Century of the Self (Torches of Freedom)

The topic that I found the most interesting in the movie Century of the Self video in class was how Edward Bernay’s got women to smoke cigarettes also known as “the torches of freedom” in public spaces. I thought this idea of Bernays was brilliant because I would have never thought that public relations could start such a big social change in society. I think what really stumps my head is the fact that his plan was so simple and yet so complex (it was simply genius). Now Before I really get into that, we first have to understand the steps that led to the women’s first puff of the lovely torch.

So back in the 1900’s it was considered very un-lady like to smoke cigarettes in public. It was to the point that’s some states passed laws just to prevent women from smoking because it was seen as defying moral privileges (in other words being very improper). Cigarettes were considered to be very masculine, and around this time America was still going through their little “patriarchal stage” making smoking a big “No no“ for women. So George Hill at the time was the head of a big tobacco company. The name of his tobacco company was Lucky Strikes, which at the time was a popular pack of cigarettes. Just like any normal business man, Hill wanted to increase his profits in his cigarette sales. He wanted to appeal more to the female demographic so, he hired Edwards Bernays (the master of starting trends and capitalizing on profits) to help him accomplish that.

Now Bernays began brainstorming on the different ways to make cigarettes appealing to women, but was coming up dry. So, he contacted a famous psychoanalyst by the name of Abraham Brill to seek advice on how to make cigarettes more marketable to women. Mr. Brill stated that women smoked because it was an oral fixation they had. Now I bet you’re wondering , what does oral sex have to do with smoking? Well, Brill looked at the masculinity of the cigarette as the male private part. So women smoking cigarettes symbolized their suppressed desire to have oral sex. Now Brill explained to Bernays that to make the cigarette marketable to women that he had to present them as the “torches of freedom because it would represent women breaking away from male domination. So Edward Bernays hired some models/ debutants to walk in the Easter parade, and have them lighting up their torches for social change. So Bernays made sure that the press and photographers were there so that this was stir up trouble or in other words get the word out. This march stirred up a talk around the nation inspiring all women to turn their flame on.

Over time Bernays plan of targeting women to smoke was a success. This march was covered in just about every paper in America. The number of lady smokers increased in the United States from a low five percent all the way to a rapid eighteen percent, which is a major jump. What puts my face in awe is how perfectly Bernays executed his plan. I think it is crazy how a simple idea like that could really start a social change to the point of inspiring other females to grab a torch too. This movement went so far that it began to be shown on television/movies. It was no longer a crime of morals for women to smoke in public, it was now a widely accepted fashion trend (in other words the new “it” thing to do). It was getting to the point that new books were being published along with different classes on the proper smoking etiquette. Sarah Gates in her article goes into how the smoking classes taught how to properly stub out a cigarette, and how women shouldn’t smoke at dinner parties (that was considered rude). An interesting section that I enjoyed reading from, “Smoking Etiquette for Women” was learning that Eleanor Roosevelt (the president’s wife of the United States) was the first lady to smoke in public.

To fast forward to this day an age, smoking cigarettes isn’t as open as it used to be back then in Bernays time. Now it seems that society is trying to limit/stop public smoking all together in public places for both genders. A good example of this is city councils attempt to ban smoking in 42nd street Times Square located in New York City. Now, I could understand the councils ruling in 2002 from banning smoking in restaurants and bars, but Times Square (they’re crazy if they think that plots going to work). Plus to add on to the madness if you are caught smoking a cigarette in the park, restaurants/bars, and pedestrian areas such as Times Square, you will be fined fifty dollars. If you ask me I think this is just another sneaky attempt for the city cheat people out of their money. Now don’t get me wrong I don’t smoke personally, but I feel that it should be acceptable for people to smoke in a public place. It’s their rights. The government might as well erase the bill of rights while their at it just to seal the deal.

In conclusion at the end of Edward Bernays experiment it was considered sexy, independent and empowering for women to smoke cigarettes in public. According to Wikipedia about 33% of American women were still smoking by the year of 1977, so you can only imagine where the numbers reach into in the year 2011. Granted because of his little plot women now have to suffer the same fate men do with lung cancer, but Bernays will remain one of my heroes. I know that is crazy to say, but I am still shocked about how easy it is to manipulate the mind to make such a big change. Its one of those things you hear about, but don’t believe until you see it (and Bernays helped me see). So to conclude I think Bernays is amazing and I am only talking about one of his many contributions to public relations. You yourself should look him up on Google because you’ll be so amazed at what you find.