Tobacco Industry Using Facebook, Social Networking

[george]

Industry dodges ad bans by pushing smokes online

The tobacco industry is using social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to promote its products and persuade people to become smokers, a study revealed yesterday.

"The ban on advertising does not mean the tobacco industry has stopped advertising its products," said Becky Freeman of Australia's University of Sydney, who conducted the study.

She presented her findings in Bangkok at a threeday regional training workshop held by Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA).

Freeman said most tobacco companies were interested in viral marketing (using preexisting social networks to increase brand recognition) to persuade or influence audiences to pass products on to others.

A million people had visited video clips on YouTube reviewing cigarettes, she said, and thousands more had become fans of the products on Facebook.

"The Internet has made it easier to engage consumers by allowing them to contribute directly to marketing campaigns and brand development," she said.

The use of social networking tools such as Facebook, Twitter, blogs, podcasts and RSS would be one of the main topics up for discussion at Tabinfo Asia 2009, the tobacco industry's biggest event, to be held at the Impact Arena Exhibition Centre from today until Sunday.

SEATCA's senior policy adviser Mary Assunta Kolandai said the tobacco industry was using creative tactics to attract buyers by introducing giveaways using brand colours and logos.

Another marketing device was the use of product and pack designs - such as colourful and glowinthe dark packs - to entice specific groups.

"For example, we found cigarette packs designed like lipsticks or wallets - a new way to lure more and more women to become smokers," she said.

To prevent youth from taking up smoking, Kolandi has called on the government to issue comprehensive regulations banning such advertising and promotion on the Internet.

A group of 650 people, including teenagers, led by Action on Smoking and its alliances, will today demonstrate against the Tabinfo Asia 2009 at Impact Arena.

"This is a nightmare for our people," SEATCA's director Bungon Ritthiphakdee said, adding that the industry would step up its tactics to fight, delay and dilute national tobacco control legislation - as evidenced by the sessions and discussions lined up for its upcoming congress.

Also on the summit's agenda is discussing how to wipe the regulatory slate clean, making packages more attractive and innovations to sustain addiction, Bungon said.

Statistics:

-- 2.4 million people per year die from tobaccorelated diseases in Asia.

-- 6,575 smokers die daily.

-- 125 million adults are smokers in the Asean region.

-- 250 million smokers in China.

-- 1 million die in the mainland every year from tobacco related deaths.

-- The Nation 2009-11-11

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[webfact]

TABINFO ASIA 2009

Hundreds of Thais protest tobacco congress in Bangkok

By Deutsche Presse Agentur

Bangkok - Hundreds of Thais on Wednesday protested outside a tobacco industry congress in Bangkok aimed at expanding cigarette consumption in Asia, already the fastest-growing market for tobacco products.

"We would like the world to see we are opposed to the tobacco industry using Thailand as a base to promote and expand its markets in Asia among youths and women," said Chawala Pawaputanond, a coordinator for the Thai Network Against Tabinfo Asia 2009.

The network gathered 86,238 signatures of people opposed to the annual tobacco industry congress, Tabinfo Asia, held in Bangkok at the Muang Thong Thani Convention Centre.

The annual tobacco industry convention and exhibition has billed itself as a crucial event for companies in the cigarette business in Asia.

"As rules, regulations, and perceptions of tobacco change around the globe, the Asia-Pacific has become one of the world's most important tobacco markets," an advertisement for the three-day event said.

"That's why Tabinfo Asia holds a spot as one of the most noteworthy and important tobacco events of the year," it said.

The Thai government has won praise from the World Health Organization for its campaign against cigarette smoking, which has included such measures as high taxes, gruesome pictures on cigarette packs depicting lung cancer and throat cancer victims, and bans on cigarette ads and smoking in all public places.

Even so, there are an estimated 14.3 million tobacco users in Thailand, or more than a quarter of the adult population, according to recent research conducted by the Global Adults Tobacco Survey.

-- The Nation 2009/11/11

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[toybits]

Wouldn't it be nice to know who owns these tobacco companies? RJ Reynolds, British-American Tobacco UK Ltd, Gallaher Ltd., The Tobacco Monopoly, Altria Group (owner of Phillip Morris), Japan Tobacco (Manufacturer of Seven Stars Tobacco),

[hhgz]

Since at least some of the companies you named are publicly-held, I'm going to say "the public". That was a tough one!

[toybits]

One thing that tobacco companies share is their SHAMELESS attitude in pushing tobacco smoking even when it is known that smoking causes lung cancer.

Only when public opinion regarding smoking is so great that it no longer is politically correct to manufacture tobacco will these people cease this utterly shameless business.

The social-marketing campaigns must be aimed at people that do not smoke and encourage them to put MORE PRESSURE against smokers and against tobacco VENDORS. Retail Vendors are just as bad as smokers.

Legislation should also be supported to further marginalize smokers.

Edited November 11, 2009 by toybits

[toybits]

Anti-tobacco activists should get access to these records and publish names of prominent members. If they have any shame, they should unload their shares.

Furthermore, private organizations should refuse receiving assistance from Tobacco Companies. I know of at least one prominent non-governmental organization that received funding from a major tobacco manufacturer. It would also be nice to have the public know about this and let is be known that receiving money from tobacco manufacturers is no longer acceptable.

Since at least some of the companies you named are publicly-held, I'm going to say "the public". That was a tough one!

[gotlost]

I thank I see a temperest movment growing. I hear the band.

[jackspratt]

I thank I see a temperest movment growing. I hear the band.

If they start producing banners, let's hope they can spell

[webfact]

Organiser fined over cigarette ads at tobacco exhibition

By The Nation

Published on November 14, 2009

A Thai advertiser who organised an international tobacco exhibition was yesterday fined Bt20,000 for allowing banners carrying images of cigarette brands and logos at the event.

The unnamed company was fined Bt20,000 for violating a 1992 law that prohibits pictorial or narrative displays of brands of cigarettes and other tobacco products.

The violation took place at the Tabinfo Asia exhibition, which was held at a Muang Thong Thani exhibition hall, from Wednesday until yesterday.

A team of Public Health Ministry inspectors and local police met the staff of the company on Thursday to notify them of the offence. The staff appeared at the Nonthaburi provincial court yesterday and pleaded guilty, resulting in the initial fine of Bt40,000 being halved.

Public Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai hailed the court penalty as a sign to the world that Thailand's law on controlling tobacco consumption was effective and any violator was equally punishable. He said it would be used as a model at all upcoming international events of a similar kind to be held in Thailand.

-- The Nation 2009/11/14

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[leogerritsen]

ban drugs, ban tobacco result : it will underground

youth think mom and dad against it, hum interesting let's try

ban anything : result : it will go underground

[tw25rw]

ban drugs, ban tobacco result : it will underground

youth think mom and dad against it, hum interesting let's try

ban anything : result : it will go underground

Don't need to ban it, just persecute it severely.

[ballzafire]

I remember watching reps from all the major brands stand up before a U.S. Senate hearing and lie through their teeth that they didn't manipulate the level of nicotine in the finished product to make it more addictive.

Or something to that effect.

Evil, bald-faced liars. All of them.

Edited November 15, 2009 by ballzafire