Camel's Cigarette Advertising Analysis

As I drive to my favorite restaurant, Chick-Fil-A, I pass a multitude of advertisements stating that this handle of vodka is on sale -- or that this brand of Camel’s (not the ones from the desert) cigarettes are the cheapest in the state. These advertisements make me think back to an episode of Mad Men -- which I binge watch all the time on Netflix -- where the advertising agency had to come up with an advertising campaign for the Luckie’s cigarette. “The Lucky Strike; it’s toasted” states the advertisement shown in Mad Men. Don Draper, the head guy in the show, advertises the product to seem more “healthy” by avoiding the truth. Mr. Draper focuses on how the cigarettes are toasted so society may see the “Luckie’s” as the healthier option.

Does advertising really cause millions of deaths every year? Do people really feel the need to buy alcohol or cigarettes more than normal by seeing advertisements? The average young person views more than 3000 ads per day on television (TV), on the Internet, on billboards, and in magazines. To put this into perspective -- tobacco manufacturers spend $30 million/day ($11.2 billion/year) on advertising and promotions. More than 20 studies have found that children exposed to cigarette advertisements or promotions are more likely to become smokers themselves and can be exposed to these advertisements and promotions as early as thirteen years old. In the 1970s the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) came to the conclusion after several hearings and research that it’s unfair and deceptive to advertise to younger children under six years old. When a child is under the age of eight years, they are cognitively and psychologically defenseless against the advertising that is pushed to them on a daily basis. Being a part of the advertising major at the Penn State University has really opened up my eyes to how much work and research is put into targeting groups and how to format the advertisements in a way that will make them more likely to purchase the product. Personally, I feel like advertising isn’t an unethical thing to do. I believe that

I think that while it may increase the risk of making you purchase a cigarette pack or a case of beer, that advertising in itself doesn’t cause harm. Everyone has free will and it’s up to you to follow what the ads say or not. I think that people that think advertising potentially harmful products should be illegal are wrong in the fact that it’s the person 's own doing to purchase and use those products. While I’m not condoning what Mr. Draper did in Mad Men with avoiding the truth -- I think labels should be honest. I’m also not asking for them to have to be painfully obvious like “This beer will give you a beer gut and kill you if you drink too much”, but I do think that it’s important to also not glorify these products in advertising as something that’s healthy. For example, vape pens shouldn’t be advertised as super healthy and good for you when there is proof and research done saying otherwise. It’s up to us as humans to choose whether we want to use the products or not, and it’s up to us to know the risk that comes with that purchase. Google products first and see first hand for yourself if that Juul vape pen that you just bought is actually good for you -- or are you letting the advertising company convince you completely. So, to make this whole paper short and sweet -- I believe that advertising should be able to advertise whatever (as