Why Smokers Don't Quit Smoking Despite The "Death Warning" Labels On Cigarette Packs (Surprising Psychology/Marketing Lesson)

There are no arguments...

Addiction to bad habits can indeed put people on a hamster wheel...making them do unproductive and health-damaging things over and over again.

But the truth is, what I'm about to tell you goes beyond just addiction.

I was reading a book on sales and marketing psychology few days ago...

And I came across a neuromarketing research a bunch of scientists carried out on dozens of smokers in the United Kingdom.

What informed this research?

Scientists were quite curious about why most smokers don't quit smoking despite the "death warning" labels on cigarette packs.

"...Smokers are liable to die young."

"Smokers are more likely to have lung cancer."

"Cigarettes cause strokes and heart disease."

"Smoking kills."

Quite frankly, these label warnings should be enough to deter any right-thinking person...

But rather, the opposite effect is what we see playing out.

In 2006 alone, global consumers smoked over 5,763 billion cigarettes...

Despite worldwide tobacco advertising bans, billion-dollar anti-smoking campaigns sponsored by world governments...and health warnings from medical experts.

What's even worse was that...

12 times more British people have died from smoking than died in World War II!

That's a fact.

It's shocking, I know.

The burning questions are...

>>Are smokers blind to the warning labels on cigarette packs?

>>Do they secretly believe they are different from those that have died from smoking?

>>Or do they know about the health dangers and just don't care?

While you may be quick to attribute this unwillingness to quit to just addiction...

This neuromarketing research revealed something even deeper and surprising.

Turns out the brains of addicted smokers process anti-smoking information differently.

How? I'll explain...stay with me.

The research revealed the label warnings on cigarette packs had no effect whatsoever...

In suppressing the smokers' cravings at all.

Rather, it stimulated an area of the smokers' brain which scientists call the "craving spot."

This part of the brain lights up when the body desires something...

Meaning those anti-smoking warnings had a direct opposite effect...

Encouraging smokers rather than deterring them...

Ultimately resulting in more money for cigarette companies!

So, what's the psychology/marketing lesson?

As much as addiction leads to repeat purchases...

There's a much deeper subconscious force that stimulates our interest...

Even to extremes.

The smokers were given questionnaires to fill and they all agreed that they were affected by the warning labels...

But when their brains went through a neuromarketing test...

They betrayed their questionnaire choices.

This is why copywriters and marketers need to go really deep in psychographic research before selling a product or service to modern-day customers.

Sometimes, customers don't say what they mean...

They say what appears socially acceptable in order not to be seen as odd...

Then keep their somewhat shameful desires to themselves to save face.

Thanks for reading.

#copywriting

#advertising

#salesandmarketing