July 20, 2012

Stanton A. Glantz, PhD

Paramount promoting cigs in "bonus" with new Katy Perry movie

From a friend (with a little editing by me):
 
The new Katy Perry movie, Part of Me, which is "smoke free," is accompanied by a "bonus feature" that gets glamorized cigarettes in front of 10-14 year old girls.
 
After the previews, but before the movie began there was a blast from the past-- the screen showed the Paramount Studios' "vault" opening to reveal the Olivia Newton John smoking her cigarette in the final scene from Grease. As words and cartoon icons flashed a sing-a-long across the screen, she smoked it
seductively before being coached to fling it at John Travolta's feet.
 
If you've never seen this scene, here's a link. The cigarette is portrayed as a significant part of what has transformed squeaky clean Sandy into a strong
sexy woman.
 
If it seems inconsequential, it's not. Pam Laffin, who was featured in Massachusetts' "Make Smoking History" anti-tobacco campaign media campaign, before succumbing to emphysema, said that this very scene was the inspiration for her taking up smoking. (Another Pam Laffin spot.) Who can blame her? She was a young girl and Olivia Newton John makes it look sooooo cool.
 
Minutes after the Philip Morris scene played, the movie started with scenes of Katy Perry's fans -- thousands of pre-teen and teenaged girls who eager to experiment with their identities the way Katy does. (Document showing Philip Morris provided cigarettes for Grease.)  This "bonus" material doesn't seem to be isolated. A Google search found a tweet by Rosie O'Donnell, who saw the same sing-a-long before the Katy Perry movie started.

To revive this 35-year-old scene right before Katy Perry's (non-smoking) pop-music documentary will expose tens of thousands of girls to the precise movie images that women remember started them smoking a generation ago.

CAN YOU SECOND THIS SIGHTING?

If you see this Grease promo over the weekend, please send us:

• Date and time
• Name of theater (and chain)
• When the promo was shown (ie., with other ads before previews, or between the previews and the main feature)
• Any "sponsor" details on the promo (Paramount logo or other).

Getting smoking out of the main movie — but keeping it on screen — does not reduce kids' exposure. If Paramount, which brought us PG-rated Rango, thinks such a stunt is cute and provocative, it should be held accountable.

Meanwhile, Philip Morris is getting more than its money's worth from giving Grease free cigs in 1978.

Thanks for any info you and your networks can provide.

Comments

Comment: 

The "Grease" promo played before the Katy Perry movie on Saturday, July 21 (7:20 pm) at AMC Century 15 (Los Angeles, CA).  It was titled "Paramount Opens the Vaults".  The promo was shown before the Katy Perry movie and I think it came between upcoming movie trailers and the main feature.  
I saw the Katy Perry movie and promo with my 15 year old daughter; &nbsp;her reaction to seeing the <em;Grease</em; promo &nbsp;was "Ugh, I really hate how the Sandy character in this movie changes herself into someone she isn't just to get a boy." &nbsp; &nbsp;She added that she preferred the "Glee" version of "You're the One That I Want" !......After being sent an email with a link to this blog, I asked her what she thought about the smoking in the promo and she said she thought that was "just part of the 'era' " and "was more evidence of how stupid the Sandy character was to change herself like that"....One can only hope more 'tweens & teens feel the same way.
Outraged letter to Paramount to follow. &nbsp;Maybe Katy Perry's management also?
Mary Lee Ryan
&nbsp;

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