Unpad.ac.id, 1/05/2014] Nowdays, Indonesia has become the country with the largest market for cigarette manufacturers. One of the reason is because of the ineffective government regulation to reduce the number of smokers in Indonesia.
“The most important thing is not the anti-smoking campaign in the form of advertisement, but the regulation. Currently in our country the regulation is still a half-hearted whereas the most effective is the wholeheartedly regulation to stop smoking and it proves in several countries,” said Centurion C. Priyatna, Ph.D. while speaking at the Public Lecture “Identity, Middle Class, and Smoking Culture” which is held at Aula Gedung D, third floor, Faculty of Humanities (FIB), Unpad, Jatinangor, Wednesday (30/04).
According to him, the cause of Indonesia is still implementing “half-hearted” regulation is because the cigarette industry generates the foreign exchange with a very large amount annually. In addition, the cigarette industry also provides jobs for many people.
While in other countries, Australia for example, the government set a very high cigarette prices and no-smoking rules in almost every area. In addition, cigarette packaging which is not attractive and tend to be frightening with the picture of various diseases caused by smoking also play a role in reducing the number of smokers.
On that opportunity, Centurion also said that the cigarette manufacturers is mostly targeting the middle class consumers. In Indonesia itself, the people who are in the middle class are very large in number, reaching 48% of the total population. “Middle class is considered as the most potential market, including cigarette,” he said.
The cigarette advertisement that aired is also a representation of the middle class that is continue to change each year. The changes include in behavior, habit, and a growing trend. The cigarette advertisement is also customize according to its target market.
Lecturer at the Faculty of Communication Studies (Fikom) Unpad, also revealed that most ciggarete advertisements are made with the intention of product differentiation, not as a form of invitation to smoke. The cigarette advertisement is made by offering life-style, not the ciggarete products itself. Thus, it is often called that ciggarete shows a person’s identity. Someone who smokes with the “A” brand will show a different identity with people who smoke with the “B” brand.
“Advertising is made to the existence of reminding the audience about the product, as well as to differentiation, offering the different. Usually smokers are very loyal to their own brand ,” said the Monash University graduate.
The event which is organized by the Department of Literature and Cultural Studies FIB Unpad is opened by the Vice Dean I FIB Unpad, Dr. Mumuh Mohsen Zakaria, M. Hum, and also attended by the vice-rector in the field of research, community service, and cooperation. Dr. med. Setiawan, dr. and the Head of the Department of Literature and Cultural Studies FIB Unpad, Aquarini Priyatna Prabasmoro, MA, M. Hum., PhD. The event is moderated by the professor of English Literature FIB Unpad, Rasus Budhyono, M. Hum. *
Reported by: Artanti Hendriyana / er *
