The ad shows Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble taking a smoking break and talking about all of Winston cigarette’s great attributes. When children see a TV show that features their favorite characters doing something, they likely aspire to do the same thing when they are older. I do not believe this ad was intended to encourage children to smoke, but instead, to make it look acceptable and cool for adults to smoke. The ad is located in the middle of a children’s television program, “The Flintstones.” Children would be watching this television show presumably either alone or with their parents. Regardless, the company has been successful in selling their product for more than 100 years (AdAge, 2003). RJ Reynolds Tocaboo Company has seen its ups and downs in the tobacco industry-sometimes being the top performer and other times failing to perform. Surgeon General who, in 1964, issued a report that outlined a specific link between smoking cigarettes and diseases. Reynolds continued to struggle in the fight against doctors, including the U.S. In order to combat this and regain public faith, Reynolds introduced Winston filtered cigarettes as well as a menthol cigarette. More trouble for Reynolds ensued when doctors started publishing links between smoking cigarettes and lung cancer in the fifties. The first advertising campaign ran by Etsy was put out in 1933 and by 1936, Camel was the top-selling cigarette again. This company focused their advertising on young adult audiences. After Camel’s sales continued to decrease and advertising costs were continually increasing, RJ Reynolds switched to an advertising company called William Etsy & Company in 1932. Additionally, Ayer and Reynolds did not utilize advertising on the radio until 1931 (three years after Lucky Strike). Reynolds did not run its first “female-friendly” campaign until 1929, which was after the other two tobacco companies that made up the “Big Three.” Reynolds also did not respond or counter American Tobacco’s claims about “toasting” which supposedly made Lucky Strike cigarettes less harmful. RJ Reynolds started using a company called NW Ayer & Son to do their advertising in 1910-which may not have been the best choice. Camels were so popular that by 1920, RJ Reynolds was the top-selling cigarette company in America. Part of why they were so successful was their price: $0.10 for a pack of 20 cigarettes-which was 5 cents less than his competitors. Reynold’s big break came in 1913 when they introduced Camel cigarettes. Reynolds, resorted to selling two-thirds of the company to the owner of American Tobacco Company, James Duke, for $3 million. RJ Reynolds sold a variety of tobacco products, including more than 12 types of chewing tobacco. The company was formed in 1875 in Winston, North Carolina (hence why the cigarettes are named Winstons). The company that produced this ad is RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company, also known as Reynolds American. To me, it would make more sense to put your advertising dollars into a demographic that is actually of-age to purchase your product. It surprised me that a tobacco company would choose a children’s show to sponsor. I chose this specific ad because it shows that tobacco companies advertise in places that are not just for “adults.” This ad shows the lengths tobacco companies are willing to go to in order to advertise their product and get as many consumers as possible. It is harmful for everyone, but specifically adolescents and teens, who are very impressionable, to see advertisements for drugs like tobacco. I think that it is very important to discuss why companies are allowed to advertise products like this to wide demographics. I think that many people see these ads without truly digesting what they are watching and the effect it has on the viewers. Many of the old advertisements are striking by claiming that doctors approve of one brand of cigarettes over another or that famous athletes, movie stars, and so on, approve and endorse this product. It is featured in the famous show, “The Flintstones.” I chose to do a tobacco ad because they are so common and have been very prominent throughout American history.
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