The power of advertising Ads and other promotional activities encourage young people to start smoking, and reinforce the habit among those who already smoke.
Research suggests that even very young children are profoundly influenced by cigarette advertising.
Children as young as 6 clearly associate the John Player Special and Marlboro brands with excitement and fast cars. These associations are triggered by simple ads which make no mention of motor racing. Children aged 10-12 who approve of cigarette advertising are twice as likely to become smokers within a year as children who disapprove of it. They are also consistently better at recognizing and recalling cigarette ads, even when the ads do not show brand names. Children who smoke but who do not approve of ads are more likely to quit.