Creating a global tobacco culture among women

: Dr Amanda Amos

Transnational tobacco companies are targeting the growing and potential markets of women smokers throughout the world. Where they come into contact with different cultures they tend to modify their message to women, and often get away with tactics that would be censured elsewhere. In this way the industry's method of cultural differentiation is honed to ensure the spread of a varied and resilient culture of tobacco use.

Here, Dr Amanda Amos of the Department of Public Health Sciences at Edinburgh University examines some of the issues in the strategies of tobacco marketing to women worldwide focusing particularly on Europe. The article is an abridged version of a contribution by Dr Amos and Professor Judith Mackay, entitled International Marketing of Cigarettes to Women, to the forthcoming US Surgeon General's report on women and tobacco, and was the basis for a talk Dr Amos gave at the Smokefree Europe Conference.

igarette smoking among women has declined in many developed countries which were traditionally the main markets for the tobacco industry, notably the USA, UK and western Europe. However, this trend is not found in all developed countries. Indeed, in several southern, central and eastern European countries, cigarette smoking is either still increasing among women or has not shown any significant decline. Furthermore, in some countries that have shown a decline in smoking among women, smoking appears to be increasing among teenage girls.

Most women, however, live in developing countries, where currently only between 2-10% smoke cigarettes. While this prevalence is considerably lower than the average 20% in developed countries, this is no cause for complacency as it does not reflect health awareness, but rather social traditions and women's low economic resources. The numbers of women smokers in developing countries will inevitably increase because of the increase in the female population and women's relative spending power; the weakening social, religious and cultural constraints which prevented many women smoking; the tobacco companies targeting of women; the lack of woman-specific health education and cessation programmes at national or local levels.

The transnational tobacco companies are keen to maintain current markets and expand to new markets in order to sustain and increase their profits in the 21st century. Developing countries and the newly opened markets in eastern Europe have been identified as key potential growth areas. Around the world, transnational tobacco companies continue to deny the health evidence; attempt to obstruct public health action on tobacco; encourage threats of trade sanctions against countries with restrictions on market access and advertising; attack organisations and individuals working on tobacco control; and produce spurious "freedom" and economic arguments to support their cause. Governments in many countries are unfamiliar with these tactics and in many cases have not been able to counter them effectively.

While strategies generally mirror those used in the USA, UK and western Europe, tobacco companies often apply different standards in other countries than they do in their country of origin.

The ways in which tobacco companies target women varies between countries depending on the current level of smoking among women, restrictions on tobacco promotion, what is culturally acceptable, women's social and economic position, and women's access to different media. While strategies generally mirror those used in the USA, UK and western Europe, tobacco companies often apply different standards in other countries than they do in their country of origin. Advertisements are shown which are either not allowed or would be ethically or culturally unacceptable in the West. Many countries do not require health warnings on tobacco advertisements.

Direct advertising

A range of images and themes are used in cigarette advertisements to promote the social acceptability of smoking among women and highlight the supposed desirable attributes of particular brands of cigarettes. Smoking has been and is promoted as being glamorous, sophisticated, fun, romantic, sexually attractive, healthy, sporty, sociable, relaxing, calming, emancipated, feminine, rebellious, and an aid to slimming.

These images and themes are conveyed by a variety of means. In countries with few or unenforced restrictions one finds explicit verbal and visual messages. For example, advertisements often feature young attractive females smoking in the company of laughing friends, with an attractive man usually in a romantic setting, or simply proclaiming her sexual allure.

In countries where such explicit images are prohibited more subtle visual imagery is often used. For example, luxury represented by silk or satin and by symbols of success or high style such as designer labels (including Yves St Laurent, Davidoff, Dunhill, Cartier), and expensive and exotic locations. In Poland the brand Carmen has been advertised with the copy line 'Aesthetic, good taste, elegance.'

One of the most common themes found in Europe, and which is increasingly used in developing countries, is that cigarette smoking is both a passport to and a symbol of a woman's emancipation, independence and success.

One of the most common themes found in Europe, and which is increasingly used in developing countries, is that cigarette smoking is both a passport to and a symbol of a woman's emancipation, independence and success. For example, in post-Franco Spain a Fortuna advertisement showed a young woman stating that 'It's so me'. More recent Spanish advertisements have emphasised 'The power of now' (West brand), while another has shown women in high status male occupations such as air force pilots. Similarly, in the Netherlands Gauloises Blondes have been promoted as reflecting 'L'espirit libre' and in Germany and South Africa 'Liberte toujours'.

In South Africa, where smoking by women of child-bearing age among blacks is socially taboo, Benson and Hedges have started to produce advertisements which feature young black women. One advertisement featured a young dark skinned woman in aerobics gear smoking a cigarette with a young black male. In another, a black woman wearing traditional headgear, seated with a black man is shown accepting a cigarette from a while man. The copy line 'Share the feeling, share the taste' echoes the African cultural value of communalism whereby you share what you have.

In an editorial in the June 1990 Tobacco Reporter, which is one the industry's journals, special note was given to the growth opportunities represented by women: "Women are becoming more independent and, consequently, adopting less-traditional lifestyles. One symbol of their newly discovered freedom may well be cigarettes."

Aspirational images of western life, usually American, are also promoted in Europe through the use of brand names such as West (Germany) and Euro (Poland), and classic American images encapsulate the spirit of Winston: 'L'Amerique sur le vif (France), 'The Chesterfield way of life' (Spain) and 'Érezz rá Amerika izere!' (L&M Hungary)

Women focused products and packaging

Tobacco companies have produced a range of brands aimed at women. Most notable are the 'women only' brands such as Kim, Virginia Slims, Capri, Vogue, MS and More. Although sales of these brands tend to be relatively low, their advertising explicitly promotes smoking as a desirable and acceptable female habit, often in countries where female smoking is very low.

For example, a recent Kim advertisement in Hungary showed a female model holding a cigarette and being offered a light by two attractive men. The caption read 'Ladies First', and the cigarette was promoted as 'Light and Slim'. The journal Tobacco has described the brand Vogue as a 'stylish type of cigarette with obvious feminine appeal, being slim and therefore highly distinctive.' This had been advertised in South Africa as 'The new style that's sweeping Europe.'

In some countries young women are being targeted through direct mail shots whether or not they smoke.

Many companies have also developed longer length, extra slim and lower tar versions of popular brands in an attempt to appeal to women. Slim female models are often depicted smoking these 'feminised' cigarettes, sometimes in preference to other versions of the same brand, and copy lines tend to emphasise words such as mild, light, ultra slim, slim, slim line, slender and long. While supposedly describing the merits of the cigarettes these copy lines also associate the product with two key female aspirations: being slim and attractive.

Some companies have also produced special gift packs competitions and offers designed to appeal to women. These have included key rings, bags, and silk camisoles. In the UK More was re-launched with a free offer of Belgian chocolates.

Indirect advertising

Indirect advertising falls into four main categories:

Brand-stretching

Brand-stretching--using brand or company names on other goods and services is now widespread. Tobacco name brand travel agents and holidays, such as Peter Stuyvesant, Camel, Silk Cut, operate in Europe and Asia, and are widely advertised. In 1996 there were Marlboro Classics shops in 17 countries in Europe. While these seem mainly aimed at men, Salem shops sell 'softer' leisure wear clothing for women and men, the Benson and Hedges logo has appeared on cashmere knitwear, and the Fortuna brand name on Spanish sportswear advertisements featuring Steffi Graf. In Sweden, following the country's tobacco advertising ban, Blend--the top local brand--advertised Blend sunglasses for women.

Sponsorship

Sponsorship--throughout the world there is widespread sponsorship of sports, the arts, pop and rock concerts, university departments, and even health organisations. Events such as the Virginia Slims Tennis championships and Formula One racing get international coverage. Locally, sports sponsorship is essentially limited to the televised, exciting and most popular national sports. Sometimes inadvertent public statements from the tobacco industry itself reveal the real purpose of sponsorship: "Philip Morris Asia sees brand name sponsorship as a form of advertising."

Sponsorship can also gain tobacco companies the apparent endorsement of internationally famous women and female role models. For example, in 1995 Princess Diana, a well-known anti-tobacco supporter in Britain, attended a Salem Open Tennis tournament in Hong Kong and accepted a cheque from the sponsor RJ Reynolds to benefit the Hong Kong Red Cross.

Although it is mainly men's sports that are sponsored, these are watched by many women. Women are also exposed to advertising for these events, for example on billboards, even in countries such as Spain where tobacco advertising in public places is banned. Companies have also sponsored music events such as the Winston Festival in France, and supplements for magazines aimed at young people. For example Kensitas produced a style supplement for the Scottish youth magazine MB.

Product placement

Product placement--the paid insertion of smoking or tobacco emblems into film narratives is well documented in American films, and these are shown throughout the world. For example, in Working Girl secretary Melanie Griffith conspicuously carries a cartoon of Lark cigarettes for boss Sigourney Weaver. product placement has also been documented in films produced on developing regions, where payments have been made for the cigarettes to appear not only in the film but in promotional posters for the film. Product placement effectively circumvents bans on direct advertising, is difficult to document and regulate, and thus may increase in the future.

Tobacco industry promotion

Tobacco industry promotion--in addition to advertising their products, several companies also use the media to enhance the tobacco industry's image and, increasingly, to defend smokers and smoking. For example in 1996 Philip Morris ran a major advertising campaign across Europe challenging the evidence on the risks of passive smoking. Another goal of this activity may be to soften the public, that is, by presenting themselves as good corporate citizens, to create subsequent public support for and/or reduce public opposition policy positions taken by the industry.

While directed at both men and women, some of this activity has highlighted women's issues. For example, in Portugal, where tobacco advertising is banned, the National Public Tobacco Company in 1995 launched a mass-media campaign to support its privatisation. One of the themes of this campaign was that the company provides employment for Portuguese women, and tries to improve their working conditions.

Media selection

Women's magazines are one of the most popular media for targeting women, particularly where tobacco advertising is banned on television. One study of the top women's magazines in 13 European countries found that over two thirds accepted cigarette advertisements. There are several reasons why women's magazines are so popular with cigarette advertisers.

The presence of cigarette advertisements in a magazine may dilute the impact of any articles on the health effects of smoking.

First, they have an enormous female readership. They are regularly read by around half of all women in the UK and over 50 million women in the European Union. Second, they are read by women of all ages and backgrounds. Thus, through careful selection of magazines, specific groups such as young women, black women, and trendsetters can be reached. Third, new markets have emerged over the past few years. Several eastern and central European countries have started to produce women's magazines, and some of the most successful women's titles such as Elle, Cosmopolitan and Marie Claire are now published in several different countries, as well as being sold throughout the world. Fourth, magazines can lend spurious social acceptability or stylish image to smoking. As the health editor of British Vogue stated, the publication of an advertisement in her magazine was "as good as a stamp of acceptability." This is likely to be particularly important in countries where smoking is low among women and/or tobacco companies are attempting to associate smoking with Western aspirational values.

Alternatively they may induce magazine editors to downplay this issue or avoid covering it altogether, as has happened in the USA. A study of European women's magazines found that 40% had given no recent coverage to smoking and health, and even in those that had the scale of the coverage was considerably less than that given to cigarette advertisements (if they were permitted).

Challenge

In today's global tobacco war, companies such as RJ Reynolds openly admit to having spent millions of dollars to counteract tobacco control efforts. As transnational tobacco companies continue to seek to develop markets in Europe and across the globe, it seems likely that this war will intensify. Companies are being encouraged to "work together in a very disciplined, organised way to challenge those who challenge us" and to "come together country by country and region by region to much more professionally present our point of view in defence of our customers and stockholders." The health and well-being of millions of women rests on the outcome of this conflict. n

Professor Dai, Ministry of Health: Big cities adopt first smokefree policies in China

"China is now experiencing an overlapping period..."

China, the world«s leading nation of smokers is changing course. But while the major cities are adopting the smokefree policies. The vast rural areas represent more of a challenge. Community-based education combined with legislative support will be best ways to bring about change, argues Professor Dai Zhicheng Director General of the department of disease control at China's Ministry of Health.

In Beijing travellers are not allowed to smoke on public transport, in subways, taxis or ticket halls and waiting rooms. Similar restrictions are coming into everyday practice in other big cities such as Shanghai and Tianjin.

"China is now experiencing an overlapping period," explains Professor Dai Zhicheng. "The first health revolution prioritised infectious disease control. This is still continuing but we are moving towards the prevention of non-communicable diseases, which is now called the second revolution in health.

"We have an increasing trend of non-communicable diseases like heart diseases, cancer, strokes, and diabetes. The harmfulness of smoking to health has been verified by a large number of international studies and writings."

Professor Dai believes that once people realise how dangerous smoking is a vital change will occur. "A publicity drive and better education is needed. We also need political commitment and legislative efforts."

He explains that China became the nation with the highest number of smokers in the world because anti-smoking provisions in the legislation have been late in arriving. "If we could have introduced them earlier, the situation would now be entirely different," says Professor Dai.

The main reason why there are 300 million smokers is due to the lifestyle of the large agricultural population. "Another factor is the tobacco industry. Tobacco firms are exploring the Chinese markets, and Western style cigarettes are attractive to many people."

But traditions and old habits are sometimes doomed to die. In Beijing the tradition of celebrating the spring festival with fire-crackers is now forbidden. The breeding of dogs by private owners is also under in tight control. Perhaps smoking cigarettes is next in line.

"We are glad that many cities have started acting already. For instance in Tianjin, the anti-smoking movement has set itself clear targets such as making 100 work places and 1,000 households smokefree, and encouraging 10,000 to quit smoking." n

Smoke Free Europe - A Forum for Networks - 14 AUG 1997

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