The adverts, presented earlier this week, show an older man in a suit pushing down on the head of a teenager with a cigarette in her mouth, in a position that suggests oral sex. Another version of the advert shows a teenage boy in a similar position. The accompanying slogan reads: "Smoking means being a slave to tobacco".
Those who have been opposing it say:
- "The campaign trivialises sexual abuse - worse, it implies guilt on the part of the abused."
- "The campaign targets young people who see cigarettes as symbols of emancipation, of freedom, when it really causes dependency and submission."
- "As far as I know, practising fellatio doesn't cause cancer."
The ad is suggestive but people who choose to smoke do so due to peer pressure, to appear cool and later make the choice because they like it/are addicted to it. If the analogy denotes sexual submission, then fellatio would be seen as such too. So, are the critics of the ad holding a candle for oral sex or for homosexuality in the case of the boy? Fellatio does not cause cancer, but if it is an unknown person not using protection then there is the danger of sexually-transmitted diseases.
By using the word slave, it might make a person feel guilty if s/he is a teenager. On the other hand, it could make the person feel free of responsibility. Why can they not see that? It would be easy for the kids to pick up a cigarette and say they are being forced into it. Heck, the man is wearing a suit, he could therefore be a professional or a businessman and well-settled in life. He would be seen a role model. And he may be pushing the head down to position it right, and therefore training a novice.
Much as I would like to take a high moral ground, the fact is whether we use skeletons or blow jobs, those who want to smoke will smoke. What about those who light up after sex?
The ad looks stupid.In India we would think they are getting ashirvad!!
ReplyDeleteWhy the outcry on France? In the US we see such morality where commercials are concerned. The French doing so is a surprise. It seems more sad than shocking.
ReplyDeleteKB:
ReplyDeleteLOL. Blessings, indeed.
Ameya:
I guess the French need to follow American morality if they wish to get the American idea of national identity. You are right: this ad is more sad than shocking. It does not convey what it set out to.
Farzana,
ReplyDeleteMy take is somewhat different. This is about the "anti smoking" fellas.
Personally, if I were to promote non-smoking my first target would be the male ego (identity) insecurity. As a starting point - an undersexed married male , resultant of chronic smoking, would be my first icon guaranteeing my good results in a perverse sort of way. The conflict - in a progressive conscientious sort of way - would be at a level of re-inforcing the male stereotypes in our society against highlighting the health losses due to smoking. In this sense, the anti-smoking guys have been too polite or laid back or perhaps both in not really highlighting the problems caused by smoking. Notice how much more competent the smoking lobby has been in associating smoking with masculanity and feminine assertiveness (remember Deepti Naval - in somewhat distant past promoting those "Me" cigarettes ?).
And since I mentioned progressives, my own anecdotal experience in late teens with progressives somehow still conjures up images of a progressive guy rolling up his sleeves with a cigarette between his lips. One of those terrible cliches that would associate smoking with rebelliousness. Been there, done that - much to the chagrin of those arguing against the link between smoking and progressive thought. :-)
And BTW, since you conjured up the "lighting of a cigarette after the sex" cliche - let me counter it with my own observed. How about a Ghagra Choli clad young girl in Navratri Days smoking a cigarette holding in her mehendi clad hands ? Indeyah - one would say... right ? wrong ?
Cheers,
Mahesh.
P.S.: BTW, to a personal amusing anecdote....
During my college days, when i was a regular smoker, a preparation to visit my girlfriend at her hostel prompted my hostel roomy to provoke a confession about my smoking habit to her. Being a rather hot headed dramatis persona of the "Late Teensistan" I turned up meeting her with a well lit cigarette clutched between fingers and smoke bellowing out. The girlfriend ,un-amused, was quite un-welcome to this sort of confessionary trait. Despite being incensed, a maturity on her part offered me between continued meeting and the smoking in her hostel premises. And lo, the challenged loser masculine ego from the "Late Teenistan" chose the pride of smoking. Hilarious, you see. But not so much, when one is still trying to figure it out retrospectively. :-)
Mahesh:
ReplyDeletePersonally, if I were to promote non-smoking my first target would be the male ego (identity) insecurity. As a starting point - an undersexed married male , resultant of chronic smoking, would be my first icon guaranteeing my good results in a perverse sort of way.
I think it is brilliant. But how would the ad portray the smoking and the sexual exhaustion together? That kho-kho might be seen as some lung cancer thing or a man on a Nirupa Roy trip, and then get a tragic halo. It will be difficult to show the connection. But I like the idea.
True, masculinity and female assertiveness are promoted through the smoking stereotype. I do recall some ‘Ms’ ciggies…was it ‘Me’? It was among my very first columns; must try and locate it to see whether I was progressive or not :)
However, the link is really not as entrenched as you’d like to believe (rolling sleeves and rolling a filter tip notwithstanding!). Cinema also portrays the goon and the ‘characterless’ woman with cigarettes. Ah, the Navratri example reminds me of some fo these village women lighting up after a hard day’s work. I know what you mean, though. Is there some connection with ‘rise in pregnancy’ reports with smoking??
PS: Regarding your personal anecdote, I’d imagine you’d make quite another choice in later years, mainly because there would be no constricting hostel. I do believe that at a younger age, even women find men smoking quite an enticing sight. I don’t know about today, though. All these green global warmers may expect the guy to chew on soya doggie biscuits :)
If you want a bizarre short story by me, try ‘Echoes’: http://tinyurl.com/ycqq7hk
Farzana,
ReplyDeleteYou said :
"But how would the ad portray the smoking and the sexual exhaustion together? That kho-kho might be seen as some lung cancer thing or a man on a Nirupa Roy trip, and then get a tragic halo."
This actually reflects one of the problems with the existing anti smoking campaigns - association with Kho Kho. We know it is not just about the respiratory problems. In fact a the bigger problems manifest rather un-dramatically , but yes I agree that it is rather difficult to show the tiredness and deteriorating quality of life caused by smoking in a rather dramatic and impressionable way. Incidentally, several years back a bollywood film - Karma Yoddha - starring Raj babbar, Om puri and others had a rather impressionable sequence showing Om Puri feeling un-easy due to smoking a dope laced (dope laced by the tobacco / cigarette company to increase addiction) cigarette.
Your dig at the progressive and smoking link was nice and rather subtle. :-)
Yep, it was the Ms cigarettes and not Me as written in my earlier response.
Cheers,
Mahesh.
P.S.: Thanks for the story link. It was nice in a rather bizarre sort of way.
Have a nice remaining weekend and Holi Mubarak.
Mahesh:
ReplyDeleteI also wonder whether subtlety that would be required to show the other damaging aspects of smoking would really have any impact.
Remember the blatant ad with skeleton..."With a cigarette in your hand feel like a man"? Had the opposite effect.
PS: Thanks. The bizarre can be nice!
Hope you had a colourful day. Holi Mubarak to you too...