Media And Cigarettes Essay, Research Paper
Media and Cigarettes
Cigarette advertisements generally contain hidden messages. The goal is to create a misconception of smoking. These advertisements tend to glamorize smoking. At first when people see the ad, they are not aware of these hidden messages, but they have already been influenced by them unconsciously. The illusions of smoking have been presented to consumers as if they can make peoples’ lives easier in every different perspective.
Here is a Marlboro cigarette ad, which can be used as a perfect example. It takes place in front of a bar, which is called “Cowboy’s Place”. The colors of the walls are blue, and the doors are half closed. From the little gap between the half-closed doors, you can see some lights inside, but nothing else. Inside, the bar is completely dark looking from outside. There are two broad windows on each side of the doors, with white curtains half closed. There is a line of words on the right hand corner of this ad. It says, “There are no strangers here, only friends we haven’t met.” Also, there is a sign on those doors, which says, “Well, come on in.” Cowboys are generally being illustrated as young and wild. The name used for the bar in the ad is “Cowboy’s Place.” The Cigarette Company creates an image for smoking, leading people to believe that they can lead young and wild lives. Everyone wishes to be carefree. Rather than presenting the public with the addiction caused by nicotine, an addiction that is difficult to get rid of, the company leads the general public to another perspective. Also, smoking negatively affects one’s appearance. It can damage one’s skin, teeth, and hair. One cannot possibly stay young looking once one becomes a regular smoker.
The company also covers the truth by presenting the opposite image, by having beautiful young people presenting their products. Looking through the windows from the outside, the bar is filled with darkness. The world of mystery, represented by the darkness inside, tends to make people curious. The mysterious darkness inside the bar represents the unknown world of smoking. It encourages people to find out what it is like inside, to taste the mystery, and, finally, to feel what it is like to smoke.
The next ad of Kool menthol cigarettes is placed in “Mademoiselle” magazine, and the general audience is young women in their late teens and twenties. Young women today are independent individuals. They prefer to make decisions for themselves. At the same time, the ad demonstrates freedom of choice, which is appealing to these young women. Generally, young people are eager for success, and the luxurious life is what they look for. Also, young people are full of curiosity. They are interested in finding out new things. On the other hand, they are also looking for excitement, which is also demonstrated by the ad. The advertisement is successful because it represents everything young people look for, and it is being shown in a magazine in which the primary audience is young women.
Many advertisements contain hidden messages which people can not be aware of simply by a glance. These hidden messages are very persuasive in terms of the audience they are trying to appeal to. Instead of presenting the audience with false statements about smoking, the ads tend to lead the audience to an different perspective. This is the main goal of advertisement, to persuade people into buying their product without exaggeration or false statements.