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Advertisements had been an effective marketing tool used by businesses to increase market share and encourage consumers to buy their product and services. However, this is not the sole purpose of ads. In fact, over the years several advertisements had been used for information dissemination particularly geared to create social awareness. Anti-smoking campaigns lobbied by health experts and civic organizations had been very creative at trying to persuade smokers to quit smoking. This essay will evaluate the effectiveness of the anti-smoking advertisements in the way they present their arguments. At the same time, this paper will give its own recommendation of how it would create a similar advertisement by highlighting the techniques that it will use to present its argument and provide reasons why this will be effective.
The cigarette industry has not run short of warning the people of the ill-effects of smoking to health. However, it seems that the warning has not been enough to ward off people from patronizing the product. An article that appears in The Economist entitled The Cigarette Industry: Running out of Puff, commemorates the half a century slogan that typically appears in cigarette commercials that states the dangerous effect of smoking to health (The Economist, 2014). The author of the online magazine pointed out that smoking continues to prevail amidst legislation referring to the smoking ban and advertising restrictions.
The manufacturers continue to outsmart the health experts by improving their business model to encourage investors and lured people into buying their product that heed the advice of medical professionals. One of the way doing this is by trying to monopolize the industry among the biggest manufacturers, which prevented small players from entering the market. This step allows the players to dictate the trend of the product. For example, one of the moves to divert smokers into a safer alternative is by introducing e-cigarette. In the beginning, this seemed to be effective as more, and more smokers have surrendered the traditional cigarette to the e-cigar.
However, seeing this as a significant threat the major players in the industry began acquiring shares of the e-cigar manufacturers and eventually buying out the entire company. This happened in the case of Lorillard, the third largest tobacco manufacturing company in the US when it acquired Blu in 2012 (Convenience Store Petroleum, 2012).
When customers are not satisfied with the products that they acquired, they can report their problems to the financial service organization by e-mail, phone, post and other channels. However, renewals and complex changes still require the need for dialogue.
In a study on customer satisfaction done in the past, it shows that it is more costly to acquire new customers than retain the ones that businesses already have (Baker & Hart, 2008). In this study, that finding is also applicable.
This 1994 novel written by Christopher Buckley narrates the story of a tobacco company’s lobbyist who rallied to defend the cigarette manufacturers while at the same time maintaining to become a good role model to his son(Buckley). The novel was a political satire which happens to attack the existing trend in the socio-political structure, but does it in a manner that appears to entertain people. Given how the message was delivered, it appealed not only to the intellectual mindset of the people but it appealed to the emotion of the viewers while taking into account the creative aspect having artistically to deliver it in the form of literature. Later on, the novel had been immortalized in film in 2005 which was a more effective medium than the novel because it became more accessible to a lot of people(Bosman). In addition, the film is more preferred by people than a novel. By delivering the message of anti-smoking campaign through this manner, it has become effective because the facts had been supplemented by graphic images that people are likely to recall easily. In addition, by presenting its message in an entertaining manner as with the film, people can relate to it better because they see it as something tangible and realistic although it was purely fiction. People can easily relate to something when they see a storyline or a plot similar to what happens in real life. It somehow makes it more realistic.
Cigarette Label Warnings. Smokers always see the enclosed warning in cigarette labels that read: Warning: Cigarette Smoking is Dangerous to your Health. However, this warning is not an effective deterrent to smokers from consuming the entire pack of cigaret. This type of presentation plainly utilizes the logical aspect of the advertisement simply by appealing to the reader’s intellect. It almost becomes a given that readers automatically knew why cigarette smoking is dangerous. It is not up to the reader’s imagination to create images and assumptions as to why smoking is dangerous. This ad is not effective considering that it lacks further explanation of substantiation. Perhaps, this is intentional considering that any graphic or detailed explanation of the caption might exactly deter a smoker from even buying the pack of cigarette if it contains an image of a smoker who is dying from lung cancer. The reason that this particular ad is not effective is because it is hard to visualize something that is not substantiated by any form of images or graphic presentation. People are by nature visual, and they somehow need to see something to believe it. Facts about Cigarette Smoking that was Deliberately Omitted
The Nature of Smoking
Smoking is defined as the inhalation of a burnt substance through which the smoke is tasted and inhaled by an individual who is not necessarily the smoker (Goodman). When the inhalation is not directly by the smoker, it is called second-hand smoking. This has nearly similar effects to direct smoking, which makes it more alarming for health experts. Smoking is no longer limited to burnt incense. In fact, over the years the burnt substance gradually progresses from incense to cannabis, opium, tobacco and now the cigarette, which is a popularized and more commercial form of tobacco (Burns). However, there are other substances that are smoked for recreational purposes like heroin.
Cigarette is the most common object used in smoking. It is industrially manufactured for commercial distribution. However, it is perhaps unknown to many consumers that one stick of cigarette contains enough toxins that cause numerous diseases and even deaths. Smoking is highly addictive because of a substance called nicotine that is present in tobacco. Nicotine is an alkaloid that is a potent component of stimulant drugs (Katzung). Studies revealed that cigarettes have eleven substances that cause cancer. In addition, the smoke that comes from cigarette that is both detrimental for smokers and second-hand smokers has carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, benzene, polonium 210 and benzene (Katzung).
A study commissioned by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2008 stated that one out of five teens from aged 13 to 15, smokes (World Health Organization). 50% of these adolescents will continue to smoke for the remaining 15 to 20 years of their life (World Health Organization). In a similar study, it shows that teenagers become interested in smoking because of curiosity (Harris). They see it occasionally in the movies that they watch, including in cartoons, and it sparks their interest. In addition, it has become a status symbol for some that smoking is “cool” and fun. However, the percentage of the teens who were interviewed said they smoke out of peer-pressure, rebellion and for social acceptance.
Effects of Smoking
Smoking has numerous implications. Every smoker has their own reason for smoking. However, the effects of smoking to people are almost definite. It ranges from creating an elated feeling because of the stimulant in the form of the nicotine to irreversible health conditions that could eventually lead to death. The WHO defines smoking as the leading cause of preventable death in the world (World Health Organization).
Initially, smoking creates a feeling of relaxation. Some smokers suggest that smoking help relieves stress. However, when smoking becomes a habit and has become prolonged it tends to contribute to irritability, tension and agitation (Parrott).
In some studies, smoking is believed to shorten the life span of an individual. There were reasons to believe that a smoker’s life is cut short by an average of 13.2 years in male and 14.5 year for female(Greaves). There were also researches to prove that half of the people who smoked most of their lives die earlier than those who have not smoked a single stick of cigarette in their life (World Health Organization ).
In the earlier days, no one knew of the ill-effects of smoking. Thus, people continued for years to get addicted and eventually formed a habit of smoking. However, several health experts began to get interested as more and more smokers started to show common medical symptoms. Later on it revealed that smoking causes heart disease, lung disease, stroke and several different forms of cancer like cancer of the lungs, larynx, mouth, esophagus and bladder (Katzung). In most cases, plotted at 1 out of 10 cases, smoking also leads to death (World Health Organization).
Understanding Market Behavior: Australian Consumers
The socio-cultural and demographic trends in the country suggest that the society has become fast-paced. Not to mention that Australia has quickly adapted to the modern and yet Westernized culture of America. This means that the pattern of behavior is closely similar to the ways and lifestyle of the Western culture. More and more Australian are being inclined to modern technological gadgets. The system of education has been pushing for e-based education. The educational system has been pushing for the use of computers and relying on electronic learning powered by internet connection and networking.
The system and trends of communication had been transformed from the use of snail mail to the faster more technologically advanced used of e-mails, chats and most recently, the development of social networking. Mobile devices had been improved from the old-school model to the smart phones all equipped with the camera, WiFi, Bluetooth and other similar technology.
The Australian lifestyle had also undergone a transition. Spending has no longer been limited and restricted to basic needs. Rather, Australian is more inclined to everything efficient and convenient. All of these contribute to the progress in the telecom industry. Considering that Australian are gearing to the technologically advanced society utilizing the latest trend in communication
The World Health Organization tried to give a standard definition of health as one that refers to “a condition of complete physical, mental and social well-being that is not exclusive to merely the absence of disease or illness”(Grad). Thus, if one is to apply this definition to a more personal approach then it could be defined as an individual’s specific condition of complete physical, mental and social wellness (Bellieniand Buonocore). This classification only identifies the scopes that cover the realm of a person’s health. In doing so, it is easier to identify the ways on how one could better care of their personal wellness as well as establish the importance of maintaining one’s health and wellness.
Upon establishing these scopes it is easier to determine and establish how one can properly care for their personal health. Physical health can be maintained by becoming physically fit through exercise, a balanced diet and personal hygiene. One’s mental health can be maintained through making sound, logical judgment and living in a stress-free environment. Lastly, social wellness can be maintained if one would try and maintain balanced social relationships.
It is important to care for one’s personal health because doing otherwise would not only disrupt the order of one’s daily activity but it will also create a disproportionate balance in the social circle. A physical disorder would entail either pain or inability to continue one’s routine. For example, smoking is a negative lifestyle habit that leads to numerous diseases like lung cancer. Due to one’s poor lifestyle, a smoker may get sick with lung cancer and when this happens the person experiences pain, weight loss and other physical side effects that usually come with the disease. In addition, it is not only the physical health that suffers, but the individual also experiences depression, anxiety and denial which all affect one’s mental wellbeing. Inevitably, this will affect a person’s social relationships tending to become irritable, withdrawn thereby compromising one’s interpersonal relationships.
Based on the above given example, it only shows that personal health is encompassing. One aspect of health would necessarily affect the entire person including those within their social circle because it would instantly include the individual’s social well-being.
Reaction
While companies’ goal is to earn profit, it should not be an excuse to breach any business ethical standards. A healthy industry would allow any potential entrepreneur to enter into the market without being pressured by any of the other players who have been in the industry prior to the entry. In addition, companies have a responsibility to inform their clients of any ill-effects of their product and should not interfere with the customers’ decision. These were violated by the major cigarette manufacturing industries as stated in the article that appeared in The Economist last January 25 of this year. Although the products offered by these companies bore the warning on cigarette smoking, they continue to manipulate the industry by working based on the management aspects. The act of monopolizing the industry by trying to single out new entrants is clearly a bold step to monopolize the industry so they could have the control in setting the trends. In addition, Lorillard’s move to buy out Blu clearly tries to eliminate all possible competition that may divide the market. This is a subtle way of interfering with consumers’ decisions. Personally, I believe that the government and the public should do something about this. Despite all efforts exerted by the government in different countries, it continues to have very minimal effect to the cigarette manufacturers. It is hard to quit smoking, but it is not impossible. The only way to prevent these unethical practices of cigarette manufacturers is by cutting down the market share if eliminating it is not completely implementable.
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