Puff Culture: How American Cigarette Advertising Has Changed Over the Decades to Appeal to the Modern Audience

Clark had spent the last four hours on his feet. His hair slicked back and dress shirt unbuttoned half-way down his chest, he had managed to balance a glass of Jim Beam and Pop while he danced the night away. After the last Buddy Holly song was over, Clark leaned up against the wall and surveyed the room. After an odd minute, he had succeeded in catching the glimpse of Ella’s beautiful blue eyes. With poised fingers, he motioned for her to abandon her place on the leather couch and follow him to the balcony—which was now empty. As the pair embraced each other, Clark pulled a fancy red container from his pocket, and emptied the contents into his palm. “Pall Mall” read two finely-roled cigarettes. Ella leaned back into the warmth of his arms, as smoke slowly seeped out of their mouths into the crisp October night air. As Clark played with a lock of Ella’s dazzling blonde hair, he flicked a speck of cigarette ash over the ledge. Life couldn’t possibly be any sweeter.

            Seems like the stereotypical 1950’s cigarette commercial, huh? Although this gem was never an actual advertisement, it embodies the classic marketing strategy that caused so many people to take up smoking. Throughout the years, cigarette use has been a very common activity. The 20^th century always saw Jonny Cash and Keith Richards with a lit cigarette in their mouths, and our generation sees the likes of Jonny Depp and Jay Lo walking around with a little white cylinder dangling. When you think cigarette, you might imagine a French model smoking from a fancy white “Cruella de Vil” extension, or perhaps a guy on a Harley-Davidson wearing a sleek leather jacket holding a pack of Marlboro Reds. But cigarettes have become so prevalent that you see college students heaving in the next dose of nicotine on their way to class. Whatever the generation, advertising strategies like the one above have influenced people of all ages to indulge in the little white tobacco-filled tube. Although modern times have exposed the health risks of smoking to the public, it appears that even the strongest of anti-tobacco protests have failed to completely eliminate cigarette use.

            Although the consistency of cigarettes has seen very few changes, marketing strategies have evolved greatly throughout the years to appeal to a changing audience. Our generation has become increasingly aware of the dangers of cigarette additives, and anti-smoking Television commercials show shocking images of cancer survivors having to speak through a robotic simulated voice. To better understand what kind of advertising tactics cigarette companies have employed throughout the years, we’re going to take a look at two popular advertisements; an old 1953 Pall Mall advertisement, and a 2007 American Spirit promotion.

            After taking a look at the Pall Mall poster, it sure doesn’t look like a scene from the PGA tour. For one, those golfers look far more interested in their cigarettes than in golfing. And that’s not Tiger Woods you see there in the drawing—and if it was, well…he sure would have a bad taste in cigarettes.  But to a person in the 1950’s, this poster was probably a depiction of a great time on the golf course. The people depicted are neatly-groomed and Caucasian, and their expensive golfing attire suggests that this ad was targeted at a wealthier audience. Aside from this detailed drawing, there are some aspects of the poster that really jump out at you. Firstly, the poster designer uses bold, red font to outline slogans/catchphrases as well as vivid illustrations to capture the reader’s attention. In addition, the simplistic way the slogans and descriptions are worded makes the product seem much more appealing.

"Discover a Smoothness, Mildness, and Satisfaction No Other Cigarette Offers You…There is no substitute for Pall Mall--the finest quality money can buy…The cigarette that changed America's smoking habits". What strikes you in this conglomeration of advertising slogans? Perhaps for the modern audience, nothing at all. Its just another advertising scheme for a cigarette brand that is trying to popularize itself in the market among dozens of other cigarette brands. Without proof, how could we possibly know that Pall Mall cigarettes are truly mild, smooth, and satisfying? Perhaps in the 1950’s, when smoking was as commonplace as chewing gum, you would just have to give the little red pack a try. Through the descriptions on the poster, Pall Mall is trying to infer that they are the best cigarette brand out there. I mean, look at the drawing. Don’t those golfers look amazed by the product? And the classy bold font against the Pall Mall-red background definitely catches the reader’s eye. For all you smokers out there—have you ever smoked a cigarette that had you coughing up hairballs and burned out too quickly? Smoking Pall Mall cigarettes will give you the ultimate smoking experience; irritation free, and maybe even cancer free. After all, these cigarettes are the finest money can buy—and I don’t see any surgeon’s warning on that poster.

Our generation is becoming increasingly green-minded. Although we’re not ready to give up our gas-guzzling tanks quite yet, technological advances along with a focus on climate mitigation has brought upon a movement that encourages people to decrease their carbon footprint. Many appliances you buy nowadays come with an energy star rating, college campuses are starting to rebuild in accordance with LEDA standards, and the government is offering monetary incentives to trade in your inefficient vehicle for a compact fuel economy rock star. And American Spirit, a cigarette company that is just now becoming popular (especially among hipsters) offers further green incentive to switch your tobacco loyalties. Written on the poster in tobacco-colored letters says “ITS ONLY NATURAL.” It’s the first thing you see when you look at the poster, and honestly it summarizes the entirety of it. American Spirit says the reason it is better is because their offices are run on wind power, and their growing practices are environmentally-friendly and organic. This differs from the more common advertisement in that it targets a certain audience—a modern audience that is aware of our changing planet. And switching to American Spirit can seem like a no-brainer; if you’re going to smoke, you might as well smoke something that is chemical-free and leaves a smaller impact on our world. And if you’re 21 years of age, you can get up to $20 dollars’ worth of gift certificates—that’s 4 free packs of cigarettes (for all you non-smokers).

An aspect of advertising not to overlook is the presentation of the cigarettes themselves; their packaging, and their look. The Pall Mall container has an extremely genuine design, with a majestic-looking crest that has crowned Lions and a suit of armor on it, the latin phrase “In Hoc Signo Vinces” (which Wikipedia tells me is the expression Constantine used when he decided to bear the Cross), and the unmistakable white lettering with cherry red background. Presentation is everything, and I think the brand presents a very classy design. By the cross alone, the brand could easily be mistaken for a noble family instead of a cigarette brand. American Spirit comes in a variety of compact colored containers, depending on the type of tobacco you prefer. Their greatest appeal, however, is their Native American symbol. A muscular-looking Indian is presented wearing a headdress and smoking a massive cigarette, silhouetted by a beautiful rising sun. Living on a continent that was once exclusively populated by Native Americans, it is extremely uncommon to see one of these guys walking around (especially in Native garb). Rather ironically, American settlers oppressed Native Americans and forced them onto reservations, but nowadays, there is a nostalgic feeling associated with our Tomahawk-wielding friends. Throughout the years, there have been a number of movies and novels about the old civilization that have peaked our imagination. I know for a fact that I dressed up as an ‘Indian Chief’ for Halloween one year, and I consider “The Last of the Mohicans” to be one of the best movies ever made.

The American Spirit promotion differs greatly from the 1953 Pall Mall ad in that there is a standard surgeon’s general warning included at the bottom. Nearly sixty years after Pall Mall popularized their brand, we are now aware that smoking is bad for our health. But if you look at the matter in black and white, some people just aren’t ready to give up their tobacco—and this factor may never change. If you’ve ever been a smoker, you know that Pall Mall cigarettes are cheap to buy and are revolting in taste. But on the other side, American Spirit cigarettes are over-priced and (in my opinion) too strong in taste.

But there you have it, readers of Whatever magazine—the advertising strategies of two world-famous cigarette brands dissected in a nut shell. Please remember that by no means am I encouraging the use of cigarettes. In fact, smoking has become a huge problem among America’s youth, and it really makes me wonder about the severity of lung, mouth, and throat problems that many will experience in the near future. If you have any comments or questions regarding this article, please send me an email or catch me at my guest lecture next week. Its…whatever!