Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #116664

Susan E. Middlestadt, PhD¹, Jesse M. Gelwicks, MA², A. Susana Ramirez³, Kimberly Maxwell, PhD⁴, and Junette McWilliams, MPH⁴. (1) Applied Health Science, Indiana University, 116 HPER, Bloomington, IN 47405, 812/856-5768, semiddle@indiana.edu, (2) Center for Applied Behavioral and Evaluation Research, Academy for Educational Development, 1825 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20009, (3) Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania, 3620 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19105, (4) Center for Applied Behavioral Evaluation and Research, Academy for Educational Development, 1825 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20009

The tobacco industry is analyzing secondary data and conducting primary research to understand the Hispanic market. An examination of internal industry documents can illuminate marketing strategies targeting Hispanic women and suggest approaches to counter-marketing. Searches were conducted of tobacco industry collections available online. This presentation discusses Philip Morris consumer research and marketing documents from the early 1990's. An analysis of these documents reveals the characteristics of US Hispanic women the industry is capitalizing on in their marketing. The Hispanic population is younger and growing at a faster than the white population. Hispanic women smokers are younger than white female smokers. The lower smoking incidence among Hispanics, particularly females and young adult females, is seen as a growth opportunity by the industry. Hispanic populations are geographically concentrated providing ease in advertising. Different national groups dominate different cities, making it possible to limit consumer research to Miami, New York and LA. In 1990, the majority of Hispanics were foreign born. Issues with language and literacy influenced the industry to emphasis the visual. Female teens showed a higher degree of assimilation and more approval orientation than both adult women and male teens. Hispanics smokers are more brand loyal than whites. Marlboro is the leading brand among Hispanics, particularly younger (male and female) smokers. Young Hispanic women want to buy the same brands as their non-Hispanic peers. Industry documents suggest level of assimilation is being used as a segmentation strategy and appear to portray smoking as a way Hispanic women can become modern.

Learning Objectives:

• Learners will be able to identify marketing strategies that Philip Morris uses to target Hispanic women
• Learners will be able to understand how an analysis of previously secret tobacco industry documents can inform current tobacco prevention and control efforts

Keywords: Tobacco Industry, Latino Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation