Daily Doc: PM, Feb, 1994: the Marlboro Man is Gay
Daily Doc: The Marlboro Man is Gay
Title: Exploratory Qualitative Research - Benson and Hedges in the Gay Market
PM, Feb, 1994
Bates #: 2040745008/5036
January 10, 2000
No demographic group is safe from becoming a target of the tobacco industry. This document shows the intense scrutiny Philip Morris Tobacco Company gives the gay community in order to market appealing cigarette imagery to this group.
From reading the documents, we know that a cigarette is a cigarette is a cigarette. It's the IMAGERY that sells the brand. When was the last time you saw a man lighting up a "Misty" or a "Virginia Slim?" You generally don't see men smoking these brands because the industry tarets the imagery of these brands at women. Here, a market research company is conducting focus groups among gay men for Philip Morris, to hone in on the appropriate imagery needed to sell cigarettes to gay men.
(By the way, documents reveal that African Americans predominantly smoke menthol cigarettes, and that KOOL is the favorite brand among that demographic group. Documents reveal that gay men smoke predominantly Benson and Hedges.)
CITATION
Title: Exploratory Qualitative Research - Benson and Hedges in the Gay Market
Type of Document: Marketing report
Author: Guiles and Associates, New York
Date: 19940200
Page Count: 29
Site: Philip Morris document site http://www.pmdocs.com/
Bates No. 2040745008/5036
URL: http://www.pmdocs.com/getimg.asp?pgno=0&start=0&bool=market%20and%20gay%20and%20report&docid=2040745008/5036&docnum=2 Found using search criteria: "market and gay and report"
QUOTES
...Within the gay market, Marlboro is often embraced as authentic, down-to-earth, independent and enduring - all within an overtly masculine (sexy) exterior. In a society where male homosexuality is often interpreted to mean non-masculinity, Marlboro is particularly appreciated as both a cue to manhood, and to independence (individuality).
BRAND IMAGERY
Marlboro
Maintaining the highest share of the gay market, Marlboro imagery is fairly instant and clearly dominated by the Marlboro Man. Among gay consumers, this image has particular importance as an overt cue to masculinity/sexuality. Marlboro's success in this context depends wholly on the relevance of this cowboy image to the world (fantasy and real) of these gay consumers.
Positively:
Rugged/Masculine/Sexy
Drives truck/motorcycle /Rough around the edges. Unshaven or bearded. No cologne. / Dressed very masculinely. Orally fixated (positive) / Wild.
The ultimate Stud.
Independent / Strong
Self-employed. / Has his own car.
Self-assured.
Manual laborer.
Stays young and strong.
Not arrogant
Friendly: open.
Shy.
Authentic/Well-rounded
Someone like me, with the same kind of interests and outspoken friends. Typical middle American sort of person. No one on the plastic side. Not sophisticated, but not stupid. / Honest, hardworking type. The kind you could take home.
Enduring
Steady blue collar.
At the same time, these cowboy images( masculine, original, blue collar) can exist so firmly that they alienate certain smokers.
NEGATIVES:
Common
Has a regular job; nothing out of the ordinary. Drives something American, a few years old. Blends in with the world.
Distant
He could be a good friend but probably not much past that. Maybe a great one-nighter, but no one you'd want to spend everyday with. What would you talk about? Drag racing? False masculinity
Tries real hard to let you know how butch he is. No real confidence. Macho. / Only dances if he's drunk. Redneck
Likes to square dance.
Bad accent.
Overbearing
He's the kind of friend who sometimes embarrasses you after a few drinks. Loud drunk.
All the worst qualities of straight men rolled into an attractive gay man.
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END OF DOCUMENT