Advertising

print page

JTI advertises for three reasons: to maintain brand loyalty; to encourage smokers of competitor brands to switch to our products; and to provide information about our products to adult consumers. We do not advertise to encourage smoking. We do not advertise to minors. To do so would be wrong.

The freedom to advertise is fundamental to any consumer goods company's ability to compete for market share. Advertising also benefits consumers. It promotes competition. It increases choice. It encourages manufacturers to introduce new, better quality products. Advertising influences demand for one product over another, within a product category. It does not have the power to make people buy products they do not want. Tobacco advertising has, however, long been a source of controversy. Growing international pressure to reduce cigarette consumption has led to restrictions or bans on tobacco advertising in many countries. The basic argument for such restrictions and/or bans stems from the belief that tobacco advertising leads to an increase in overall consumption and also that this advertising contributes to minors smoking. However, the evidence to support such arguments is, at best, equivocal. Advertising is a necessary element of competition and an important means of communicating with adult smokers. Bans on tobacco advertising deprive adult consumers of choice; block the circulation of information; and inhibit product development. Therefore, we do object to total bans on tobacco advertising.

Our Code of Practice

But the fact remains that, if you smoke, you risk serious disease and you risk not being able to quit. We recognize that tobacco is a controversial product about which society has wholly legitimate concerns. We are committed to marketing our product responsibly and we want to demonstrate that commitment through action not just words. In this context, JT International applies globally consistent standards for our company's marketing activities around the world.

The standards set a baseline for acceptable tobacco marketing worldwide. The cornerstones of the standards are:

Ensuring that our brand marketing has no particular appeal to youth;
Restricting youth exposure to tobacco marketing;
Ensuring that adult smokers are appropriately informed about the risks of smoking;
Recognizing that it is right to restrict our marketing activities, given the nature of our product;
Encouraging other tobacco companies to join with us.

The standards impact on marketing practices in many countries around the world. They cover all aspects of marketing including print, billboards, electronic media, promotional events, packaging and sponsorship. In countries where the standards exceed existing voluntary or legal restrictions, we are committed to work with regulators to see the standards incorporated into law, or into agreements that ensure effective local implementation. In countries where existing arrangements are more restrictive, those existing agreements or laws will of course continue to be followed.