Marketing Tobacco to Marketing Tobacco to WomenWomen

Amanda Amos, PhDAmanda Amos, PhDPublic Health SciencesPublic Health Sciences

Division of Community Health SciencesDivision of Community Health SciencesMedical SchoolMedical School

University of EdinburghUniversity of EdinburghAutumn 2002Autumn 2002

‘‘Selling tobacco products to Selling tobacco products to women currently represents the women currently represents the single largest product marketing single largest product marketing opportunity in the world.’opportunity in the world.’

Kaufman and Nichter 2001 Kaufman and Nichter 2001

Marketing challengesMarketing challenges

To make cigarettes and smoking:To make cigarettes and smoking: Aspirational (desirable and Aspirational (desirable and

fashionable)fashionable) Acceptable (socially and culturally) Acceptable (socially and culturally) Accessible (available and affordable)Accessible (available and affordable) Addictive (long term behaviour)Addictive (long term behaviour)

PromotionPromotion

Smoking has been promoted as Smoking has been promoted as being:being:

glamorous sociable glamorous sociable sophisticated relaxingsophisticated relaxing fun calmingfun calming romantic emancipatedromantic emancipated sexy liberatingsexy liberating healthy rebellioushealthy rebellious sporty slimmingsporty slimming fashionable coolfashionable cool

The marketing mixThe marketing mix

Promotion- eg advertising, Promotion- eg advertising, sponsorship, brandstretching, sponsorship, brandstretching, product placementproduct placement

Product- eg cigarette, pack sizeProduct- eg cigarette, pack size Price- eg range, smugglingPrice- eg range, smuggling Place- eg shops, vending machinesPlace- eg shops, vending machines

Marketing and the changing Marketing and the changing image of female smokingimage of female smoking

Being Being bought bought by men (prostitute)by men (prostitute) Being Being likelike men (lesbian/mannish) men (lesbian/mannish) Being able to Being able to attractattract men men

(glamourous/sexy)(glamourous/sexy) Being Being equalequal to men (feminism) to men (feminism) Being your Being your ownown woman (emancipation) woman (emancipation)

(modified from Greaves 1996)(modified from Greaves 1996)

‘There can be no complacency about the current lower level of tobacco use among women in the world; it does not reflect health awareness, but rather social traditions and women's low economic resources.’

Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, Director-General of WHO

1998

UPBEAT. Amid the gloomy environment, Tobacco Reporter continued to look for the positive in Asia. And guess what! There are reasons for optimism; 'The situation does not fundamentally change the underlying strengths of the market,' an Indonesian source assures us. Rising per-capita consumption, a growing population and an increasing acceptance of women smoking continue to generate new demand.

Tobacco Reporter editorial 1998

Question- what have Kim, Benson and Hedges Longer Length and More got in common?... All three brands are calculated to appeal to the growing women’s sector of the cigarette market.

Tobacco 1983

AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements

I would like to thank Dr Judith MackayI would like to thank Dr Judith Mackay

(Hong Kong), Margaretha Haglund (Sweden), (Hong Kong), Margaretha Haglund (Sweden),

Martina Poestchke-Langer (Germany), the Martina Poestchke-Langer (Germany), the

journal Tobacco Control, INWAT and the journal Tobacco Control, INWAT and the

Campaign for Smoke-Free Kids for letting me Campaign for Smoke-Free Kids for letting me

use some of their examples of tobacco use some of their examples of tobacco marketing marketing

aimed at women.aimed at women.