This is a review of the article The Marlboro Man: Cigarette Smoking and Masculinity in America, written by Michael E. Starr in 1984 for the Journal of Popular Culture. The article examines what factors were involved in diminishing the unmanly stigma associated with cigarette smoking in the twentieth century. The United States is the geographical focus. The time period ranges, but the bulk of the article deals with 1900 to 1970. The central point the author drives home is that at the turn of the twentieth century, cigarette smoking was not deemed an acceptable practice for middle or upper class men in the United States. The author states that there were numerous factors, each seemingly more extreme than the last, that lead to the acceptance …show more content…
The evidence, while unsubstantiated, is convincing. Hard data is used to prove the point, and it is stated that cigarette production tripled between 1914 and 1919, rising from 18 billion to 54 billion cigarette. Class is arguably a factor in this apparent spike in cigarette smoking, as soldiers were generally seen to be upstanding members of society. Gender plays a massive role, as even though the war would have required the full effort of every American, it was the men used in advertising. The linking of patriotism, soldiers, and cigarettes is undoubtedly a brilliant marketing manoeuvre. The author falters as he claims cigarettes became tied with the positive values of American masculinity. While the claim is cited, and is conceivable, it is still unproven within the …show more content…
There is little to no mention of any statistics that might show when, and thereby, why, cigarette smoking gained popularity. The author also fails to provide cultural context in many areas. Alleged masculine values in America are presented as fact, when there is no evidence, aside from the author’s word, that this is true. The arguments would be much stronger had the author successfully differentiated between correlation and causation. At times, the article is unbalanced, such as the argument surrounding post-World War Two advertising. Within the article, it is unproven that there was a spike in cigarette smoking in men. It was also unproven that the advertisements had an effect. The article ignores the possibility that the increase in smoking among men was merely a consequence of reaching a few opinion leaders. As cigarettes are such an addictive product, simple curiosity in the privacy of one’s home may have turned some men into smokers. On the whole, the article is well-organized, and logical. Despite the abundance of unconfirmed statements, the alleged consequences of many of the events listed are believable. The article would be significantly more believable if there was a balance of arguments, of if the arguments listed were less disputable. The article should be considered a working, even persuasive, theory, rather absolute
When all the evidence is noted (and there is even more beyond that which is stated here), one can not ignore the overwhelming presence of a
In the 1946 advertisement, Reynolds had the results of a survey that the company had conducted using three different research organizations. On the advertisement it stated, “Doctors in every branch of medicine-113,597 in all- were queried in a nationwide study of cigarette preference… The brand named most was Camel.” Although, as it turns out the surveys were actually fixed, it still gives the viewer a fact to h...
However, the good is outweighed by the bad in that this article has almost no factual support. Worley seems to be venting her thoughts without any outside factual support. It is difficult to label this article as effective due to the lack of any factual support and evidence to back up her arguments. That is exactly what needs to change in the article. Worley must use more sources for information to back up her points, then the article may be more convincing and worth
The smoking issue is very complicated and some of the arguments are beyond the scope of this essay. Still, we can obtain a balanced outlook if we consider the following: the facts of smoking, individual right, societal responsibility, and the stigma of smoking. Haviland and King write essays which contain very important points, but seem to contain a bias which may alienate some people. To truly reach a consensus on the smoking issue, we must be willing to meet each other halfway. We must strike equilibrium between individual right and societal responsibility.
Menashe, L. (1998). An analysis of Newspaper Coverage of Tobacco Issues. Journal of Health Communication, 3, 307-325
Sloan Wilson did not publish The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit, a classic on 1950's middle-class conformity, until 1955. But, by July 1953, PALL MALL cigarette advertisers appear aware that "society seemed to reward those who lacked rough edges and eschewed eccentricity" (Blum 794). This conclusion seems justified by a TIME magazine advertisement. Here, these promoters apply this conformity principle and other advertising techniques to a specific socioeconomic group. They seek to lure the expanding male, middle-class audience by presenting indecorous fun, an enticing social situation, and smooth smoking delight all stemming from their product.
Laird, Pamela, “Consuming Smoke: Cigarettes in American Culture.” University of Colorado at Denver. Author of Advertising Progress: American Business and the Rise of Consumer Marketing. 1998
Over the last 50 years, smoking and the public image of smoking has changed dramatically. Americans have learned the harmful effects of smoking and have put a heavy disdain on the use of it. The number of new smokers has drastically dropped over the years and many that had previously smoked have stopped. Some have turned to electronic cigarettes as a safer way to intake nicotine. Over the years, smoking advertisements have changed drastically. Nowadays, tobacco advertisements are virtually non-existent in our society, but when they were abundant they depicted smoking as a cool and sophisticated activity. Today, smoking advertisements are shown by electronic cigarette companies. These companies emphasize the healthier lifestyle these products
The attitudes which surrounded cigarette smoking have seen a steady yet progressive shift from being ‘a [socially] acceptable and noncontroversial part of US life,’ to a seemingly chronic affliction that fuels a disgusting habit (qtd. in Graham...
The intended target audience has varied a lot the past century. Cigarette use within the United States military increased significantly during their entrance into World War l, in 1918, because several tobacco companies began targeting military personnel because soldiers used cigarettes as a physiological escape from the horrors of their daily lives. However, women were also especially targeted during the years of war in America, as most consumer goods were aimed at women since the majority of men were at war. To begin with, women were portrayed in cigarette ads as non-smoking admirers of smoking men, however, by 1927 cigarette adverts with women smokers began to appear in women’s magazines. In the years that came, brands such as Marlboro, continued to attract the female audience into buying cigarettes by using slogans like ‘’Mild as May’’ and altering the product by printing red filters to hide lipstick stains, which they called ‘’Beauty Tips to Keep the Paper from Your Lips’’ and attracted a lot of women, despite the fact that woman smokers were not socially accepted yet. The Marlboro cigarette brand, which was essentially launched as a woman’s cigarette, continually launched advertisement campaigns in order to keep attracting them to their products. Cigarette companies persuaded their audience through beauty themes, by implying they would look great as a result of weight-loss by choosing to smoke cigarettes instead of eating and by using toddlers in adverts to attract attention in the female region through motherhood. An example of this is Appendix 2, from a collection of cigarette advertisements from the time (1951), shows a baby saying, ‘’Before you scold me, Mom… maybe you’d better light up a Marlboro,‘’ this makes w...
There is clearly no way tobacco will never be outlawed but I believe there should be tighter restrictions on age limits throughout the world, and restrictions on the materials that are used in cigarette processing. Who is just letting cigarette companies continue to poison people and cause cancer risk? Throughout my essay I will analyze the affects of cigarette use on the society of the world and the elaborate corruption that keeps cigarette companies in business.
Nicholas Carr has many strong points in his article. He successfully proves that what he has to say is worthy of his readers time, and that maybe we should all take caution to how much time we spend on the
Each year 440,000 people die, in the United States alone, from the effects of cigarette smoking (American Cancer Society, 2004). As discussed by Scheraga & Calfee (1996) as early as the 1950’s the U.S. government has utilized several methods to curb the incidence of smoking, from fear advertising to published health warnings. Kao & Tremblay (1988) and Tremblay & Tremblay (1995) agreed that these early interventions by the U.S. government were instrumental in the diminution of the national demand for cigarettes in the United States. In more recent years, state governments have joined in the battle against smoking by introducing antismoking regulations.
...control of the current lives but wants to experience the nostalgia. The “Marlboro Man” did not advertise a life, which could be achieved or reclaimed, but a life that was forever lost. Therefore, the “Marlboro Man” symbolizes white male who resolve to remain stubborn to the changes in society. The visual images, slogans, the gesture and attire of the cowboy symbols presented in “Marlboro Man” ads were designed for white American men who were losing much of their former power in society which discriminated other races migrating in their country. “Marlboro Man” was not merely trying to sell a cigarette to the targeted audience , but an image of an unrecoverable past, sexism, and racism. Furthermore, When the Marlboro Man was introduced; they were able to fulfill their purpose of increasing their sales as there were many more male customers including teenagers.
middle of paper ... ... Why ban the sale of cigarettes? The case for abolition is over. Stanford, California: Department of History, Stanford University.