CIGARETTE PACKAGING
RESEARCH.
In my critical writing I want to use cigarette packaging as an example of how moral and ethical stances have been made to the packing, promotion and marketing and what effects and perceptions this has had on graphic designer.
Cigarettes and the stigma attached to smoking developed through research taken by health professionals that showed definite proof of the direct influence and deterioration smoking had on a persons health and well being.
The whole reason in having an aesthetically driven brand and promotion is rot gain consumer consumption. So when you are making something damaging look appealing and desirable, where is the marls in that. What is the difference when designing for alcohol.
'Direct, concrete evidence of plain packaging’s effectiveness was unavailable until its release in Australia. On 24 May 2011, Cancer Council Australia released a review of the evidence supporting the introduction of plain packaging to reduce youth uptake. The review had been conducted by Quit Victoria and Cancer Council Victoria. The review includes 24 peer-reviewed studies conducted over two decades, suggesting that packaging plays an important role in encouraging young people to try cigarettes.'
This information states the reasoning behind these changes.
If you are a smoker, and want to smoke, you are going to continue, no matter what the packaging looks like. In this respect, packaging and branding isn't so much of an influence. However, the main reason for the packaging overhaul is to deter others, mainly children, from taking up such a detrimental habit.
Below are videos from Cancer Research UK.
The first one is a shock video that explains how the younger generation are effected and take up smoking. Seeing a child smoke is hard to watch as they are taking an a very adult responsibility at an age were they are not knowledgeable or responsible enough to do so. It is als due to the ver adult environment that soaking is usually apart of.
This video shows the perception children ha when it comes to aesthetics. the way in which these children associate imagery, type and colour to positive experiences is how the gain interest in certain things. When you realise they are making child like associations to such a detrimental and dangerous product.
Now if you simply swapped out the cigarettes and packaging for an alcoholic product, the reaction would be exactly the same. Even more so when you think about the immediate effects alcohol has on the seances and ability to process what is going on.
Not only has the packaging and promotion of cigarettes that have been effected, Advertising of tobacco products are now banned. Tobacco now has to be kept and sold from behind a cupboard door behind the counter and there is a massive stigma attached to the act of smoking as it is now banned inside of in confined areas.
Compared to this very limited approach to marketing and selling cigarettes, Alcohol is freely presented in an overwhelming amount in supermarkets and stores alike. The only health warnings that are apart of these products are small, often colourless type based awnings, that don't really live up to the potential such products have in damaging health.
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ALCOHOL STATISTICS & EFFECTS.
If I wanted to compare and contrast the use and effects of alcohol and cigarettes on society, I had to research valid points and statistics regarding the negatives.
During research for my critical writing I found a government website that contained information and statistical research that was conducted in 2014. This means that the evidence found was very relevant to this day and also meant that it was trustworthy finding as they were conducted by a government source.
http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171778_338863.pdf
There are multiple points raised within this document that were helpful to build a picture of the relationship society has with alcohol.
- Very heavy drinkers were five times more likely than other drinkers to have drunk strong beer/
stout/lager/cider, and more than twice as likely to have drunk spirits or liqueurs, on their heaviest
drinking day in the week before interview.
This point states that beer and other ale products ar the most popular beverages to those that drink the most heavily. this may be an incentive to me when it comes to choosing a product to brand.
'Beer is the world's most widely consumed alcoholic beverage, and is the third-most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is thought by some to be the oldest fermented beverage.' - SOURCE
This interesting fact that I also found backed up this decision to focus on beer to start with as it is the most popular alcoholic beverage in the world. I was also shocked to discover that beer is the 3rd most popular only after tea and water.
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Smokers (25%) were more than twice as likely as non-smokers (11%) to have drunk very heavily
at least once during the week.
I found this statement very interesting considering the relationship between alcohol and cigarettes I am focusing on. The fact that those that smoke are most likely to drink more and as well, the fact that many smoke while under the influence due to a lack of judgment.
This statistic actually countered some of the queries raised in the last crit were many related miss-use and issues with alcohol to those that were home-less and unemployed. This research states otherwise and it is those that are employed and can afford choice in beverage that actually have the most issues with alcohol and that consume to much.
This links to another point raised in my written piece given by John Berger that relates to the fact that we are lulled into thinking that we are given choices to define ourselves yet are actually controlled through a false sense of choice.
‘Publicity turns consumption into a substitute for democracy'.
‘Capitalism survives by forcing the majority, whom it exploits, to define their own interests as narrowly as possible. This was once achieved by extensive depravation. Today in the developing countries it is being achieved by imposing a false standard of what is and what is not desirable.’
'Most people who have alcohol-related health problems aren’t alcoholics. They're simply people who have regularly drunk more than the recommended levels for some years.'
This is a statement from the NHS website and also backs up the realisation that it is normal, everyday people that mostly develop health issues as a result of uninformed judgment and lack of education on the subject.