Stanford's massive tobacco ad archive reveals a century of psychological manipulation
Stanford University houses what may be the world's largest online collection of tobacco advertisements — over 62,000 scans spanning three centuries that tell a fascinating story of how the industry shaped public perception of smoking.
The Stanford Research into the Impact of Tobacco Advertising (SRITA) archive, established in 2007, documents how tobacco companies marketed their products across eras. From glamorous celebrity endorsements to pseudo-scientific health claims, the collection reveals the industry's sophisticated techniques for targeting specific demographics — including women, youth, and ethnic minorities.
"Our purpose is to study the promotional activities of the tobacco industry," explains Stanford professor Robert Jackler, SRITA's principal investigator. The project brings together researchers from diverse fields including medicine, history, and anthropology to analyze everything from vintage cigarette ads to modern e-cigarette marketing on social media.
Each piece in the collection helps tell the story of an industry that masterfully adapted its marketing strategies to survive decades of increasing regulation and health concerns.
Examples:
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