Three ways that cigarette ads hook kids (Essay Sample)

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A large percentage of smoking adults began smoking before they turned eighteen years old. More than half of this percentage, were already smoking on a daily basis. As an addictive habit, smoking is quite dangerous to the health of an individual in the long term. It is known to cause depression and lung cancer. Children usually get pressured from many quarters to do certain activities in order to fit in with the other children, or to fulfil certain images they perceive favorable for their reputation. The tobacco industry has continuously preyed on the insecurities inherent in kids to capitalize on it financially. They use the kids to replenish their customer base. This is in view of the fact that once most people begin smoking, they do it for the rest of their lives.
This paper is about the effects of tobacco companies advertising cigarettes on young children. It examines the effect of these ads on their smoking habits. This paper attempts to answer the question of whether cigarette ads target kids deliberately and what effects they have on their attitude towards smoking.
The most popular cigarette brands among young smokers are most likely to put ads of their products in magazines that are read by a significant number of youth. In a survey conducted to find out whether smoking ads targeted children and the youth deliberately, these findings were made. Boston University’s School of public health associate professor Mr. Michael Siegel found that ads enticing kids into smoking were highly effective (Tobacco Free CA, 2008). Regardless of where these ads were made, the effect they had on the kids were significant. Therefore, restrictions posed by mainstream media do not have much of an effect on the number of youth these companies access. Actually, the options that these companies turn to, ensure that they access even more kids and youth. They include the internet where regulations are a bit challenging to implement. They also use fashion and adult magazines which are popular among the youth. Tobacco products companies have stated now and then that their advertisements do not target the youth directly. However, the methods they employ in advertisements and most designs they use are evidently geared towards attracting younger people towards smoking. They do this by putting advertisements in places that are visited by large numbers of youth. Internet websites, convenience stores and popular magazines never fail to spot a cigarette ad. They also use online surveys among other methods to collect email addresses, to which they send mail containing cigarette ads. Since a large chunk of the youth spend more time on the internet, these ads reach even higher numbers, just as the mainstream media would.
Of all smokers in the United States of America, 90 percent started smoking as teenagers. Two thirds of this percentage had turned into regular smokers by the time they hit 19 years old. This are statistical findings recorded in an Irish Cancer Society Publication. The fact that these advertisements reach more youth is not mere coincidence. Direct mailing of content containing cigarette smoking promotion information makes sure that even more youth are reached. The designs of these advertisements include the use of cleverly constructed graphics, images and write-ups that appeal to the young eye. This is evidence that these companies really need replacement consumers, which they seek in kids and young people (USATODAY.COM, 2013). As stated earlier, these companies capitalize on the insecurities the youth have about themselves. Kids want to be popular and accepted among their peers. Images of rugged macho men are used to depict smokers as cool, attractive, desirable and independent. These ads tend to send to the youth the message that, they look like the characters depicted on the ads, when they do what these characters are shown doing. It is common knowledge that many boys face a lot of pressure to look tough and cool. This is one aspect that these companies exploit through their ads. Young girls are usually not left out in the search for customers by these companies. Certain cigarette brands have been associated with femininity and slimness. A notion has been maintained for long that slimness is a desirable characteristic in women. Cigarette ads make smoking look like a weight management tool. Among the female population, the young girls are usually the ones most conscious about their beauty and acceptability. When they are made to see smoking in this light, their chances of taking it up increase.
As seen in the paper, kids are targeted by tobacco companies through the use of ads that are made to appeal to their perception. In order to remain in business, tobacco companies need to replace the customers who die every year as a result of smoking related complications. Colorful graphics, superhero depictions of fictional characters like the Marlboro Man or Sports Man are all designed to pull the young. In convenience stores and malls, cigarettes are placed close to items that are liked by children. These include toys and candy. At sports venues that are thronged by young people, tobacco com...