Cigarette Companies Pushin' Smokeless Products

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By: Dwayne W. Waite Jr.

It seems that the indoor smoking ban and anti-tobacco groups have not totally ruined the cigarette and tobacco industry. In fact, statements can be made that the effects have been quite minimal.

According to the Associated Press, cigarette companies have diverted their advertising money from cigarettes to smokeless tobacco products. Based on a report done by the Federal Trade Commission, less money has been spent on regular cigarette advertising; a decrease of 34 percent between 2003 and 2008 was reported. Though the ad spending decreased, it is also being reported that the percentage of adult smokers dropped only 11 percent.

Where are the smokers going? Perhaps to smokeless products? In that same time frame, cigarette companies doubled their smokeless tobacco product advertising to $547.9 million dollars. And how many smokeless tobacco users did the ads gain? Funny you should ask: 11 percent.

(That's pseudo-science and the "correlation not causation" argument in the works. Don't be misled. The report doesn't indicate smokers switching instantly to the smokeless alternatives.)

According to the source article, only 3.5 percent of adults are users of smokeless tobacco. With the powerful swing of anti-tobacco and anti-drug movements (some put forth with the Ad Council), one would wonder how this influx in ad spending will help increase users.

Anti-tobacco groups are up in arms about the smokeless ads, saying that children and young adults are the most vulnerable. Naturally. As cigarette companies battle to remain relevant in society, and anti-tobacco groups continue to ruin addiction for a certain audience, the advertising war never ceases to remain interesting.

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About the Author

Dwayne W. Waite Jr. is partner and principal at JDW: The Charlotte Agency, a marketing and advertising shop in Charlotte, NC. He enjoys consumer behavior, economics, and football.

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