Hacks, Flacks, and Counter‐Attacks: Cigarette Advertising, Sponsored Research, and Controversies

Abstract

The tobacco industry promotes friendly "experts" and uses public relations tactics to produce uncertainty around research results that threaten it. This inhibits public policies responsive to these research findings. These tactics, long used agninst medical science, are now being used to counter the studies challenging to the myth that cigarette advertising is of no import. The numerous weaknesses of the industryadvanced argument are discussed, drawing particularly on the literature of consumer behavior; marketing, and advertising. The vast preponderance of evidence indicates that cigarette advertising plays a meaningful role in influencing the perceptions, attitudes, andsmoking behavior of youth. Denials ofthese effects, without brand new and compelling evidence, are highly suspect."The other side is engaging in a reckless campaign of propaganda, mistruths, half'truths, innuendo, false piety and downright deceit."

The association of normative perceptions with adolescent smoking intentions

“…The extant literature clearly indicates that tobacco advertising plays a meaningful role in influencing the perceptions, attitudes and smoking behaviour of youth (Pollay, 1997). Tobacco advertisements on billboards and in stores, magazines, on clothing, and at community events, are designed to influence consumer knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about a product (Schooler, Feighery, & Flora, 1996).…”

Relevance, responsibility, critical performativity, testimony and positive marketing: contributing to marketing theory, thought and practice

“…They purvey images of health, wellbeing, happiness, masculinity and solidarity with peers as a way to hook adolescent audiences seeking help in constituting their fragile identities (Pollay, 1997). They co-opt feminist imagery to buttress their positioning around values of independence and rebellion (Kilbourne & Pollay, 1992)values that are incommensurate with products that are addictive and reduce agency to a variant of slavery (O'Keefe & Pollay, 1997;Pollay, 2000). Their ads provide limited to non-existent information.…”

“…Their ads provide limited to non-existent information. They hinge on imagery and trade on emotion in order to bypass cognitive scrutiny (O'Keefe & Pollay, 1997) and 'counter-argumentation' (Pollay & Dewhirst, 2003). They are meant to restrict the ability of the consumer to make an informed decision.…”

„Enjoy Smoking“ — Die Zigarettenindustrie und ihre Abwehrschlachten

“…Uber den Einfluss und die Wirksamkeit von Werbung auf potenzielle Konsumenten wird seit langem eine lebhafte Debatte gefiihrt (Pollay 1997 Im Gegensatz dazu fiihrt die Tabakindustrie an, dass ihre Werbung keine neuen Raucher rekrutieren wolle, sondem lediglich tiberzeugte Raucher darin bestarkt, bei einer bestimmten Marke zu bleiben oder zu ihr zu wechseln. Zigarettenwerbung solle lediglich Marktanteile sichern oder ausbauen helfen; ansonsten werde die Beziehung zwischen Werbung und Verkaufszahlen eher iiberschatzt.…”