Cigarettes have always been a big addiction in American society from the time they were introduced to today. With all we have learned how does this tobacco product still seem to make it into the hands of the next generation?
How Tobacco Got its Start
The history of Tobacco goes back hundreds of years. The first tobacco ad was published in 1789 in a local New York newspaper by the Lorillard Tobacco Company to promote their new product. At that time most Tobacco products were snuff, pipe Tobacco and cigars, but with distribution of the paper extremely low many people did not see the product.
Branding for different types of tobacco did not come around till the Civil War when both the south and north sides invaded a farmers tobacco crop and after doing so set letters to the owner asking for more. This event started the Bull Durham tobacco Company which became extremely successful.
In the 1880’s cigarette destitution soared with the invention of a cigarette making machine that could make 4 million cigarettes a day. With the new product innovation that companies had to sell they had to find ways to make the consumers buy their product. Companies started to advertise their products, but inserting different cards into their cigarette packs that pictured famous people that could be traded. These cards continued to appear in maybe cigarette packs until World War II where they were discontinued to save paper.
Edward Bernays was one of the most influential people in the entire advertising world and was seen as the father of public relations. Bernays had a major part in why tobacco became so popular in the United States. His campaign ads for companies like Procter & Gamble, CBS, United Food Company and Dodge Motors have made them the fortune 500 companies they are today. Edward Bernays was the nephew of Sigmund Freud the famous psychologist. He would use Freud’s ideas of the unconscious and apply them to marketing products. In 1920’s he sent young models out in the New York City parade smoking Lucky Strike cigarettes as “torches of freedom” which helped to make social smoking for women a common thing. By doing this he managed to boosted sales at a fast rate for tobacco companies across America. By using the cigarettes as a sign of freedom Bernays was able to gain a huge clientele bass for Tobacco companies and especially Lucky Strikes.
World War Two: The Golden Age
Once WWII started tobacco Companies saw a way to attract new customers by supplying all soldiers with free cigarettes in their care packages. After the war all the young soldiers came home already addicted to the nicotine and in turn brought it to extreme popularity in America.
In the 1950’s Cigarette Companies entered their prime with new catchy slogans and sponsored television shows. Cartons of cigarettes were advertised during the holidays with special Christmas card additions so that people could buy them and send them through the mail as holiday gifts. Cigarette advertisements started to be endorsed by doctors, dentists, athletes and even babies. With all the advertisements surrounding cigarettes business was growing at exponential rates. Tobacco companies had found a way to get into every area of advertising and everywhere you looked you would see brand names for popular cigarettes.
Lung Cancer Linked to Smoking and the Decline of Advertising
After the rush of all the new customer’s cigarette companies had gained there came a sudden bump in the road when people learned that cigarettes caused diseases such as lung cancer, emphysema and other lung problems. Tobacco companies tried to fix this issue by putting filters on most of their products, but when those cigarettes were also shown to still cause these life threatening diseases the government decided to get involved.
In 1964 the U.S. Surgeon General released a report on the effects of smoking which forever changed how cigarettes were advertised to society. With the U.S. Government finally informed of how bad smoking was for the general public they named it mandatory for every tobacco company to put warning labels out there cigarettes explaining the health risks associated with using the product. Along with the warning labels tobacco companies were no longer able to advertise on the radio or television which was there most used marketing medium at the time.
How to Keep Advertising with Limited Sources
To combat the new restrictions that were put into place many tobacco companies changed their target market to children my advertising candy cigarettes and cartoons depicting characters smoking. The introduction of Joe Camel, the mascot for Camel Tobacco Company, became one of the most recognizable characters for children between the ages of 5 and 6 by 1991. Joe Camel and other well-known product mascots like the Jolly Green Giant were made by Leo Burnett who is seen as one of the most influential people of the 20th century. Another extremely recognizable mascot was the Marlboro Man who was seen as the tough cowboy that young men emulated.
Although tobacco companies were no longer allowed to advertise in television and radio they were still allowed to advertise in magazines and billboards.
Even when strict rules were placed on tobacco companies they still found ways to get their products to the next generation. Today many of the new smokers are most influenced by their family members and peers. Advertisement for tobacco has virtually stopped, but people still seemed to get addicted. I think the reason is that with such an addictive product and with easy access many young people see it still as the cool thing to do. When you see most of your peers and family members using tobacco products you want to do the same thing.
When it comes to advertising over the years tobacco companies have gone from no regulations with advertising freedom everywhere to almost no advertisement at all.
Anti-Smoking Advertisements
Many people think that the anti-smoking ads that are shown today are helping to stop smoking and they have been shown to do so, but it has also been shown an ad that bringing up smoking in a negative or positive way still helps tobacco companies. Negative publicity is still publicity.
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References
James, Randy. "A Brief History Of Cigarette Advertising - TIME." Breaking News, Analysis, Politics, Blogs, News Photos, Video, Tech Reviews - TIME.com. Times Magazine U.S., 15 June 2009. Web. 12 Sept. 2011. <http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1905530,00.html>.
"Leo Burnett Biography - Leo Burnett Childhood, Life & Timeline." Famous People - Famous People in History, Famous People List & Biography. Web. 14 Sept. 2011. <http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/leo-burnett-163.php>.
Savage, Jessica. "The Implications of Smoking Hazards on Cigarette Advertising." Rochester Education. Web. 15 Sept. 2011. <http://rochester.edu/College/ANT/faculty/foster/ANT226/Spring01/papers/savage.pdf>.
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