decision.
Citations:
(2017, January) Before Becoming President Ronald Reagan Was a Paid Cigarette Model. http://forgottenhistoryblog.com/before-becoming-president-ronald-reagan-was-a-paid-cigarette-model/
Doyle, J. (2010, January 31) Al Jolson & Luckies.
http://www.pophistorydig.com/topics/tag/gary-cooper-and-chesterfield-cigarettes/
Hood, J. (2013, June 6) It’s Not a Mad Men episode: Cigarette ads return to TV
(2003, September 15) Liggett and Myers Tobacco Co.
http://adage.com/article/adage-encyclopedia/liggett-myers-tobacco/98750/
(2017, November 6) Risks of Tobacco
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002032.htm
(2017, January) Tobacco Facts and Figures
https://betobaccofree.hhs.gov/about-tobacco/facts-figures/index.html
Lawrence, L. (2009, March 10) Cigarettes Were Once ‘Physician’ Tested, Approved
(2017, June 20) Burden of Tobacco Use in the U.S.
https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/resources/data/cigarette-smoking-in-united-states.html