Social Science Paper

Tyler De Jong
Kevin Schut
Communications 110
March 25, 2009
Anti-Smoking Advertising: The Knife in the Back
Antismoking advertisements are common on television these days, but what is their real agenda? The ads we are all familiar with may appear to be rebelling against the powerful “big tobacco” when in truth, they are stabbing our children in the back. Many of these advertising campaigns are operated and funded by tobacco companies. For example, the televised advertising campaign aimed at parents with the slogan “Talk, they’ll listen” encouraging parents to talk to their children about smoking was started and funded by Philip Morris International, the leading international tobacco company in the world (Melanie Wakefield et al.).
Phillip Morris International has sunk millions of dollars into anti-smoking campaigns, especially during the late 90s. Why would this powerful and wealthy tobacco company target teenagers with antismoking commercials? There doesn’t seem to be any financial gain. These youth targeted ads have an more subtle message underlying the loud message “don’t smoke,” and that is “smoke when your older.” A study for the American Journal of Public Health revealed that more teenagers in a group of high school students exposed to more antismoking advertisements planned to smoke in the future than a separate group exposed to less antismoking ads (Melanie Wakefield et al.).
To get the hidden message to their viewers, tobacco advertisers use some interesting tricks. The aforementioned example of parent targeted antismoking ads focuses on making viewers think that not smoking is a personal belief rather than a health concern (Melanie Wakefield et al.). Other non-smoking slogans only say that smoking is a bad idea if you’re a teen, for example “Tobacco is Whacko if You’re a Teen.”
By the time a person reached adulthood, their minds are already made up concerning heath, their bodies and smoking. Adolescents are more open minded and so these are the customers that tobacco companies try and reach. The tobacco industry’s main idea behind funding antismoking ads is to make future smokers. Even though televised cigarette ads have been outlawed, the companies have found an adequate replacement.

Works Cited:

Murphy-Hoefer, Rebecca, Andrew Hyland, and Cheryl Higbee. "Perceived Effectiveness of Tobacco Countermarketing Advertisements Among Young Adults. (Cover story)." American Journal of Health Behavior 32.6 (Nov. 2008): 725-734. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Norma Marion Alloway Library, Langley, BC. 25 Mar. 2009 .

Wakefield, Melanie, et al. "Effect of Televised, Tobacco Company-Funded Smoking Prevention Advertising on Youth Smoking-Related Beliefs, Intentions, and Behavior." American Journal of Public Health 96.12 (Dec. 2006): 2154-2160. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Norma Marion Alloway Library, Langley, BC. 25 Mar. 2009 .