Stilettos, Slimness and Smoke: A History of Tobacco Marketing to Women (2009)

Undergraduates: Jaclyn Pardini, none none none

Faculty Advisor: Dulcie Straughan
Department: Journalism & Mass Communication

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This study examines the history of tobacco marketing to women from 1929 to 2009. The thesis analyzes three female-targeted campaigns occurring in a distinct socio-political period during the historical feminist movement, involving the work and innovation of three different corporations, American Tobacco Company, Philip Morris and R.J. Reynolds. The first campaign centers on American Tobacco Company’s and Edward Bernays' Reach for a Lucky Instead of a Sweet campaign and the social changes following the suffrage movement. The second campaign addresses Philip Morris’ You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby for the brand Virginia Slims from 1968-1979. This section of the thesis situates the campaign within the context of the second-wave feminist movement with a distinct focus on women’s professional equality. The last campaign, R.J. Reynolds’ Camel No. 9, examines the current feminist movement and addresses new opportunities for tobacco marketing through new media. The study also situates each campaign within the context of increasing federal regulations as a result primarily of the Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act and the Global Settlement Agreement._x000D_
This thesis was conducted using primary sources from the Library of Congress’ Edward L. Bernays collection as well as the Legacy Tobacco Documents Library accessible online through the University of California at San Francisco. The study assesses trends that are seen across all three campaigns with an emphasis on slimness and fashion.