Young Women's Perceptions of Print Cigarette Advertising

Abstract

Twenty-eight middle-school-aged girls participated in focus group interviews designed to elicit their perceptions of images and messages embedded in print cigarette advertising directed at women. Five themes emerged from the transcribed group discussions: attraction of romantic partners, escape from stress, attraction of peers as friends, accumulation of material wealth, and health and vitality. We applied a critical feminist perspective to analyze the use of these five themes to appeal to an adolescent female audience.