Findings You Can Use

Ling, P. M., & Glantz, S. A. (2002). Using tobacco-industry marketing research to design more effective tobacco- control campaigns. Journal of the American Medical Association, 287(22), 2983-2989.

[Link to full article - (167 KB)]

Abstract:To improve tobacco-control efforts by applying tobacco-industry marketing research and strategies to clinical and public health smoking interventions, we analyzed previously secret tobacco-industry marketing documents. In contrast to public health, the tobacco industry divides markets and defines targets according to consumer attitudes, aspirations, activities, and lifestyles. Tobacco marketing targets smokers of all ages; young adults are particularly important. During the 1980s, cost affected increasing numbers of young and older smokers. During the 1990s, eroding social acceptability of smoking emerged as a major threat, largely from increasing awareness of the dangers of secondhand smoke among nonsmokers and smokers. Physicians and public health professionals should use tobacco-industry psychographic approaches to design more relevant tobacco-control interventions. Efforts to counter tobacco marketing campaigns should include people of all ages, particularly young adults, rather than concentrating on teens and young children. Many young smokers are cost sensitive. Tobacco-control messages emphasizing the dangers of secondhand smoke to smokers and nonsmokers undermine the social acceptability of smoking.

Major Findings

• The tobacco industry has improved its marketing efforts since the 1960s. Its advertising and promotions are now more targeted and based on consumer behavior, rather than product characteristics or demographics.
• In the mid-1990s, the tobacco industry identified the following segments in 18- to 24-year-old male smokers:
• 1) Macho Hedonists (20%)
• 2) 50s Throwbacks (24%)
• 3) Enlightened Go-Getters (28%)
• 4) New Age Men (22%)
• In the mid-1990s, the tobacco industry identified the following segments in 18- to 24-year-old female smokers:
• 1) 90s Traditionalists (25%)
• 2) Uptown girls (24%)
• 3) Mavericks (24%)
• 4) Wallflowers (24%)
• Each of the above segments has different reasons for smoking, different attitudes and behaviors and responds differently to anti-smoking messages.
• Price and declining social acceptability of smoking are key weaknesses of the tobacco industry.