March 2005 - Cigarette ad, The Netherlands
Tobacco advertising is not easy in The Netherlands. There is no more advertising on tv, radio, billboards, or magazines. No more sponsoring of events. Absolutely no advertising on Internet because it can be accessed by minors. Nothing in bars, discos or concert halls. No supermarkets. What it comes down to, is that the only place where tobacco companies can advertise is in tobacco stores. And the only place in the tobacco store is a display above the rack which contains all the cigarettes. Which dictates that the ad has to have the almost impossible dimensions of 24cmx150cm (9"x60").
If you want to show the package in the ad, it needs to contain the warning which makes up about 30% of the package. If you want to have people in the ad, you are not allowed to be able to recognize anybody. However every person in the ad has to be obviously over 30 years old.
With governments trying to dictate what drugs to abuse, it makes you wonder why alcohol has not suffered these regulations. What drug would be more responsable for disrupted families, violence, and traffic accidents - alcohol or cigarettes?
Or would the alcohol industry have better government lobbies?
Best,
Niels
p.s. As it is absolutely prohibited to have any tobacco-related advertising on the Internet the name of the product needed to be blacked out. (for a surprise, take a look at any tobacco manufacturer's website, for example marlboro.com)
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