Essay On Cigarette Cigarettes

Cigarettes. The leading cause of cancer, emphysema and heart disease. As of 2012, over 42 million Americans over the age of 18 were smoking cigarettes daily. Though years ago, cigarette and tobacco ads were found on tv, in magazines and heard on the radio, today we are much more aware of the awful health effects it causes. Cigarette advertisements have been banned from TV, radio and many magazines though there are still a few seen today.

The Natural American Spirit cigarette advertisement found in the back of Rolling Stone magazine is designed in a way to try and sell the “all-natural,” organic cigarette. The demographics of tobacco use vary from teenagers to senior citizens of all different ethnicities but music lovers in particular are major cigarette smokers. Rolling Stone is the guide to music lovers’ lives filled with information on the latest artists’ music and scandals to chart topers to the latest TV drama. This magazine surely attracts individuals of many ages and certainly many smokers.

From the colors of the cigarette boxes to the dirt in the hands, this advertisement has many semiotics. The green color of the box shown in the front represents the Earth and its natural elements. American Spirit’s slogan is “Natural,” in order to differentiate itself with other tobacco companies whose cigarettes may seem “more harmful.” The green color of the box gives it a very earthy feel and may actually be more appealing to smokers due to its naturalness. The box behind the green box is blue, along with the red and white font and logo. Together these three colors represent America, hence the brand name. The company is noticeably trying to sell the “American” ambiance along with the “natural” feel. While American Spirit has numerou...

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...ganic tobacco does NOT mean a safer cigarette,” along with “No additives in our tobacco does NOT mean a safer cigarette” and the standard generic surgeon general’s warning. These warnings are most probably a result of allegations that the indication of additive-free cigarettes may lead consumers to believe that the product is safer than regular cigarettes in which case the company cannot blatantly claim such a fact that isn’t entirely true. This is all a part of neoliberalism in today’s society. (dad, don’t think this makes sense but had to throw in that word.)

My understanding of American Spirit cigarettes and the company’s ideology is undoubtedly denoted in this advertisement. Advertising is not just an institution it is a media form. Advertisements are used to encourage and even manipulate the consumer and that is exactly what American Spirit does in this ad.