TOBACCO IN MOVIES AND IMPACT ON YOUTH
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TOBACCO IN
MOVIES
AND
IMPACT ON
YOUTH
Hemant Goswami, Rajesh Kashyap
A STUDY ON
• TOBACCO IN INDIAN MOVIES RELEASED IN 2004, 2005
• INFLUENCE OF MOVIES ON YOUNGSTERS
Study by Burning Brain Society
Supported by WHO & Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, India
Tobacco in Movies & Impact on Youth
ABSTRACT
Objective:
India ratified the FCTC in February 2004 and also enacted legislation called
“Cigarette and other tobacco products Act 2003” which specifically called for an
end to direct and indirect form of tobacco advertisements. Since the enactment of
the legislation, the tobacco companies are prohibited from any kind of
advertisement. Are the tobacco companies resorting to covert form of
advertisement which included product placement in Indian movies? Are myths
about tobacco use being promoted through movies? This study attempts to study
the actual incidents of tobacco use in the Indian movies after 2003 and also to
have a snapshot view of the influence it creates on young peoples mind so as to
understand the actual impact of smoking/tobacco images on youngsters.
Methods:
A qualitative analysis of hundred and ten movies released in 2004 and 2005 was
done. All the movies were watched by trained volunteers to identify the instances
of brand visibility in Indian movies. The association of tobacco with glamour,
style and emotions like stress was also analyzed. The specific instances where
statements facilitating tobacco consumption and situations where the warning
about consumption of cigarette was mocked also recorded and noted down.
Response from 1126 youngsters was collected through a survey questionnaire to
understand the impact of movies on the minds of these people and their opinion.
Trained volunteers from the same age-group were used for the exercise.
Results:
It was found that the instances of showing smoking/tobacco use in movies have
increased significantly to 89% of all movies released in 2004 and 2005. The brand
placement has been also increased nearly three folds. Tobacco brands now appear
in 46% of movies having tobacco scenes. Cigarette companies have almost all the
tobacco product placements with two companies accounting for over 90% of the
brand visibility. Association of tobacco with glamour and style has also been
established. 75% of movies having tobacco also showed the main/lead character
consuming tobacco. The instances of females consuming tobacco in movies has
also increased in India pointing towards a specific market expansion strategy by
tobacco companies using movies as a vehicle. It was found that the general public
does not feel that banning tobacco scenes in the movie will affect their decision to
watch movies or the quality of movies. A large section of people admitted being
influenced by movies which could be found in their behaviour like a desire to hold
a cigarette or articles akin a cigarette. It was found that favourable images through
mass media created a considerable influence on youngsters and increased their
receptivity to tobacco use.
2
Tobacco in Movies & Impact on Youth
INTRODUCTION
Tobacco is one of the major causes of deaths and disease in India, accounting for
over eight lakh deaths every year.1 Tobacco is the second major cause of death in
the world. It is currently responsible for the death of one in ten adults’ worldwide
(about 5 million deaths each year). If current smoking patterns continue, it will
cause some 10 million deaths each year by 2020. Half the people who smoke
today, that is, about 650 million people- will eventually be killed by tobacco.
Tobacco is the fourth most common risk factor for disease worldwide. The
economic costs of tobacco use are equally devastating. In addition to the high
public health costs of treating tobacco-caused diseases, tobacco kills people at the
height of their productivity, depriving families of breadwinners and nations of a
healthy workforce.2
A question arises that if tobacco is so deadly, why people consume tobacco? Is it
natural for people to consume tobacco or is someone pushing the deadly tobacco?
Over a period of time and after a lot of research, it has been found that tobacco
advertisements, sponsorships and promotions are major influences for a person to
initiate tobacco consumption. 168 countries (ratified by 113 till date) of the world3
who signed the “Frame Work Convention on Tobacco Control,” an international
treaty of global dimension, expressed their concern about the advertising,
promotion and sponsorship in no unclear term in the preamble itself; it read
“Parties to this convention (are) seriously concerned about the impact of all forms
of advertising, promotion and sponsorship aimed at encouraging the use of
tobacco products.”4
From the same concern the Indian government banned all forms of direct and
indirect forms of advertising, promotion and sponsorship through a legislation
called “Cigarette and other tobacco products Act 2003.” Despite that many
surrogate forms of advertisement continues till date. The FCTC also warns about
such nefarious designs in its preamble itself and recognizes the “need to be alert to
any efforts by the tobacco industry to undermine or subvert tobacco control
efforts” and “the activities of the tobacco industry that have a negative impact on
tobacco control efforts.”5
It was found by Burning Brain Society and many other organizations that tobacco
companies are endorsing film stars and producers to place their tobacco products
in movies which amount to advertising, promotion and sponsorship6. This brought
a realization that if “Motion pictures” which are one of the most important mass
media tool continue to be used by tobacco companies to promote tobacco and be
allowed to spread the myths about tobacco or present tobacco as a lifestyle and
fashion statement, all other efforts to contain tobacco may also fail. A need to
assess the actual ground level reality was felt so that the impact created on
youngsters resulting from tobacco in movies is understood in a better way.
Assessing movies also present the actual scenario about whether tobacco is being
associated with emotions like stress, bravery, machismo, fashion, lifestyle, etc;
and whether there is any product placement after the enactment of the anti-tobacco
legislation.
3
Tobacco in Movies & Impact on Youth
There can be no doubt that movies, television and mass media have shrunk the
world akin a global village. The pervasiveness of the moving images is so high
that it now reaches even the remotest of the village. The DTH Satellite has further
increased the reach of cable television to the remotest corner. Television and
movies have become one of the most relied and popular medium of entertainment
and education. In both, rural and urban India the moving images are seen through
movie theatres, cable, satellite, video disks, etc. Moving images have become the
window to the world. For the near 450 million illiterate population of India, who
can hardly recognise words, moving electronic images are the only source of
learning and entertainment.
Under such a scenario the impact created by the movies and other multimedia
program on public mind is massive and indelible in many respects. Many
fashions, wearable, style shown in a movie becomes popular overnight in both
villages and cities alike now7. Youngsters can be seen wearing the haircut of
popular actors, wearing clothes like them, carrying bags and badges in emulation
of popular character of a hit movie within a matter of days of its release. The
superstars are worshiped like demigods and there are many cases where even
temples have come into existence in their name8. This is the power of moving
images in India like most other places in the world.
The movies have an undeniable power to leave an indelible impression on the
minds of the people which increase manifolds when the raw illiterate or
semiliterate populace (especially youngsters) are the recipient of the message
delivered through moving images. The national broadcaster of India, the
Doordarshan, even tries to use this power of the electronic mass media
communication in a positive way to spread information for public good.
Products, brands, trade names etc. of many commercial products including those
of tobacco are regularly shown and broadcasted over the mass media in many
covert and overt forms. The brand/product placement in the movies is mostly paid
for and inserted with the objective to increase the product’s sale. Movies often
show various tobacco brands, trade names and products besides smoking scenes
and tobacco use in movies.
Like all electronic images it is pointed out by many scientific studies that the
images depicting smoking and tobacco use promotes the harmful and deleterious
habit of smoking among youngsters, who happen to be the most vulnerable
segment of the society9. The role of movies in promoting tobacco has been clearly
established in many studies10. Based on the same premise; this study tries to get a
snapshot view of the relation and influence of tobacco on people’s mind especially
youngsters. This study is imperative in the view that it is being done after the
ratification by India of the “Frame Work Convention on Tobacco Control
(FCTC)” and the increased commitment of India to contain the growth of tobacco,
and prohibit all direct and indirect advertisement as well as promotion of tobacco
in any form.
4
Tobacco in Movies & Impact on Youth
This study also finds out instances of showing smoking/tobacco in movies after
the enactment of “The Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of
Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and
Distribution) Act, 2003” which banned all forms of direct and indirect
advertisements of tobacco products. It is noteworthy that in 1998, tobacco
companies entered into the “Master Settlement Agreement”11 with the Attorneys
General of 46 states and agreed not to do product/brand placement in movies. The
Hollywood producers also expressed their unanimity on the issue. In 2003 many
actors, producers and directors talked about self-regulation and said to desist from
glamorising any smoking scenes in movies. Many directors and producers had
pledged support 9,12, 32.
This study will find out the effect of the claimed self-regulation and the
commitment of the film industry towards tobacco-free movies by actually finding
if any (and the number of, if applicable)32.
KEY RESEARCH FINDINGS & RESULTS
PART I - ANALYZING MOVIES - KEY FINDINGS
9 TOTAL TOBACCO CONTAINING MOVIES: 89% of all the movies
analyzed contained tobacco scenes. This is significantly higher than the
previously reported 76% for movies release from 1990 to 2003.
9 LEAD CHARACTER SMOKING: The claim of the motion picture
producers that tobacco is mostly shown to depict negative characters have
been found to be baseless. Around 75.5% of the movies containing
tobacco, depicts either the male or the female lead consuming tobacco.
9 ONLY THE LEAD CHARACTERS SMOKES: In 21.4% of the
tobacco containing movies, it is exclusively only the leading characters
who smoke and no other character is shown consuming tobacco. Most of
the time tobacco has been associated with glamour and style.
9 NEUTRAL AND NEGATIVE CHARACTERS SHOWN SMOKING:
The figures for smoking by negative and neutral characters, both combined
comes to 70.4 percent.
9 PROMOTING GLAMOUR & STYLE: Of all movies showing tobacco
80.6% of movies created a direct association of smoking with glamour and
association. This accounts for 71.8% of all movies.
9 PROMOTING ASSOCIATION WITH STRESS: After glamour, the
next commonly shown association is with stress and tension and 62.2% of
movies showing tobacco promoted this association. In total 55.5% of all
movies promote this myth.
9 FEMALE CHARACTERS SHOWN SMOKING: There has also been
an increased tendency to show female characters smoking and this was
5
Tobacco in Movies & Impact on Youth
28.6% of all tobacco containing movies and 25.5% of all movies. This is
much higher than the actual prevalence of smoking among women in India
which has been reported at 2.5% among all sections of the society.13
9 TOBACCO WARNINGS MOCKED AT: In many movies the tobacco
warning statements are either specifically or by actions trifled and mocked
at. This figure was 30.6% for all tobacco showing movies.
9 SPECIFIC SCENES/DIALOGUES PROMOTING TOBACCO: Not
only is tobacco warnings mocked at, 33.7% movies also have visible
actions and dialogues which encourage the use of tobacco.
9 TOBACCO BRANDS VISIBLE OR REFERRED: The disclaim by
motion picture association and producers about a positive relationship with
tobacco companies also appears to be totally false as an alarming and
record number of 45.9% of all tobacco containing movies had product
shots resulting in increased visibility of some specific tobacco brands.
9 NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES OF TOBACCO SHOWN: Nil. In not
even a single movie tobacco has been shown to have caused any negative
consequences, not even cough. The gravest consequence was a verbal
statement by a character that smoking is not good and often it was
followed by another sequence belittling it or an actual smoking scene.
Quite often the leading character is shown with a cigarette in his mouth
immediately before or after a heroic action.
9 HIGHEST BRAND VISIBILITY: Most of the brand visibility is for
Indian and international cigarette companies operating in India. The cigars
in its generic form are also making entry into Indian cinema. (Generic
products like Cigar, cigarette, etc. with no brand visible have not been recorded
as product/brand placement.)
The increased use of tobacco in movies coupled by the soaring level of tobacco
brand visibility in the recent movies support the fact that after the ban in India on
tobacco advertisements, tobacco companies are using motion pictures as a vehicle
of clandestine promotion and advertisement of tobacco products in both generic
and branded forms.
PART II - INFLUENCE ON YOUNGSTERS - KEY FINDINGS
9 GENERAL PUBLIC PERCEPTION: No loss of any artistic or any
other quality of motion picture is anticipated by the general public. The
people also in no way feel that if tobacco depiction is restricted from
motion pictures, it would affect their decision to watch movies. 96% of the
people feel that banning tobacco will not affect the quality of the movies
or their decision to watch them.
9 TOBACCO DEPICTING PROMOTING TOBACCO AMONG
YOUTH: A high percentage of people (57% to 63%) believe that showing
tobacco can instigate some youngsters to consume tobacco. Another 25%
6
Tobacco in Movies & Impact on Youth
to 59% of the people had varying degree of favourable influence created
on them after watching their favourite actors smoke on screen. 59% of the
respondents admitted using other articles like pen or pencil akin a cigarette
in their hand in emulation of some movie actor.
9 TOBACCO BRAND RECALL AMONG YOUTH: There was a high
degree of brand recall for the tobacco brands shown in motion pictures.
Around 33.7% of all respondents were able to recall movies with tobacco
brand. This increased to 67% among those having some degree of tobacco
influence. These youngsters could recall either the movie or the brand or
both in at least one movie, proving that tobacco brand placement in movies
and its association with film stars have a high impact and recall value.
9 DIRECT IMPACT OF SMOKING ACTORS: Among the tobacco user
respondents, a high 45 percent admitted lighting a cigarette in the style of a
film star and 63% admitted holding a cigarette in film-star style. This
shows that a high percentage of smokers/tobacco consumers are influenced
in some way by the motion pictures.
The indications are absolutely clear. Exposure to smoking in movies promotes
tobacco as a normal behaviour and associates it with style and glamour. It creates
sufficient influence on many youngsters so as to arise a desire in them to smoke.
Some youngsters who have still not experimented with tobacco still admitted
imitating smoking behaviour of the movie characters, thinking it to be fashionable
and imitable.
REVIEW AND BACKGROUND DISCUSSION
The influence movies create on youngsters is now quite well researched and
documented. The impact movies create on promoting tobacco is also now well
understood. It is known that social learning through mass media is a major factor
which contributes to adoption of smoking by young people.23 The use of tobacco
in television dramas and in movies reinforces misleading ideas that smoking is
socially acceptable and desirable.14 Adolescent exposed to high pervasiveness of
smoking in movies associate it with a perceptions that smoking is a normative
social and stress reaction behaviour15 and depiction of smoking in movies and
television appears to operate through promoting more favourable attitudes toward
smoking even among never-smokers.16
Movies influence fashion, lifestyles, and represent smoking as an acceptable
behaviour. Using this knowledge the greatest tobacco companies have built
relationships with Hollywood's actors and producers, in order to show smoking
and cigarette brands in films. This results in making the teenagers watching these
"smoking films" as the most exposed to start smoking.17 In popular contemporary
movies, smoking is frequently associated with characteristics many adolescents
find appealing; such as toughness, sexiness, and rebelliousness.18
7
Tobacco in Movies & Impact on Youth
A study by Dozier et.al showed that in 92% of incidences, smoking had no
consequences. The most frequent consequence was a verbal reprimand. Although
tobacco is a leading cause of preventable deaths globally, only 0.4% of tobacco
incidences depicted in the movies resulted in death. No deaths were caused by
disease. Characters who smoked tended to be major characters playing leadership
roles. They tended to be from privileged elites. The study concluded that films
portray characters that smoke as leaders from privileged elites, making smoking
more attractive to audience members. Because 99.6% of characters suffer no life
threatening consequences from smoking on screen, smokers seem invincible,
contradicting tobacco’s role as a leading cause of preventable deaths. 19
A question may arise, “If smoking in movies was a true reflection of the society?”
The answer to this question is a clear “No.” Research has documented that
smoking was three times more prevalent in movies than in the general population
from 1960 to 1990.20
This has made smoking in movies as the most powerful pro-tobacco influence on
kids today, accounting for 52% of adolescents who start smoking, an effect even
stronger than cigarette advertising.21 Feature films can be used in marketing
tobacco to adolescents as they are an acceptable format of communication and
young people like going to the movies.28 It has been established that Children
who are more receptive to such exposure are also more susceptible to start
smoking.22
It has been found that adolescents who choose movie stars who use tobacco on-
screen are significantly more likely to have an advanced smoking status and more
favourable attitudes toward smoking than adolescents who choose non-smoking
stars. The portrayal of tobacco use in contemporary motion pictures, particularly
by the stars admired by adolescents, contributes to adolescent smoking.23 Results
of two more cross- sectional studies indicated that adolescents were more likely to
have tried smoking if their favourite movie stars smoked on screen. 24,25 The
young people exposed to movies showing actors smoking often identify tobacco
with the stress-relieving and social aspects of smoking, despite being well aware
of the harmful health effects. Its acceptability as part of a ‘cool’ image is also well
established. Positive images of smoking in the media have the potential to down-
play the serious health consequences of smoking by portraying it in a way that
young people interpret as a normal part of everyday life. Such movies and stars
also encourage a more neutral or tolerant attitude towards smoking among young
people and therefore act to counteract other health promotion efforts to reduce
teenage smoking.26
Studies show that experience as a smoker appears to further inflate the credibility
of realistic smoking images, particularly those presented in gritty realism/drama
film. Pervasive and credible smoking scenes in film also offer support and
reassurance to older teens already smoking or having ambivalent views about
smoking.27 A cross sectional study published in the British Medical Journal way
back in December 2001 also showed that smoking scenes in the Hollywood films
had a very strong influence on young minds. Prof. James Sargent’s study " Effect
of seeing tobacco use in films on trying smoking among adolescents” showed that
8
Tobacco in Movies & Impact on Youth
the likelihood of an adolescent trying smoking was directly linked to the number
of exposures he/she had of smoking scenes in the films.28
Sargent and his team also studied adolescents aged 10 to 14 and found that youth
had a higher risk of smoking initiation as their exposure to movie smoking
increased, with those youth most exposed to movie smoking being most at risk.
Adolescents with the greatest exposure to movie smoking were 2.6 times more
likely to try smoking than their peers in the least exposed group, after controlling
for other factors. The increased risk of smoking initiation associated with
exposure to smoking in the movies was similar to that of other well-known risk
factors, such as having a parent or sibling who smokes. This increased risk was
seen across youth of all racial and ethnic groups, in all geographic regions of the
country.29 It was also found that even after controlling for the effects of other
social influences, parenting, and personality characteristics of the child; exposure
to smoking in movies was associated with smoking experimentation.30 In another
previous study, Dr. Sargent established that among adolescents there was a strong,
direct, and independent association between seeing tobacco use in films and trying
cigarettes, a finding that further supports the previous findings that smoking in
films has a role in the initiation of smoking in adolescents.30
In 2002, 2004, and again in 2005 the US Centres for Disease Control and
Prevention also named tobacco in the movies a major factor in teen smoking. The
research explains that non-smoking teens whose favourite stars frequently smoke
on screen are sixteen times more likely to have positive attitudes about smoking in
the future. Equally important, exposure to smoking in the movies quadrupled the
chance that non-smokers’ kids would start.31
Movies are an obsession with Indians. India produces more than 900 films a year
in different languages watched by over 188 million viewers every year. Satellite
television has increased the reach out to a much larger audience. There are more
than 10 movie channels that telecast movies round the clock. Two of the
prominent movie channels reach 35-40% of the 40 million Cable and Satellite
(C&S) households in India each week. The four major general entertainment
channels show 5-10 movies a week and reach 60-70% of the cable and satellite
audience every week. Films and film based programming account for 25% to 30%
of programming content and are the key viewership drivers for all general
entertainment channels. Newly released films are aired on TV within six months
of their debut in theatres, talking them to the remotest corners of the country. The
reach of cinema is further increased by the pirated copies of films and it is
estimated that 230,000 people each day watch a movie illegally in India.32
These facts are tempting for any commercial organisation for the promotion of its
products through moving images. Since tobacco and alcoholic beverages
companies are cash rich and have fewer options of advertising directly so they are
more prone to spend higher amount of money through this mode. The added
revenue also makes good proposition for the film producers too resulting in a
large number of product placements in motion pictures. Over a period of time
cigarette companies have developed sophisticated campaigns targeting men,
9
Tobacco in Movies & Impact on Youth
women, and children in different socioeconomic groups. Many of these strategies
circumvent the Indian tobacco advertising ban.33
Targeting Children: Researchers at Dartmouth Medical School found that 38
percent of adolescents who tried cigarettes did so because they saw smoking in
movies, according to a study of 6,522 U.S. kids ages 10 to 14. 34
At least one character in more than two-thirds of animated feature films produced
for children over the past 60 years in the United States used tobacco or alcohol
with no indication that the practices were unhealthy. Dr. Adam O. Goldstein
reported that of the 50 animation movies reviewed 68 percent (or 34 movies),
displayed at least one episode of tobacco or alcohol use. Seventy-six characters
smoked for a total duration in all films of more than 45 minutes and 63 characters
drank alcohol for 27 minutes. He found that good characters consumed the
substances as frequently as bad characters did. The feature-length animated films
showed cigar and wine consumption most often, but cigarettes, pipes, beer, spirits
and champagne were also depicted.35
It may be mentioned that India hardly produces any animation movies. Most of
the animation movies originate from the US and other foreign countries and are
dubbed in Hindi or other regional language. The depiction of tobacco and alcohol
affect the youngsters and influence their decision to smoke or drink in their future
life, the above mention study clearly reported. As cited earlier a relationship of
increased risk of smoking initiation with the greatest exposure to movies showing
smoking has been clearly established across all racial and ethnic groups.29
Another study to evaluate the use of tobacco in Japanese cartoon and comic
character concluded that young adults, adolescents, and children are frequently
exposed to smoking scenes in Japanese cartoons and animations too. The
youngsters are likely to identify themselves with characters of the same sex and
age; teens with teen smokers in boys’ comics; young male adults with smokers of
main characters in the 20s or 30s in youths’ comics; young women with female
smokers in women’s comics. This is likely to increase the chances of smoking
initiation and an increasing trend of smoking among teens and young women.
Comics are a medium with influence over children and adolescents in many Asian
countries. Most comics are imported from Japan where comic magazines sell
several million copies every week. Popular titles become TV animation series or
theatrical animated films.36 Japanese comics and animation movies are popular
and circulations are increasing in many countries including India, this raises
serious questions.
Targeting Females – a new segment in India: Studies suggest that the
tobacco companies specifically position their products to attract female smokers
from all segments, strata and age groups of society. The tobacco companies’
communications targeting females is carefully designed for younger women
stressing on female camaraderie, self confidence, freedom, and independence;
cigarette brands for older women are tailored to address the needs for pleasure,
relaxation, social acceptability, and escape from daily stresses.37
10Tobacco in Movies & Impact on Youth
Smoking is highly prevalent in Hollywood films featuring popular actresses and
may influence young audiences for whom movie stars serve as role models38 and
there is enough evidence that smoking by movie stars can play an important role
in even encouraging female adolescents to start smoking.39
Direct brand placement and tobacco product promotion: Values and
lifestyles play a central role in the global marketing of tobacco to young adults
and tobacco companies are known to create associations between young adult
values and tobacco brands.40 It is now well known that owning tobacco
promotional items and being able to recall cigarette advertisements can double the
odds that an adolescent will become an established smoker. Movie images
associate smoking with celebrities and depict it as an attractive behaviour.41
Evidence exists that adolescent smoking is partially attributable to aggressive
tobacco marketing strategies aimed at youths via popular culture. One such
strategy is to ensure that stars smoke in popular movies. Placing products or brand
identifiers in movies is recognized as a standard marketing option to advertise and
promote product use. 39 above
Advertising is generally aimed at creating a "personality" for a product by
associating it with favourable social images. A brand’s personality is built with
attractive imagery in magazines, newspapers, and at racing events; which is one
way to get brands onto the television screen. It affects youth smoking by
associating cigarette brands with images of strength and independence (Marlboro),
having a good time (Newport), and sexual potency (Kool) among other
characteristics that appeal to adolescents. The ads don’t have to depict smoking;
for example, ads for Newport (the second most popular brand among adolescents
in USA) show young people having a good time together without showing anyone
smoking. Youth smoke highly advertised premium brands; the top three brands
among adolescents are Marlboro, Newport, and Camel cigarettes (In USA). In
addition, adolescents are avid readers of magazines and also spend time searching
the Internet. This adds to the impact. Clearly, mass media plays a prominent role
in the life of the contemporary adolescent. Adolescents gain information about
their world and about smoking by watching celebrity behaviour in the media.
A person watching a movie rarely gets the impression as if the smokers are
compelled to smoke because of their own addiction. The smokers as shown in the
movies are, for the most part, affluent and powerful and, because of their star
status, larger than life, in contrast to real-life smokers who are more likely to be
poor. Actors smoke in the context of romance, or to appear tough and personify
the bad guy or girl, and also to relieve stress—all situations adolescents might
aspire to. Actors are increasingly endorsing brands when they smoke on screen,
even though paid brand placement was eliminated in USA.42 Actors who also
smoke off-screen are even more tempting branding options for tobacco companies
because it is known that quite often on-camera smoking is influenced by actors'
off-camera tobacco use43 and by endorsing such an actor the impact can be
doubled.
Despite the settlement with the tobacco companies in USA prohibiting brand
appearance in movies, the situation did not change overall. Instead of the tobacco
11Tobacco in Movies & Impact on Youth
industry contained, there was a striking increase in the type of brand appearance
depicted, with actor endorsement increasing from 1% of films before the ban to
11% after. Four US cigarette brands accounted for 80% of brand appearances.
Revenues outside the USA accounted for 49% of total revenues for these films,
indicating a large international audience. This showed that tobacco-brand
appearances are common in films and are becoming increasingly endorsed by
actors. The most highly advertised US cigarette brands account for most brand
appearances, which suggests an advertising motive to this practice.44
The advertising literature notes that movie product placements are effective if the
viewer interprets the brand image according to who the character is and how the
brand is used by the character.45 Brand appearances in movies are part of a larger
advertising trend that aims to place brands in movies and television shows in
response to the weakening effectiveness of paid commercial advertising or ban on
direct advertising. Brand placements are a particularly effective form of
advertising because the public does not view them with the same scepticism as
other advertising. Because movies are marketed globally, cigarettes placed in
movies are viewed by an international audience.46 The tobacco industry
understood the value of placing and encouraging tobacco use in films, and the
ways to do it. While the industry claims to have ended this practice, smoking in
motion pictures increased throughout the 1990s and remains a public health
problem even today.47
Some people thought that the brand visibility and tobacco product placement or
star endorsement might be just an accident. Someone who is ignorant of the issue
may be tempted to say but if the revelation comes from the horses’ mouth, then
little is left to speculation.
Amir Khan an immensely successful Bollywood star says that, “I have been
approached many times by tobacco companies with very attractive offers, so far I
have refused all such offers. If smoking is harmful to me, how can I recommend it
to my fans?”48 Another successful actor Jackie Shroff, who was a model for a
tobacco company till sometime back claimed that even after his contract with the
tobacco company finished he was still being approached by cigarette companies
despite the fact that he being no more interested to endorse any tobacco product.
Subhash Ghai, a successful film producer and director also claims that he has been
approached umpteen times by the agents of tobacco companies for product
placement but he refused.49 Vivek Oberoi, the young star and the new style icon of
India also tells a similar story, in his words; “Three days after the release of my
first film, Company, I was called up by several tobacco and alcohol brand
(owners) for endorsement, offering me crores of rupees. I was three days old in
the industry, but in five minutes I said no to all of them.”50 During an interview of
a Japanese director, he without any hesitation claimed to have visited a tobacco
factory in Cuba to discuss a script of the movie51 he directed and also about
casting a girl designated as Miss Tobacco.
And so is the story with many successful actors, producers and directors. While
those who refuse, tell the story publicly, but the story of hundreds others who
succumb to the temptation is never known. Those who give in to financial
12Tobacco in Movies & Impact on Youth
consideration by tobacco and liquor companies adjust brand visibility in their
movies and that’s how we see movies containing tobacco brands/products so
commonly these days.
With most of the successful movies being dubbed into other languages, the
tobacco companies, especially the trans-national ones, have discovered the gains
of product placements. The fact that movies also have an unlimited life and the
advertising cost is not recurring clearly adds to the attractiveness of movies as
vehicle of promoting tobacco.52
THE STUDY
Objective:
India ratified the FCTC in 200453 and also enacted legislation called “Cigarette
and other tobacco products Act 2003” which specifically called for an end to
direct and indirect form of tobacco advertisements54. Since the enactment of the
legislation, the tobacco companies are prohibited from any kind of advertisement.
We intend to find if they resorting to covert form of advertisement which included
product placement in Indian movies. Such product placements and visibility of
tobacco in movies creates a very high impact on the youngsters and children. Are
myths about tobacco use being promoted through movies? This study also
attempts to study the actual incidents of tobacco use in the Indian movies after
2003 and to have a snapshot view of the influence it creates on young peoples
mind so as to understand the influence and actual impact of showing smoking
images in movies on youngsters.
There are two parts of the present study. In the first part we intended to study the
usage of tobacco in Hindi movies released during the year 2004 and 2005. The
second part of the study was questionnaire designed with an intention to
understand the mindset and the popular perception. We interacted with over one
thousand and one hundred youngsters and sought their reaction, opinion and recall
on various aspects of tobacco usage in movies.
RESEARCH DESIGN
PART I – ANALYZING MOVIES
List of Movies
This research goes beyond evaluating only the popular and successful movies on
the basis of the revenue collection or their success and failure by other parameters
as the box office collection can not be a qualifying yardstick. Each movie is
produced with an expectation of its being successful. So even if a movie is not a
success by some yardstick still it will not lessen its role as an intended mass media
13Tobacco in Movies & Impact on Youth
vehicle. So it was decided to evaluate at least 100 of the available movies released
during 2004, 2005. The availability of the movies in the video parlours and video
libraries was set as a criterion to select the movies at random.
Factors analyzed
Each movie was evaluated on the basis of the impact created. Counting the
number of smoking /tobacco scenes was found to be unnecessary as in many cases
even a single scene can be of immense significance if it is filmed on a popular star
depicting a positive and desirable emotion. The emotional impact of tobacco
depiction is of much greater value than counting the smoking scenes. In many
cases the number of scenes may be less but then there may be dialogues
supporting tobacco. Movies were analyzed on the basis of the association created
with emotions, use of positive statements and tobacco facilitating remarks in
movies. The use of tobacco by lead character vis-à-vis others was also done.
The movies were also evaluated on the basis of tobacco usage; smoking/tobacco
use by the main protagonists and female characters; association of tobacco with
glamour and stress; statements facilitating tobacco usage and belittling of tobacco
warning. The usage of alcohol was also recorded.
No of movies evaluated
A total of hundred and ten Hindi movies were evaluated at random. Forty-eight of
these were released in the year 2004 and sixty-two in the year 2005.
PART II – FINDING A RELATION WITH INFLUENCE ON YOUNGSTERS
The Model
It is known that psychological needs satisfaction can be communicated without
direct reference to cigarettes or smoking and is so subtle that it is difficult for
audience to analyze it easily.55 To unearth the complex emotional desire triggered
by such messages in the movies a self administered questioner having multiple
options was developed. The first four questions were about the respondents profile
and were optional. The last ten questions were valid only for respondent’s already
consuming tobacco. Two questions required one word or a single line answer,
depending on recall and could be left un-responded.
The complete questionnaire was also put on the website of Burning Brain Society
(www.burningbrain.org) and response sought. In the first week, fifty four people
replied and their responses were used to validate and fine-tune the questionnaire.
After evaluation of the response through the website, questions were re-serialised
and some questions were rephrased. Some questions which were earlier in the
questionnaire were dropped altogether from the rephrased questionnaire for not
being of any importance.
14Tobacco in Movies & Impact on Youth
The Questions and their rationale
The subjects on which opinion was sought included questions asking;
1) If the respondent could recall any tobacco brand seen in the movie? This
was to see the impact or brand recall factor of any tobacco products which
was visible in the movie. The respondents were also asked to name the
movie/brand in the next question.
2) If the respondent ever felt a desire to smoke or just hold a cigarette in his
hand? The next question asked if he/she had ever held any article like
cigarette so as to emulate any film actor smoking. The answers to these
questions provide the real cue of the influence movies cause on young
minds and also of acceptability of tobacco in their lives. Those answering
“Yes” to any of these three questions could be put in the high risk group.
3) If the respondent felt that people follow movie stars in smoking? The
answer to this question provides an indication about the impact of showing
tobacco on his/or her mind projected through another person.
4) If the respondents felt that by not showing tobacco in the movie the quality
of the movie be affected in any way or it would affect his decision to
watch the movie? The answer provides cue to the importance and
seriousness a regular movie viewers attach to the expression of emotions,
situations, etc. because of tobacco usage and how important they think it is
to show tobacco in movies. The answer to this question is an indicator to
the importance general public gives to tobacco in movies.
5) There were questions to know whether they had ever consumed tobacco or
any of the family members consume tobacco? Those who answered in
affirmation about their using tobacco, they were asked to answer another
ten questions asking about the quantity of tobacco they smoked and if they
had ever lighted a cigarette in the style of any film actor. They were also
asked about if they thought that movies influenced their smoking
initiation.
The answers to these questions give a reasonable idea about the influence and
impression created on a lay persons mind. The evaluated responses provide an
indicator about the role of mass media images in influencing youngsters to
have a favourable image of tobacco which pushes them towards the actual
consumption of tobacco.
Process of data collection, respondents and
validation
There were a total of 1126 respondents. The questionnaires were self administered
in presence of a neutral facilitator (a volunteer for all physical collection of the
questionnaire) of the same age group and socio-economical background. The
collection of the questionnaire was done on-the-spot. Survey was also made
available through internet. Only one response per IP address was acceptable and
was screened for geographical location based on the IP address of the respondents.
15Tobacco in Movies & Impact on Youth
Incomplete questionnaires or more than one received from the same IP address
were discarded (58 responses discarded). Only the first completely filled form
received from any IP address based in India was accepted. Out of a total of 1126
respondents, 204 valid responses were collected through Internet and 922
collected physically. The mean age of the respondents was 16.7 years with a mode
of 17, having a range of 16 from 11 to 27. Most of the respondents were from
urban or rural schools and colleges based in Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh,
Haryana & Punjab and admitted regularly viewing television and motion movies.
Age Group: 0-13 13-18 18 + Total
Total Number (n) 207 650 269 1126
16Tobacco in Movies & Impact on Youth
DATA ANALYSIS AND RESEARCH
FINDINGS
The research has been divided into two parts and both are analyzed separately.
Part one deal with the analysis of movies released in 2004 and 2005 and part two
analyzes and evaluates the responses received from the answers of the youngsters.
PART I - ANALYZING MOVIES
From a total of hundred and ten movies forty-eight of these were released in the
year 2004 and sixty-two in the year 2005.
Parameter observed and evaluated Number of As As
movies percentage percentage
displaying of total of movies
the movies showing
evaluated (Total 110) tobacco
parameter (Total 98)
Movie showing smoking situations or 98 89.1% 100%
tobacco use
Main protagonist consuming any 74 67.3% 75.5%
tobacco product in the movie
Villain and/or other important 69 62.7% 70.4%
character consuming tobacco in the
movie
Female characters consuming 28 25.5% 28.6%
tobacco in the movie
Style and glamour associated with 79 71.8% 80.6%
smoking or tobacco use
Concept that tobacco reduces stress 61 55.5% 62.2%
supported in the movie by any oral or
visible actions of the actors
Dangers of tobacco consumption 30 27.3% 30.6%
trifled and belittled in any scene in
the movie
Any Positive statement promoting or 33 30.0% 33.7%
facilitating the acceptance of tobacco
consumption
Display of any specific brand of 45 40.9% 45.9%
tobacco or verbal mention of the
brand name in the movie
17Tobacco in Movies & Impact on Youth
Movies Showing Tobacco
Yes Shows Tobacco No Tobacco
No Tobacco 11%
Yes Shows Tobacco
89%
Lead Star shown consuming tobacco
(Among all tobacco incidents)
Protogonist consumes tobacco Other character smokes
Other characters smoke
33%
Protogonist consumes
tobacco
76%
18Tobacco in Movies & Impact on Youth
Tobacco in Movies
120
Total Movies
110
Movies showing tobacco
100 98
The Protogonist consume
tobacco
79
80 Villian or other important
74 character consume
tobacco
69
Female characters
Number of movies
consume tobacco
61
60
Association with Style and
glamour
45
Association with stress
40
33
30 Dangers of tobacco
28 belittled
20 Positive statement
promoting tobacco
Specific brand placement
0
Evaluated parameter
19Tobacco in Movies & Impact on Youth
Associating tobacco with glamour
Seventy nine of the hundred and ten movies presented smoking or tobacco with
glamour and style. Movies associating glamour with tobacco accounted for 80.6%
of all the tobacco showing movies and 71.8% of movies release in 2004-5.
Glamour incidences were the one’s where tobacco was used in situations and by
characters projected as glamorous or smoking was used so as to relate it with a
positive style as if smoking was a style statement and something desirable.
Association of tobacco with glamour
Tobacco associated with glamour and style Movies without an association
Tobacco associated
with glamour and
style
81%
Prominent among such movies are; Bunty Aur Bubly, Yuva, Musafir, Aab
Tumareh Hawaley Watan Sathion, Bach ke Rehna Re Baba, Choclate, James,
Kaal, Khamoshh, Lucky, Padamshree Laloo Prasad Yadav, Tere Naam, etc.
“Bunty aur Bubli” features Amitabh Bachchan, (the Indian superstar who also has
a temple in his name by his fans) Abhishek Bachchan (his real life son) and Rani
Mukherjee. All the three characters smoke in the movie with full glamour and
style. Amitabh Bachchan is shown smoking bidi (Indian rolled temburni leaf with
dried tobacco) with great fondness and at one instance even claims that bidi makes
his brain works faster.
20Tobacco in Movies & Impact on Youth
Another movie “Pyaar Mein Twist” shows a middle aged hero as a successful
businessman who smokes cigar in style with great fondness and so does another
important character who also plays a successful businessman. In “Yuva”, a movie
on young aspirations; the male lead is shown smoking with passion and as a
powerful statement of assertion. The movie “Let’s Enjoy” also projects the same
theme. “Aab Tumareh Hawaley Watan Sathion” is a movie about dynamic young
officers and Akshay Kumar who plays an Army officer is shown smoking with an
unusual style. This style became a hit with a lot of youngsters. Incidentally
Akshay was also the brand ambassador for “Red & White” a cigarette brand.
The first scene of many movies open with a shot of cigar/cigarette, “Chocolate” is
one such movie. The first scene focuses on a hand holding a cigar. The first scene
after of “Kismat” after the titles and featuring the male lead, Bobby Deol begins
with a smoking scene in a police station. The first appearance of the hero is with a
cigarette. He smokes with a style and appears to be macho because of smoking.
“Tum Ho Na” featuring Jackie Shroff also opens with a cigarette scene and so
does “Khauff,” “Siskiyan” and “Jo Boley So Nihal,” all opening with the female
characters holding cigarette.
When only good people smoke: Many times some film makers argue that
display of smoking is necessary and often used only to make the bad characters
and the villains more significant. This, as we have seen above, is a forceless
argument as we can deduct from the above mentioned figures. In 75.5% of the
movies showing tobacco, it is the lead characters who consume tobacco in the
movies and in 21.4% of these, it is exclusively only the leading characters who
smoke and no other character is shown consuming tobacco. Most of the time
tobacco has been associated with glamour and style.
Examples: In movie “Yahaan,” it’s only the hero and his associates who smoke.
They are shown as brave army people. None of the terrorists or negative
characters smokes. Every army officer right from the General to the Captain is
shown smoking at one time or another.
In the movie “Elaan” it is once again only the lead characters who smoke and
drink, the villain or any other member of his gang neither smokes nor drinks.
Similarly in “Aab Tumareh Hawaley Watan Sathion,” a movie featuring the
Indian super star Amitabh Bachachan and the popular hero Akshay Kumar, it’s
only the young army officer who smokes and shows bravery while smoking
cigarettes. Once again none of the negative character used tobacco. Another
popular movie “Dus” also depicted only the hero smoking cigarettes. There are
21Tobacco in Movies & Impact on Youth
many other such movies, like, Film Star, Koi Mere Dil Mein Hai, Lucky, Main
Hoon Naa, Murder, Rain, Raincoat, Shabd, etc. where its only the lead characters,
projected as good person who smoke. In these films no negative character (who
comes out as a loser in the end) is shown consuming tobacco.
Relating tobacco with stress
A sizeable number of movies related tobacco with stressful situation and thereby
projecting tobacco as a panacea to all kinds of stress and tension. The false
association of tobacco as a stress reliever has been created in sixty one of the
hundred and ten movies analyzed. For example in “My Wife’s Murder,” a
successful movie, the male lead as well as an important female character is shown
smoking in tense moments. In another movie, “Koi Mere Dil Main Hai,” a father
advises his son that whenever he feels tense he may smoke. In another movie
“Shabnam Mausi” a politician anxiously waiting for his polling result is shown
smoking under tension. Similarly “Elaan,” “Topless,” “Bachke Rehna Re Baba,”
“Double Cross Ek Dhoka,” “Dansh,” “Plan,” “Chocolate,” “Fareb,” “Julie,”
Shabd,” “Main Aisa Hi Hoon,” etc. all promotes sequences where tobacco or
smoking is shown as stress reliever. The association of stress with smoking are too
many and absolutely unnecessary.
Associating of tobacco with stress
Tobacco associated with stress No direct association
Tobacco associated
with stress
62%
22Tobacco in Movies & Impact on Youth
Interestingly two movies with the same storyline were produced in 2005. “Dansh”
and “Siskiyaan” with the same story did not have the same character smoking in
the movie. While in Dansh, only the male lead Kay Kay Menon smokes but in
“Siskiyaan,” only the female lead Neha Dhupia smokes. The female lead smokes
“Marlboro” brand of cigarette under stressful situation and otherwise too. This
particular instance shows that storylines are often compromised to accommodate
smoking and no emotion is depicted by showing cigarettes.
The association of tobacco with stress is factually and scientifically incorrect.
There are no medical studies to even point that tobacco reduces stress. The
association of tobacco with stress only promotes the tobacco industry marketing
theme that smoking/tobacco reduces stress. It’s a scientific fact that tobacco is the
major cause of hypertension and increased the chances of an infraction many
folds.
Mocking at warning and promoting tobacco
Movies do not just stop at promoting a tobacco brand or smoking. Many go a step
further and even have elaborate and many times complex sequences sending a
favourable message promoting tobacco consumption. Quite often the smoking
warnings are mentioned in such a way as to trifle and mock them.
Belittling Tobacco Dangers
Mocking at warning statement Others
Mocking at warning
statement
31%
23Tobacco in Movies & Impact on Youth
At least 30% of the total movies and 33.7% of those with smoking incidences had
a positive dialogue/action facilitating tobacco consumption and 30.6% movies had
a sequence which made fun of the dangers of tobacco or belittled the warning
statement.
A few 2004-05 movies, having statements/visuals specifically promoting and
facilitating tobacco and /or mocking at the dangers of tobacco consumption are;
Padamshree Laloo Prasad Yadav, Yuva, Siskiyan, Tere Naam, Yahan, Page 3,
Parineeta, Bachke rehna Re Baba, Double Cross, Koi Mere Dil Mein Hai, Let’s
Enjoy, Masti, Madhoshi, Hum Tum, etc.
Belittling tobacco warnings is not a new trend. A movie recently (October 2005)
shown on Doordarshan, “Johnny Mera Naam” (A successful movie of 70’s) had a
scene where the hero (Dev Anand) offers a cigarette to villain (Prem Nath), the
villain refuses saying that, “I don’t smoke because cigarettes cause cancer.” The
hero goes ahead and lights the cigarette despite the villain admonishing him. It’s a
counter productive warning statement. The hero is the one who is brave, honest,
handsome and smart. Hero is the on who wins in the end with a cigarette in his
hand and it’s the villain who looses despite not smoking. It’s a clear and deliberate
situation belittling the warning.
Positive Statement Facilitating Tobacco Consumption
Movies with a positive statement about tobacco Others
Movies with a positive
statement about
tobacco
34%
Similarly in “Kaal,” a movie released in 2005 one of the important character
refuses the cigarette saying “It kills,” but in the same sequence of scenes he lights
a cigarette, puffs it and again says, “It kills.” Strangely in the next scene the
character who offered the cigarette is killed for reasons other than smoking. It is
an established fact that experimenting is the first step to full fledged smoking
addiction. One of the lead actors experimenting with the cigarette (while some
other smokes) though he does not smoke is a positive and provocative sequence.
24Tobacco in Movies & Impact on Youth
A 2005 release “Parineeta” had a scene where the female lead asks the hero not to
smoke because it is not good for him but the hero answers that he is mature
enough to understand about what is good and what is bad for him and continues to
smoke.
In “Nazar,” a movie released in 2005, a minor character is shown smoking in the
hospital and the nurse there admonishes her against smoking to which she replies
that if one has to die, one will die anyway and in the next sequence she is shown
murdered.
“Hum Tum,” a super hit movie of 2004 had a scene where the hero offers the
female lead a cigarette stating that those who have never smoked can not
understand the pleasures of smoking. In this movie too this is a clear instigation to
experiment with smoking. There are many such movies instigating
experimentation and at the same time also showing some cigarette brand at the
subliminal level. Some of them are Hum Tum, C U at 9, Kaal, Padamshree Laloo
Prasad Yadav, etc.
In another movie, “Padamshree Laloo Prashad Yadav,” the hero (Suniel Shetty)
offers a cigarette to a person (two different sequences) and on refusal by the
person to smoke claiming that he had never smoked before, the hero instigates
him. In a catchy dialogue sequence the hero asks him that the way you learned
about other things in your life and the way you learned producing children, the
same way you should also learn to smoke.
In “Let’s Enjoy,” (released 2004), there are elaborate dialogues praising cigarettes
and claiming it to be “Babaji ka prashad” (Divine potion). “Bachke Rehan Re
Baba,” shows a main character consuming “Gutka” (Chewing tobacco) in many
situations and is shown obsessively attached to tobacco. He praises the taste of
“Gutka” many times in the movie.
In “Page 3,” released in 2005, a police officer admonishes a journalist about
smoking and in the next sequences the journalist lights the cigarette of the police
inspector and both laugh over the previous warning. In another movie (Koi Mere
Dil Mein Hai) the father asks his son to smoke whenever he feels tense. Besides
there are many movies where a character is smoking and consuming alcohol
(doing both), he/she is admonished about not drinking but not about tobacco
consumption. Some of such sequences are in Bardaast, Chaahat, Madhoshi, etc.
These scenes are only illustrative in nature and not an exhaustive list. In the
movies showing tobacco at least 33.7% movies had a positive dialogue/action
facilitating tobacco consumption and 30.6% movies had a sequence which made
fun of the dangers of tobacco or belittled the warning statement.
Promoting smoking among females
Fewer females smoke in India except among certain socioeconomic groups and in
some geographical pockets, whereas the west has a large consumer segment in the
form of female smokers. It is a well known fact that tobacco companies strive
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