May 1st, 2014
What is the secret behind the Marlboro country advertising campaign which changed the face of this brand from a product designed for women to a cigarette especially created for men ? What is so special in the set of classic advertisements with a cowboy riding his horse in a beautiful setting ? And, even more important, why is this image so important that it has become emblematic for an entire generation of smokers ?
To answer these questions, we had to analyze the image closely. And here’s what we found
- In these TV spots, the cowboy always rides a horse, which is a symbol of elegance, grace, and good tastes.
- The cowboy is generic as such, he represents the American man, free, confident, and reliable.
- During his ride, he usually reaches a lake or a river and sets a fire in the evening time. This renders the elemental forces behind the scene the water, the earth, the fire, and the air. In this context, smoke seems the logical fifth element in the series.
- Smoking is associated with enjoying nature and loneliness in wilderness. So it must be a relaxing act for each and every man out there, irrespective of other details, such as cultural background, social status, etc.
- Horses are a sign of power and freedom and… so is smoking.
Even if this image is very close to clich?, if not a clich? in itself, it became one of the most influential images in the tobacco industry of the 20th century and few other brands (like Kent, Camel, and Lucky Strike) can fight against it effectively. It’s so effective that it is perceived as a cultural and social reference in many movies and books dealing with cowboys and with the traditional American way of life.
Marlboro country is a place where men can be free (of daily problems), where they can simply enjoy the benefits of nature and smoking altogether. It is, ultimately, the perfect place to put all your worries aside and start smoking.
Marlboro maker philip morris turns to e-cigarettes – nbc news
Ploom’s e-cigarettes, vaporizers use real tobacco – businessweek
The Marlboro Man is going to need batteries.
Philip Morris International plans to enter the electronic cigarette business, a $2 billion plus global market identified by the maker of Marlboro cigarettes as its “greatest growth opportunity.”
Speaking to investors in New York, Philip Morris Chief Executive Andre Calantzopoulos said the company would enter the e cigarette business in the second half of 2014 to tap fast growing demand for a less harmful alternative to cigarettes.
The world’s largest listed tobacco company will launch a new range of products, called “Reduced Risk,” Calantzopoulos said at a conference. The company will also spend more on research and development.
“2014 will be a key investment year behind our Reduced Risk products, our greatest growth opportunity in the years to come,” he said.
Market consultant Euromonitor estimates the world market for electronic cigarettes was more than $2 billion last year, with the United States accounting for a quarter of that.
The market is growing at breakneck speed. Some analysts predict e smokes could outsell conventional cigarettes within a decade, particularly as Big Tobacco grapples with declining sales due to government regulation and health aware consumers.
Yet e cigarettes battery powered metal tubes that turn nicotine laced liquid into vapor are far from universally accepted as a public health tool.
Regulators are agonizing over whether to restrict them as “gateway” products to nicotine addiction and tobacco smoking, or embrace them as treatments for would be quitters.
A big issue is the lack of long term scientific evidence to support the safety and effectiveness of e cigarettes, prompting critics like the British Medical Association to warn of the dangers of their unregulated use.
CELEBRITY E SMOKERS
Celebrity endorsements from Courtney Love, Leonardo DiCaprio and others have provided further inducement to the makers of iconic cigarette brands to invest.
Imperial Tobacco Group , the world’s No. 4 international tobacco company, has announced plans to launch two electronic cigarettes in fiscal 2014.
Lorillard, known for its Newport and Kent cigarette brands, paid $135 million to acquire Blu Ecigs in 2012 and last month acquired Britain based e cigarette maker SKYCIG.
Other leading tobacco companies, including British American Tobacco and Camel cigarette maker Reynolds American, are also placing their bets on e smokes.
Philip Morris said Wednesday it estimated the retail sales value of the eight largest e cigarette markets worldwide at around $2.5 billion, with nearly half outside the United States and China.
