horse wrote:
If the advertising were not encouraging people to smoke then what is the point of advertising?
Advertising is not about convincing or encouraging you to start smoking/eating/whatever. Advertising is about brand awareness, retention, differentiation, etc. You (meaning human beings) are more likely to buy a brand you "know" over a brand you don't. This works all the way from the subconscious level all the way to the conscious, so even if you only "know" the brand through advertisements, it is going to affect your choices.
For example, let's say you decide to start smoking today, and don't know anyone who does. Hmmm...so, how are you going to decide which brand to buy? Ask random strangers? Or, maybe you remember that funny/innovative/edgy/insert_your_preferred_adjective_here advertisement from brand X. - "I might as well buy that one, if I don't like it I can buy a different pack next time." - you tell yourself. Maybe you do, maybe you don't. But the fact is that brand X got an extra sell. And maybe, just maybe, you stick with them till the cancer kicks in.