Struggling with Meaninglessness

Few weeks ago in a business meeting, a lady told me that Tobacco companies (British-American Tobacco and Philip Morris) were actually the main contributors to the multi-million dollars anti-smoking campaigns in Malaysia, few years ago.

I was puzzled as to why tobacco companies will want to contradict their business model. She assumed it was part of the corporate social responsibility plan.

But I wasn’t convinced, I think there’s more on to that.

After reading an article just now, I finally realized the ultimate reason why tobacco industry are willing to splash huge money on anti-smoking campaigns – it’s all part of subtle marketing.

Tobacco causes addiction, and people always have hard time resisting cravings. Therefore, when a tobacco-addict come across an anti-smoking advertisement, the image of cigarette will simply activate the brain’s nucleus accumbens, an area associated with cravings. Tobacco addiction actually outweighs the fear of  damaged lungs graphics when computed by our emotional calculator while viewing the ad.

In a simple emotion-rule – Addiction > Fear

Crazy bunch of marketers.