The Challenge of Cultural Translation: Marketing Benson & Hedges to Hispanic Americans Lessons for Public Health Professionals from an Analysis of Tobacco Industry Documents

Jesse Gelwicks, MA, Academy for Educational Development | Susan E. Middlestadt, PhD, Indiana University | Rebekah Nagler, BA, Annenberg School of Communication | A. Susana Ramirez, Annenberg School of Communication American Public Health Association, Boston, MA, November, 2006 | NCI Grant # CA098342-01

Context and Objectives The Hispanic Creative Solutions Campaign (continued) Changes to the Hispanic Creative Solutions Ads In response to these findings Philip Morris made some drastic changes to the text and images. Tobacco marketers and social marketers alike often need to develop marketing Table 1: Research Reports for the First Hispanic Virginia Slims Campaign campaigns for priority groups from different cultures. To do this, we often take Study Date Purpose Method Population Bates # Text Image campaigns developed for mainstream audiences and adapt them. The purpose of this • Simplified language • Emphasized elegance and pleasure Qualitative Research: Cultural Oct-93 To provide a preliminary Consumer psychologist N/A 2047263791 presentation is: Evaluation of the Benson & Hedges cultural evaluation of the potential analysis 2049168077 • Eliminated humor • Minimized social isolation of smokers "Creative Solutions" Campaign: Its relevance of the Creative Solutions 2040711677 • Emphasized quality, elegance, and pleasure • Minimized danger and absurdity • To illustrate the challenges in adapting and translating mainstream advertising cam- Potential Adaptation for Spanish campaign among Hispanics 2044352989 Advertising • Removed reference to smoking restrictions paigns to Hispanic Americans by analyzing Philip Morris research testing. • To understand the methods Philip Morris used to adapt a mainstream commercial Creative Solutions Qualitative Ad Nov-93 To test B&H's Creative Solutions 10 triad interviews Male and Female Cuban 2047263878 Test Among Cubans campaign on Cuban American mar- American smokers in 2047263830 Table 2: Transformation of Spanish Language Copy advertising campaign for Benson & Hedges aimed at Hispanic Americans by analyzing ket. Miami 2047263880 Version Spanish Copy English Translation Change internal tobacco industry documents B&H Hispanic Advertising Research Jul-94 To test three proposed B&H 100's 10 triad interviews Male and Female Cuban 2010712708 • To discuss how the failure to consider cultural differences can undermine an advertis- advertising strategies geared American smokers in 2041792571 towards Hispanics (Cuban) Miami 2040712722 Por que las secciones de fumar son tan poco Why is it (restaurant) smoking sections are so Version one is a direct translation of a 2041792581 1 apetecibles? Pide para llevar y disfruta de un unappetizing? Get takeout and fully enjoy a mainstream text. ing or counter-marketing campaign. 2041792579 buen cigarette. great cigarette. Creative Solutions Qualitative Aug-94 To assess the relevance of the 10 triad interviews Male and Female 2061811475 Research Among Mexican Smokers Sep-94 Benson & Hedges "Creative Mexican American smok- 2041792566 Los Extravagantes del Placer siempre cenen Connoisseurs of Pleasure always dine in high Version two eliminates all reference to Solutions" advertising campaign to ers in Los Angeles 2 por todo lo alto y, por supuesto, solo fuman elegance and, of course, only smoke Benson & smoking restrictions and the humor. Methods other Hispanic subgroups besides Benson & Hedges 100’s. Hedges 100’s. Cuban Americans.

• Based on analysis of 139 internal tobacco industry documents made available to the Los conocedores del buen gusto siempre People with good taste always dine in high ele- Version three softens the language even further public as a result of the Master Settlement Agreement (1998) 3 cenan por todo lo alto y, por supuesto, solo gance and, of course, only smoke Benson & as los extravagantes del placer is removed The cultural assumptions for both the mainstream and Hispanic Creative Solutions campaigns were that: fuman Benson & Hedges 100’s. Hedges 100’s because of its association with someone who • The documents are available in online depositories: Tobacco Documents Online, is strange and or eccentric. • There was a widespread anti-smoking campaign. American Legacy Foundation and industry sites. • It had created social pressure not to smoke. • Initial key word searches included: Hispanic, qualitative research, consumer research, • People who valued personal rights would want to fight back. market research, survey, focus group • And anyone who acknowledged this drive for personal rights would be expressing empathy. • Followed by snowball search • Therefore, association with empathy would create brand loyalty for Benson & Hedges. In focus groups this ad was viewed as the most realistic (#2044352989-3005:2992) “since it is in a restaurant and because participants • Document analysis by research team did not realize that the smokers were dining on the • Abstracted, indexed, and made available on The Women’s Collection: From Marketing The key findings from Benson & Hedges Hispanics Research were that: ledge of the building. Instead, participants thought the to Counter-Marketing (tobaccodocuments.org/women/) smokers were seated at balconies. This was appealing • Hispanics were not familiar with anti-smoking campaigns. and was considered a classy and elegant scenario.” • In fact, smoking was not stigmatized among Hispanics. Rather, it was a highly social activity. (2041792581-2611: 2591) • Hispanics also valued the desire of the group over the individual and wanted to conform to social laws and norms in America. • Lastly, the humor in the campaign did not translate. Bates #2061031002

The Creative Solutions Campaign Tested Hispanic Creative Solutions Ads Conclusions about Benson & Hedges The following are examples of tested ads that illustrate the key findings from the qualitative research. Hispanic Research Creative Solutions was the working title of a campaign created by Philip Morris for the Benson & Hedges brand. It was an attempt to respond to the increasingly restricted and regulated public smoking environment • Initial Hispanic research indicated that the social stigma barrier was not relevant to by creating empathy among existing smokers. The images in the Creative Solutions campaign depicted Translation: Why is it they never put out the welcome Hispanics. people smoking in unusual places, while the text mat for smokers? Pull up a seat wherever you like humorously referred to current smoking restrictions and fully enjoy the taste of a great cigarette. • Hispanics were not particularly aware of the legal restrictions or the anti-tobacco campaigns. and implied that smoking was worth the trouble. • Philip Morris modified ad text and images to deemphasize the extremes people would go to Smith & Malone (2004) concluded the campaign was In the focus groups this image was found to be the smoke, emphasizing instead the luxury and pleasure of smoking to the point where the a commercial failure, although media coverage of least appropriate. While Hispanic smokers were empathy concept of the campaign was no longer communicated to Hispanic respondents. the ads was positive. (Smith & Malone. ‘“Creative aware of public smoking restrictions and willing to • The ads that were successful with Hispanics were often interpreted differently than planned. Solutions”: selling cigarettes in a smoke-free world.’ adjust to them these restrictions did not apply in their Tobacco Control 2004; 13:57-63.) own homes. “The Hispanic approach to smoking • Ultimately, Philip Morris should have created a campaign based on barriers relevant to [was] to derive pleasure, relaxation and was to be Hispanics. At the time of the Benson & Hedges Creative shared and enjoyed in the company of others. The Solutions campaign, Philip Morris was conducting home [was] especially one of the places where smok- Bates #2061030994 tracking studies of Hispanic smokers (1990 through ers could do this.” (2047263829-3864: 3842) Implications for Public Health Campaigns 1996). Benson & Hedges was the second most Bates #2047263892 popular Philip Morris brand with Hispanics behind only Marlboro (2041619432-9477:9449). Benson & • Campaigns that address a barrier (or behavior) need to be sure that the barrier (or behavior) Hedges was particularly popular with Cuban Americans. However, the brand share of Spanish speaking smokers was declining (2045659947-0019:9960). Translation: Why is it even elevators look down even exists within the Hispanic population. on smokers? Rise to the occasion and fully • Pre-tests are necessary to find out if a mainstream campaign can be applied to the enjoy a great cigarette. Hispanic community. The Hispanic Creative Solutions Campaign • Ideally, the concept for the campaign should stem from issues relevant to the Hispanic Hispanic smokers thought the people in the ad community. Benson & Hedges conducted Hispanic research from October 1993 to June 1995 appeared desperate and were taking unnecessary • In Miami (Cuban-Americans) and Los Angeles (Mexican-Americans) physical risks just to smoke. “They [did] • After investing a lot into a mainstream campaign, it is tempting to want to apply it to • 1 cultural evaluation not associate desperation with smoking… nor as many groups as possible. However, it is important not to become so invested in the • 3 qualitative studies [did] they perceive themselves this way.” campaign that you are not willing to make necessary changes. (2047263829-3864:3843) Rather, smoking • Embrace the cultural differences. Spanish-language Creative Solutions ads ran from 1994 to 1996 was social and associated with pleasure and • 6 identified versions of the ad ran relaxation. • 5 more versions were tested • Ran in national Hispanic magazines Bates #2047263894 For more information please contact Jesse Gelwicks at [email protected]