Added: 06/15/2006 |
Tobacco ad causes problems?Like all other industries, the tobacco industry has been developing throughout the years. In the United States, for instance, the Joe Camel campaign was conceived by Reynolds American Inc. A cartoon mascot was created to attract younger smokers to the Camel brand. In July 1997 this campaign ended due to the the pressure from various anti-smoking groups, the Federal Trade Commission, and the U.S. Congress.
More and more tobacco companies try to target the female market. Together with young smokers, it is considered to be 'a potential growth area as the largest market segment has traditionally been male'. Females were first targeted in 1960s with a tobacco ad for Virginia Slims brand. The aim of the whole "You've Come a Long Way Baby" campaign was to increase the number of women that smoked.
Another audience for being targeted is young smokers. The tobacco industry has always used outdoor advertising - for example billboards or posters for tobacco ad campaigns. Along with that there have always been voluntary restrictions on outdoor tobacco advertising, such as agreements not to place ads on billboards within a certain distance of schools. Unfortunately, they have been less than effective. Tobacco control factsheets showed that despite such an agreement during a six-month period in 1994, tobacco advertising was posted on two-thirds of billboards near schools. In 1995, tobacco advertising was posted near forty percent of the schools. These sad facts prove that tobacco advertising entices young people to begin smoking. All restrictions or banning tobacco advertising has a poor effect on the general smoking behaviour.
The tobacco industry targets young people in their tobacco ad campaigns. Some recent researches have shown that young people remember, understand and are receptive to tobacco advertising.
Huge budgets are spent on tobacco ad campaigns. According to the Federal Trade Commission, in 1999, cigarette manufacturers spent eight point twenty four billion dollars on advertising and promotion, the highest amount ever and that is despite restrictions on the advertising in most countries! The reason of such increase in tobacco ad campaigns is due to the attempts at appealing to a younger audience. Along with the traditional store and magazine advertising, tobacco ad campaigns include multi-purchase offers and giveaways, such as hats and lighters.
As it was announced by the marketing consultants ACNielsen during the period September 2001 to August 2002, twenty five million pounds was spent on tobacco advertising by the UK tobacco companies (excluding the sponsorship and indirect advertising). Generally, it broken down as follows:
•eleven million pounds on press advertising
•thirteen point two million pounds on billboards
•seven hundred fourteen thousand five hundred and fifty pounds on radio advertising
•one hundred and six thousand two hundred and fifty three pounds on direct mail advertising
The figures from around that time also estimated that approximately eight million pounds a year is spent on sponsoring sporting events and teams, excluding Formula One, on which further seventy million pounds is spent in the UK.
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