Salem Lights

I found this advertisement on the back cover of TV & Movie Superstar Photo Album, a magazine I bought in 1985. The title, layout and teasers are less suggestive than yesterday's featured cover, thus seemingly targeting a broader audience than starlet-crazed teens. However, the fact that it was sold spine-to-spine wth Hip Hop! and similar titles meant that it would inevitably be viewed and purchased by the same young readers.

That's what makes the appearance of this cigarette ad - especially on the much coveted back cover - so ethically and aesthetically objectionable.

Bad photo

What do three 20s-somethings in a pool have to do with menthol cigarettes? And what are they doing anyway? Blue Eyes looks like she's sitting in Toothy Guy's lap, and White Bathing Suit is obviously trying to squish herself into a photo where she doesn't belong. It's difficult to discern the dynamic of the bodies as they are too close together and not meaningfully placed.

This lack of context strips the photo of emotion and does not succeed in inspiring the viewer with the oh-so-important sentiment of "I want to be having fun like that!"

Poor messaging

Menthol cigarettes are so foul to the senses that I'm sure it does take a special person to enjoy the experience, but I'm still unclear as to what the slogan "You've got what it takes" refers. What are they doing that requires spirit? This lame-duck slogan is trying to make smoking cool, but the photo does not support the words, thus creating confusion in the viewer. Can anyone say, 'flagrant waste of resources'?

Sad ethics

And what's with the wording of the Surgeon General's Warning? Quitting Smoking Now Greatly Reduces Serious Risks to Your Health. That's not a warning! By definition, a warning states a possible or impending danger. For example, Smoking Poses Serious Risks to Your Health - now that's a warning. Instead, they totally skewered the wording to make it a less harsh condemnation of smoking. In fact, if you read it quickly enough, you may think that smoking reduces serious health risks.

This ad is a (botched!) example of the stealth advertising discussed in Jean Kilbourne's excellent book, Can't Buy My Love, which looks at how advertising offers young people - especially girls - false promises of popularity, personal power and happiness.

The gross misrepresentation of cigarette smoking ("Refreshing low tar") as an act of self-expression is perhaps more grievous to readers in 2008 than it was to readers in 1985. However, lack of awareness cannot be blamed for the bad artistic direction, dubious concept and sloppy execution.

If you're going to lie about cigarettes, at least make it look sharp!

NB. On the verso of this ad there's only a pin-up of Jack Wagner , obviously taken during the Frisco Jones era. Fans of General Hospital will know what I'm talking about.