It is noteworthy that smoking ads very rarely sell the actual problem they are touting. After all, smoking advertisements do not actually speak of the tobacco product itself, the great paper they are using, or the combination of the two. If this were the case, then ads for smoking would have a hard time making cut, dried, and oftentimes laden with fillers tobacco look good. Similarly, bleached paper by any other name is still bleached paper and when it comes to advertising, smoking is not an easy product to market. Quit smoking ads have long since made this known to the general public by not only disclosing the many health hazards that smokers face but also by showcasing the sometimes erroneous and sometimes downright untrue smoking advertisements that neglected to spell out the truth about the stems that were added to the tobacco in order to make the crop go further, even though this is seriously impairing the quality of the product itself.

What stop smoking ads have showcased instead is that smoking advertisements serve to sell a mood, a feeling, or perhaps an image rather than the actual product. Take for example the classic smoking ads depicting the Marlboro Man. These pro smoking ads sold not the brand itself but instead the image of the American frontier, spirit, and determination. Smokers were encouraged to capture their piece of the American mystique and that a real man, a man’s man, would be associated with the Marlboro brand. Similarly, the ads associated work, reviewing the work already done, and relaxation with tobacco, which has been a successful campaign all the way round. Other smoking advertisements have followed suit, and many ads that may be seen today speak of relaxation, a time out with friends, or outdoorsy ruggedness. Smoking advertisements aimed at women speak of sophistication and class.

It was up to the effects of smoking ads that have forced Philip Morris to save face by grudgingly begin hosting their own stop smoking ad. While it still sounds a bit hypocritical coming from one of the main sellers and manufacturers of tobacco products, the TV ads to quit smoking have added some much needed truth and reality to the mix. Yet even today the debate rages on that seeks to answer the query does advertising encourage teens to smoke? The answer is not clear cut and some non smoking ads concentrate on the peer pressure aspect while others employ funny quit smoking ads to help teens and kids to understand that the truth is told with the help of a no smoking ad, not the depiction of happy smokers they may see at the gas station.