"2 This is particularly significant because the Marlboro Man's endorsement of filter cigarettes made them seem very masculine and overmatched the notion that they were not meant for men. .
The ad and accompanying slogan on the previous page (Figure 1) features an overtly masculine character. Marlboro and Phillip Morris have shaped society's understanding of what being a man means by associating smoking Marlboros with loading shotguns, hunting caps, and prominently displayed military-inspired tattoos. Although the tattoo was discontinued in 1960, its message-of intrigue and masculinity-remained vibrant in the decades of Marlboro Men to follow. The ad is not overly sexual nor is it intended to arouse female audiences-but it is clearly aimed at the cliche of the rugged American woodsman (a contemporary version of James Fenimore Cooper's Natty Bumppo) and that every man can be the Marlboro Man if he smokes Marlboros. While this ad is aimed at the male population, many tobacco companies have targeted women in their advertisements by employing the same tactics as Phillip Morris did with the Marlboro Man.
Tobacco companies have strategically used advertisements to appeal to specific audiences. A Lucky Strike advertisement from 1932 (Figure 2) utilizes the qualities of femininity and beauty as a salute to all American women. The model depicted is not actually Miss America but a glorified depiction of the everyday woman. The subtle brilliance in this ad is how it appeals to its female audience. The ad undeniably targets women, specifically young women. The woman's white dress, gloves, and fur-lined coat resemble the cigarette itself. Moreover, the red shape and color-scheme is oddly similar to that of the red Lucky Strike emblem on the cigarette carton itself-perhaps demonstrating the aesthetic, feminine ways in which a woman can maintain her beauty and sexual appeal, or even enhance it, by smoking a pack of cigarettes.
Subliminal Messages in Advertising Advertising has been part of the American economy for some time. Over that time advertising has grown significantly from a single page ad with one black and white photo to today's million dollar multi-media campaigns, including TV and magazine adds designed spe...
