Edward Bernays often refered as the father of spin was a pioneer in public relations. Combining the ideas of and was one of the first to attempt to manipulate public opinion using the psychology of the subconscious.
The Lucky Strike cigarettes forest green pack was rejected by women because they found that the pack clashed with their wardrobes. The Edward Bernays solution to the problem is amazing and worked perfectly. Rather than change the pack color, which was rejected by the parent company of Lucky Strikes, American Tobacco, as being too expensive, Bernays instituted a plan to instead change women's fashion to match the cigarette pack. Letters were written to interior and fashion designers, department stores, and prominent women of society pushing green as the new hot color for the season. Balls, gallery exhibitions, and window displays all featured green after Bernays got through with them. The result was that green did indeed become a very hot color for the 1934 season and Lucky Strike kept their pack color and female clientele intact.
Reference UXL Encyclopedia of World Biography 2003
TOBACCO FOR WOMEN, A look at gender and PR
'Light and Luscious' says the new Camel N.9 ad. You can see the picture on the right, it personally reminded me of an attractive fragrance name, the New York Times even said it : 'The new variation, Camel No. 9, has a name that evokes women’s fragrances like Chanel No. 19, as well as a song about romance, “Love Potion No. 9.' The cigarette is a pretty picture, pink and black, giving it a feminine and trendy look. RJ.Reynolds promoter of the product has worked hard to advertise the product, throwing parties, giving the brand a 'night out' signature. The other picture is Cancer N'9 which obviously is another attack on a tobacco product. Gender and PR is an interesting subject because for example Camel has always been a more men oriented cigarette, but tobacco marketing had switched its antenna's to a new influential target, and is still doing so. Slimness, health ( ironic?) vigour and good times appeal to women, especially with
cigarettes identified as “women’s” brands.The box looks 'healthier' at least then other boxes such as Malboro Red, eventhough it's all the same in the end, it's all PR. Virgin Slims had the 'You've come a lond way baby' 'It's a women thing' and find your voice' strategy, slogans that emphasize the idea of independance, power, and equality. The 'light' 'mild' and 'thin' terms are attractive for us women, arent they? But how does the PR really work? The tobacco industry works hard on the image it portrays on it's product, but again it's not about putting the cigarettes in a pretty picture box or advertising on big magazine names such as Vogue, Cosmopolitan..it's about targetting the hidden images. Why hidden? obviously because of the ongoing attacks and war on tobacco, the industry is finding different tactics and strategies, more subtle ones, worthy of learning about if you are a PR person.
Reference The NY Times, The Tobacco Free Kids Camel N.9 report
cigarettes identified as “women’s” brands.The box looks 'healthier' at least then other boxes such as Malboro Red, eventhough it's all the same in the end, it's all PR. Virgin Slims had the 'You've come a lond way baby' 'It's a women thing' and find your voice' strategy, slogans that emphasize the idea of independance, power, and equality. The 'light' 'mild' and 'thin' terms are attractive for us women, arent they? But how does the PR really work? The tobacco industry works hard on the image it portrays on it's product, but again it's not about putting the cigarettes in a pretty picture box or advertising on big magazine names such as Vogue, Cosmopolitan..it's about targetting the hidden images. Why hidden? obviously because of the ongoing attacks and war on tobacco, the industry is finding different tactics and strategies, more subtle ones, worthy of learning about if you are a PR person.
Reference The NY Times, The Tobacco Free Kids Camel N.9 report
Smart or dangerous PR?
I recently read the World Health Organization practical manual of the 'Tobacco Industry Documents', it has a lot of interesting content on what the tobacco industry was hiding from the rest of the world, how they found them, what they found, wondeful links on books and marketing strategies of the industry. The fact is Public Relations in the tobacco industry is fascinating to learn about, because we all know cigarettes are deadly but the tactics they used are a field of their own. Malboro Man, Gender and PR, Culture and PR, the so called 'light' 'mild' and 'thin' cigarettes, the 'Think Don't Smoke' campaign which has pushed the idea that smoking is a choice instead of smoking is dangerous of course, or the even more interesting anti- smoking campaign from Philip Morris that was proven to be another public relations strategy. How do these people work, how do they think? some of the most disturbing quotes were found from cigarette makers such as:
"To ensure increased and longer-term growth for
CAMEL FILTER, the brand must increase its share
penetration among the 14–24 age group."
R.J. Reynolds marketing analyst, 1975 or
"The base of our business is the high school
student."
Lorillard memo on sale of Newport cigarettes, 1978
The companies deny ever advertising to children, but the truth is public relations in the tobacco industry is full of controversy if we simply go back to the idea that smoking is in fact really bad. How do they procede for example? Im gonna quote from the manual :
"The marketing experts in the tobacco
companies knew the essential arithmetic: current smokers
quit or die; therefore new smokers are always needed. Since
the majority of adult smokers begin in their teenage years,
this is the group that had to be targeted by advertising and
promotions. The tobacco companies have created “children
shouldn’t smoke until they are adults” campaigns around the
world, without ever mentioning the health reasons for not
smoking." This strategy smart or dangerous? is in fact both. The idea that smoking is only for adults gives the impression that smoking is good when you're all grown up, or pushes the feeling of adolescent rebellion and their eagerness to be accepted into the 'adult' world..the hidden image that the tobacco industry is therefore portraying is the idea of idealism, change and rebellion among others..it's amazing how PR works
Reference The WHO Tobacco Industry Documents practical manual
"To ensure increased and longer-term growth for
CAMEL FILTER, the brand must increase its share
penetration among the 14–24 age group."
R.J. Reynolds marketing analyst, 1975 or
"The base of our business is the high school
student."
Lorillard memo on sale of Newport cigarettes, 1978
The companies deny ever advertising to children, but the truth is public relations in the tobacco industry is full of controversy if we simply go back to the idea that smoking is in fact really bad. How do they procede for example? Im gonna quote from the manual :
"The marketing experts in the tobacco
companies knew the essential arithmetic: current smokers
quit or die; therefore new smokers are always needed. Since
the majority of adult smokers begin in their teenage years,
this is the group that had to be targeted by advertising and
promotions. The tobacco companies have created “children
shouldn’t smoke until they are adults” campaigns around the
world, without ever mentioning the health reasons for not
smoking." This strategy smart or dangerous? is in fact both. The idea that smoking is only for adults gives the impression that smoking is good when you're all grown up, or pushes the feeling of adolescent rebellion and their eagerness to be accepted into the 'adult' world..the hidden image that the tobacco industry is therefore portraying is the idea of idealism, change and rebellion among others..it's amazing how PR works
Reference The WHO Tobacco Industry Documents practical manual
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