Tobacco promotion

Tobacco companies spend huge amounts of money on promoting their products around the world. They know that they have to constantly recruit new smokers or they would go out of business. Millions of smokers either quit or die from tobacco related disease each year as a result of taking up smoking in the years when the tobacco industry deliberately targeted young people and even children.

"They represent tomorrow's cigarette business. . . As this 14-24 age group matures, they will account for a key share of the total cigarette volume -- for at least the next 25 years."
R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.September 30, 1974  

Now they’ve got a lot sneakier - they publicly deny that they target children but can a leopard change its’ spots?

In countries like Australia and the US they are under close scrutiny but in developing countries their advertising continues. The document below clearly shows RJ Reynolds advertising its logo on children’s toys in Taiwan.

Why would they do that if they weren’t targeting children?

RJ Reynolds application to market cigarette brands to children in Taiwan

In Australia, it has been illegal to advertise or promote tobacco products since 1992 so does that mean that young people aren’t targeted here? Unfortunately not. In Australia tobacco companies engage in “below-the-line” (btl) marketing where smoking and cigarettes are promoted in activities that are not so easily traced or covered by existing laws. Here are some of the btl promotions we have heard about over the past couple of years:

• 2007 Free Davidoff cigarettes given to guests at the Fashion TV Red Ribbon Party Foundation party – a preview party for Australian Fashion Week 
• 2006 British American Tobacco funds “trade parties” for hospitality industryemployees. One party at the Home club in Sydney featured The Sleepy Jacksons, Wolf and Cub and Bagraiders with Peter Stuyvesant cigarettes freely available all night. 
• 2003 Big Day Out concerts featured “chill out” tents where Peter Stuyvesant cigarettes were promoted and sold. 
• 2001 The tobacco brand Alpine was promoted through fashion events and shows

In magazines and on the internet, images of smoking are often used in an attempt to portray glamour and style. In 2007, fashion labels Wheels and Doll Baby, Gripp Jeans and General Pants all used models smoking in their ads. Whilst the silence is golden label had images of women smoking on their internet site. Designer Carla Zampatti was a former Director of Rothmans and designers Wayne Cooper and Peter Morrisey have had collaborations with the tobacco industry in the past.

Another way that Australian youth is exposed to smoking is through smoking in movies.

MYTH: It’s my choice to smoke In the US tobacco companies spend about US$13 billion  a year on marketing – that’s a lot of persuasion

What is product placement?