The Hidden Manipulation

By: Andre Lewis - [advertising]
Before you turn to the next page, the bright lime-green color of the present page catches your eyes, so you stop to look further. The big orange words ''Newport Pleasure!'' seems to hover above the heads of the chest-up picture of a couple, who happen to be Black. The word ''Pleasure'' triggers the feeling of wanting to be pleasured. Then your eyes zero in on the two models, one female and the other male. The woman is holding a lit cigarette in her hand. They are snuggling up close to each other and the couple is smiling at what seems to be an intimate joke, made funnier by the cigarette.

At their shoulder you see three different colors of Newport boxes. The first is the standard and popularly known green box. The second is an ocean blue box marked Newport Medium. Finally, the third is a light-green and white stripped box marked, Newport Light. Below the boxes, in orange letters, the words 'visit us at ww.newport-pleasure.com' are written. Then, right below the website address in black letters the words 'Restricted to adult smokers 21 or older.'' Next, on the far left hand side of the ad, in a white rectangular box, appears the Surgeon General's Warning: Cigarette Smoke Contains Carbon Monoxide. Finally, at the far right, is the fine print.

The mood is right, isn't it? But guess what? You are being manipulated. Do you know that, according to the American Lung Association's website, ''Smoking is directly responsible for approximately 90% of lung cancer deaths.'' But this ad will not say that because they know that is not what you want to hear. Instead the ad focuses on using bright colors and key words to lure you in. Do you still want to experience that carefree smile the models are enjoying? Sure you do. So, you pause and glance down at the warning and tell yourself, Carbon Monoxide can't be all that bad, look at the models' teeth, they are pearly-white. You wonder further, their skin looks so healthy, so smooth, and their intimate laughter captivates you again, now you want it. Still don't think this ad is manipulating you? Well, let me explain the ad's tactics to you.

There are three main appeals that advertisers use to get you to purchase their product. First, emotional appeal (pathos); they try to appeal to your fear, wish, hopes, or beliefs. Second, logical appeal (logos); they try to appeal to your sense of reason, respect for facts and data. Third, appeal to character (ethos); they will try to convince you that they are trustworthy, knowledgeable, fair, honest, and a nice person. Plus they will lead you to believe that they share and respect your values and emotions.

''What?'' you say, I sound too technical, too far out and a conspiracy theorist? Well, let us have a look see, shall we? Do you think it is a coincidence that they put this ad in Essence magazine? And use models that are Black, male and female, between the ages of 21-34? I got your attention now, don't I? To be frank with you, this ad is geared to you, the Black nonsmoker and Black smokers of other brands. The mere fact that they use models within your age group and physical description is an emotional appeal. They want you to identify with the models, and once you identify with the models you begin to mimic what you see.

Do you remember the words 'Newport Pleasure' in big orange letters that hovered above the heads of the models? Do you remember how it pricked your emotions into wanting to feel the pleasure? Now follow me here, remember the intimate smile of the model as she held a lit cigarette? Do you think coincidence, too? I think not. Those carefree smiles were strategically placed to appeal to your emotions, to let you believe that in order to have and enjoy a smooth, carefree, and intimate laugh you need to smoke Newport cigarettes.

This is the same cigarette that can cause heart attacks and strokes. It slows your blood flow, cutting off oxygen to your feet and hands. Some smokers end up having their limbs amputated (quit-smoking-stop.com). But this ad won't tell you this because it would rather manipulate you into thinking that their product can give you what the models seem to be enjoying, a pleasurable moment.

What this ad will tell you though is that according to the Surgeon General, cigarette smoke contains Carbon Monoxide. Why would an ad tell you such significant facts? The truth is they are not really telling you much. By mentioning that their product contains Carbon Monoxide, they are trying to hide the fact that cigarette smoke contains cyanide (American Cancer Society). Let us face reality here, unless you are a chemist, I do not think that the average Black person ages 21-34 knows exactly what Carbon Monoxide really is. See how creative they are at hiding the cold fact about their product. This is a great example of appeal to logos.

Wait, what about the fine print, here they tell you about the contents of the product; Lights Box: 10 mg. tar, 0.8 mg. nicotine; Medium box: 13 mg. tar, 1.1 mg nicotine; Box: 18 mg. tar, 1.4 mg. nicotine av. per cigarette by FTC method. Do you think that this is too much information? Not when they are trying to show respect for your sense of reason and respect for facts. They think these facts will fool you into believing that you are a more informed consumer, and when you purchase their product you will be comfortable in knowing what you are buying.

Then how do the Newport boxes on display fit into this, you ask? That too is logical appeal; they are placed in the ad for identification, so that when you enter a store you will know what their product looks like. You can not buy what you do not know, right? How thoughtful of them, they even give you a website address. ''Visit us at www.newport-pleasure.com.'' Again, this is aimed at your respect for facts. They know you might want for more information about their product, the inquisitive mind that you are, so this too is placed to manipulate you by bolstering your confidence in their product.

Are you comprehending the extent advertisers go to get you to purchase their product? Guess what? They are not finished yet. Appeal to character is another tool. Take for example, the Surgeon General's warning. I know I told you it falls into the logical appeal category, but it also doubles as an appeal to character. See, in giving this information they are trying to convince you that they are honest and trustworthy, by being up front with you about their product. This is what they are really saying to you the consumer, 21-34 with a disposable income of 30 to 40k: ''We respect your emotions and values; this is why we are letting you know that our product might be a little dangerous.'' Now that they have gained your trust, you tell yourself that they could have hid the truth about their product but they did not. So now you will definitely try a Newport cigarette or switch your old brand to Newport.

Next, they follow up with 'Restricted to adult smokers 21 or older,' to fool you into believing that if you fall within that age group you will be free from harm. Their statement bolsters your confidence in the product and makes you say, ''This is just right for me.'' But what you do not know is their statement hides the fact that whether or not you are 21-34, one in two lifetime smokers will die from their habit. Half of these deaths will occur in middle age (quit-smoking-stop.com).

So do not be fooled into believing that their product is safe only if you are over 21. Do you now comprehend the magnitude do the manipulation? I know the smoke is slowly clearing so go ahead take your time, take a breather; this is actually a very effective ad. Don't feel duped, they are professionals, but now you know and knowing is half the battle. So go ahead and turn the page.

This is an example of an excellent advertising strategy by Newport. You should be aware of the manipulation strategies of advertisers, especially when your health is at the center of what the ad is trying to sell. So the next time you see an ad in a magazine or billboard, before you allow yourself to be duped, check their manipulative tactics. You will be surprised what you might discover.

Works Cited

American Cancer Society. Prevention and Early Detection: Questions about Smoking, Tobacco, and Health. 27 May 2006. www.cancer.org

American Lung Association. Smoking 101 Fact Sheet. March 2006. www.lungusa.org

Essence Magazine, Newport Ad, June 2006.

Quit-Smoking-Stop.com. Effects of Smoking/Harmful Effects of Smoking. 27 May 2006. www.Quit-Smoking-Stop.com

Mr. Lewis is a published author and poet. His first book, 'Pay to Play', was published in January 2005 by Around the Way Books. It details Marlon a regular guy who received an offer he
couldn't refuse. Black Issues Book Review said of this title ''Lewis's voice is of someone who knows the street, and his book is an entertaining read for someone who doesn't know this world or for someone who can relate to it.'' (May-June, 2005 issue)

His second book, 'The Plexus Agenda' is due out in November 2007. This exciting espionage novel explores the belief that the next United States civil war will be Blacks against Whites. Mr. C. Lee of the NAACP states ''it was quite gripping, compelling, and a total page turner. It was too entertaining to put down. You have identified some of the fears African Americans have, and manage to weave them into one hell of a story.''

You may read more about his books and poems at the publisher's website: http://www.aroundthewaybooks.com

Visit Site: advertising Newport cigarette smoking addiction nicotine ad smoker smoke lung cancer advertisers pathos logos ethos Essence black African American emotional appeal logical appeal appeal to character

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