Ok, so I know I am a day late with this one, National No Smoking Day was yesterday, right. But, perhaps there is good case to be made for everyday being a no smoking day. Bad breath, discoloured fingers, high risk of lung cancer and heart
disease, not to mention the strong likelihood of an early death - are all the results of
nicotine consumption.
Yet, most smokers know this and still continue to happily consume death. Just why do smokers smoke? This was the question I asked myself this week as I observed a group in my local pub exiting the establishment like clockwork every half-hour to stand in the cold and the rain and consume death-inducing nicotine. I felt compelled to ask them what motivates them to do what they do. Although they agreed it was probably bad for them and they should quit, they also felt the need to justify their consumption habit by telling me of examples of others who smoked all their lives and lived long and healthy (the statistical exception who, for some reason, escaped the medically proven fate of smoking). They seemed to have a formed attitude that helped reinforce their habit and provided counter-arguments to justify it when required. I don’t know of another product that clearly states on the pack “Consumption of this product will kill you” that sells quite as well.
Probably a better question to ask though is 'how can smokers be convinced to stop'? Marketers, working on behalf of government agencies and non-profit organisations have been trying to persuade smokers to stop smoking but have, so far, failed to have a significant impact. Many engage in the use of fear appeals in their advertisements, trying to show the effects of smoking and put the fear of God into them. But studies have shown that the use of fear appeals can have varying effects.
Too much fear, like in this one shown, doesn't always have the desired effect. Instead, what actually happens is consumers avoid giving their attention. The communication disgusts them so much that they switch of from it from it. They use a perceptual filter to screen out the message so that it doesn't work.
Yet, most smokers know this and still continue to happily consume death. Just why do smokers smoke? This was the question I asked myself this week as I observed a group in my local pub exiting the establishment like clockwork every half-hour to stand in the cold and the rain and consume death-inducing nicotine. I felt compelled to ask them what motivates them to do what they do. Although they agreed it was probably bad for them and they should quit, they also felt the need to justify their consumption habit by telling me of examples of others who smoked all their lives and lived long and healthy (the statistical exception who, for some reason, escaped the medically proven fate of smoking). They seemed to have a formed attitude that helped reinforce their habit and provided counter-arguments to justify it when required. I don’t know of another product that clearly states on the pack “Consumption of this product will kill you” that sells quite as well.
Probably a better question to ask though is 'how can smokers be convinced to stop'? Marketers, working on behalf of government agencies and non-profit organisations have been trying to persuade smokers to stop smoking but have, so far, failed to have a significant impact. Many engage in the use of fear appeals in their advertisements, trying to show the effects of smoking and put the fear of God into them. But studies have shown that the use of fear appeals can have varying effects.
Too much fear, like in this one shown, doesn't always have the desired effect. Instead, what actually happens is consumers avoid giving their attention. The communication disgusts them so much that they switch of from it from it. They use a perceptual filter to screen out the message so that it doesn't work.
Too little fear, like in this advertisement, has been shown to be ineffective also. It doesn't do quite enough to grab the consumer's attention and make them feel the fear. It results in the kind of attitude 'tell me something I don't know'. It makes the habit just fall into the 'no-so-healthy' category as opposed to the 'ruthless serial-killer' one.
So, what's the answer? I have got to say, I don't know (although I'd be interested too hear your thoughts). It baffles me why smokers do it to themselves. I know it's an addiction, but many others have proved it is not an addiction that can't be broken. Perhaps anti-smoking marketers should try to learn from their anti-drink-driving colleagues. There was a time when it was socially acceptable to drive home after a few drinks (in Ireland anyway). Not anymore. A sociological shift has taken place, largely down to some very effective ads that engage, what seem to be, an appropriate and effective level of fear. On a final note, I hope they do start to get it right. And perhaps this shows the important role marketing can play. Usually its purpose is to get people to buy and consume more of something. In this case the goal is to get them to stop. And in doing so it literally is a matter of life and death.
Gavin Fox MSc, MII Grad
E: gavin@foxmarketing.ie
T: +353 87 649 7660
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