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The
ads are pretty neat, pretty basic and as homespun as one could wish.
However, whenever possible they do their best to keep up the tradition
of cigarette ads through the ages. Keep cigarettes sexy. If they can
insert an image that has connotations that are a little bit more exciting
than those normally associated with cups of coffee then they do so.
But not too exciting. After all whoever smokes Basic doesn't like too
much change, nor too much challenge, even if they read Playboy, the
source of a number of these ads. The nearest you will get to the sexy
type of messages found in Silk Cut, Marlboro, Benson and Hedges (UK) Sometimes a little more oomph is given to ads by introducing elements that could be considered indicative of other activities. And, if cigarettes have to be perceived as sexy, then note first the connotations associated with 'tools' and the correspondence between the caption 'The Best Things In Life Are Basic, and the phallic shape of the prow of the canoe on the left. If
this had been a Marlboro ad one would expect to find SX In general any subsidiary, covert, message in a Basic ad is elusive and at least one stage removed from the obvious meanings. The ad illustrated below, for example, is about painting and decorating. Or is it? Note
that the paint is red. In the top centre The
interpretation of these ads has been stretched further than the interpretations
of many of the other ads on this web site. While this may be farfetched
to the minds of some viewers it is recommended |
This page has multiple parts: click to continue You are on Part 1 and Parts 3-5 have yet to be allocated |
Would you be interested in supporting the development of a web site focussing specifically on cigarette advertising, smoking behaviour, nicotine addiction and related information? In particular would you like to help encourage youngsters to develop a healthy scepticism about advertising practices associated with cigarette advertising and promotion? If you can offer either financial assistance to develop such a site or have material available that could be of use on such a site, the author would be pleased if you would contact him. |
Last Revised: 3rd January, 2003 |