Cigarette And Tobacco Advertising Essay, Research Paper
The effect of cigarette and tobacco advertising on modern youth is vastly overrated. While
both political and health activists insist otherwise, today?s adolescence choose their habits,
addictions, and desires ultimately out of their own free will. Increased opportunity for
advertising within today?s society undeniably leaves today?s youth more susceptible to
many forms of psychological manipulation.
Teen-agers are now living in a society guided by unprecedented and highly
unreliable sources of mass media. With their preferred source of information rapidly
switching from the newspaper, radio and television, to the questionable and undependable
Internet, modern youth is being forced to be much more scrutinizing of the information
they encounter (Williams Smoking 8). While in previous generations advertising had a
direct effect on the actions of a population, nowadays, in order to survive the swelling
information super-highway, teen-agers, along with all other active members of society are
being forced to question the obvious, and separate true and false. Cigarette advertising is
just a small part of the overloaded hype faced by today?s youth (Williams Smoking 8).
While in previous generations, this advertising would be digested quite naturally, now
adolescents are being forced to take a much more critical approach to this intrusive
influence. Thus, the desired psychological manipulation that tobacco companies?
multiplying advertisements attempt to set upon today?s youth is ironically being
undermined by the very fact that advertisements such as their own now dominate society
to the point where they can no longer be taken seriously (Williams Smoking 9). Youth are
now being forced to discern between believable and non-believable information. Because
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of this, their scrutiny of the formerly obvious advertisements has developed drastically
(Ayer 12). Therefore, as sources of media and information multiply, the effect of cigarette
advertisements, as well as any other attempt at mental deception inevitably become less
effective (Ayer 12). Although adolescents are becoming more aware of certain elements of
society, and their potential influences, their ways of life will undeniably remain constant.
The harmful effect of tobacco is undisputed among smokers and non-smokers
alike. The motivations for teen-agers to smoke are primarily to comfortably fit into their
social surroundings, as well as the need to experiment with the unknown. These two
causes are related very directly (Monroe 15). The coolest teen-agers in any social circle
are without fail the most rebellious. Common qualities among leaders of any group of kids
are the tendencies to go ahead and try something new, and flirt with danger (Monroe 15).
Thus, with the two motivations both leading towards increased peer pressure, the desire
among teen-agers to follow the path of the rebel, and light up a cigarette has not been
softened. Advertisements and endorsements of cigarettes will continue to exist as long as
the youth remain strong clientele for cigarettes (Monroe 16). Tobacco promotion is not
the cause of cigarette popularity among teenagers, simply a natural consequence to their
desire to smoke. Manufacturers, such as Marlboro and Camel, have created “cute”
fictional characters in their advertising. Marlboro uses a character called the “Western
Man”, while Camel uses the cool, “Joe Camel”. The industry denies that these symbols
target people under 21 and claim that their advertising goal is simply to promote brand
switching (Monroe 38). The issue of gaining teen-agers as cigarette clientele is distorted,
however, cigarette advertisements are successful in gaining the loyalty of their clientele to
their respective brands (Monroe 41). Whether commercials and endorsements increase or
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decrease, the market will remain strong as long as teen-agers? cravings for independence,
rebellion, and leadership do not change.
Over the past decade, all major Canadian cities have passed non-smoking policies
in their public establishments (Monroe 41). Tobacco companies? endorsements of various
cultural events have been cut down at an alarming pace. Such attempts to reduce the
smoking population actually disillusion today?s youth further into their justifications for
smoking (Monroe 55). Firstly, by cutting down on public smoking, the freedom of
individuals, for which teen-agers strive so adamantly, is tampered with. The often narrow
minded teen-ager does not always consider the rights of the non-smoker in public
establishments, and simply gains more pride in his rebellious actions (Monroe 56). While
advertisements will surely encourage teens to continue in their ways, it is actually the
sanctions denying their freedom to smoke that induce eager adolescent reactions to
cigarette advertisements (Monroe 58). Secondly, as we have seen in the Grand Prix of
Montreal, the Jazz Festival, as well as many other cultural events sponsored and
dependent on cigarette endorsement, it is the event itself that attracts the youth to the
various events (Monroe 60). By restricting the opportunity of tobacco industries to
support and enrich our society?s cultural development, both smokers and non-smokers
suffer. The loss and downsizing of great events is simply another consequence of the
misdirected attempts to lure the youth away from cigarettes (Monroe 61).
Many factors influence the decisions made by teenagers today. Their vulnerability
to the advertising market definitely allows cigarette companies to market their product
among the youth. However, an individual?s personality is composed of many deeper levels
than simple subliminal messages that come and go through advertisements and
endorsements (Williams Teen 43). Childhood molds the individual into who he is
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throughout his adolescence. Throughout childhood, parents guide their children, and
shield them from the influences that they know to be harmful (Williams Teen 45). Thus,
once a teen-ager, the individual making the decision whether to smoke, whether to be
influenced by society?s lures and traps, has already become who he is. His course of action
will not depend on a good looking camel, but the desire to rebel or conform. This decision
will be made depending on the true influences that made the individual. After all,
advertisements can influence your taste, and increase your desire. They cannot force
addiction, however, nor make anybody do what they wish not do (Williams Teen 45). For
youth to distance themselves from tobacco, stronger parental guidance as well as
increased confidence are needed. Advertisements, endorsements and promotions that
publicly promote cigarettes simply feed on these basic weaknesses of our society (Ayer
33).
The popularity of cigarettes among adolescents is a dilemma that has been
detached from its roots. While stronger self-confidence and increased parental
communication decrease the need to rebel, and seek re-assurance in cigarettes, pressure to
remove advertisements and endorsements which simply exploit this weakness of society is
imposed. Each adolescent has the power to change, and grow. Without overcoming
challenges such as these adverse influences in society, the teen-ager cannot discover his
own potential, and appreciate his true self.