Phillip Morris Defies Advertising Ban. Insults All Filipinos
UPDATE: Phillip Morris backs out of the Eraserheads Concert
It seems that some people, multinationals specially, have very little regard for other people.
In the head offices of the tobacco giant Phillip Morris, for instance, cigarette advertising has long been banned and the society has long recognized the justness of such prohibition. For sure, the private school kids of these tobacco executives know that cigarette smoking is dangerous to people’s health and if asked, can properly explain why they should not be allowed to advertise.
Despite that, Phillip Morris in the Philippines is acting as if an advertising ban is a new addition to their vocabulary and is acting like a misguided minor. As clearly stated in Republic Act No. 9211 or the Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003, Cigar companies are prohibited from sponsoring sports, cultural, and artistic events of individual or team athletes, artists and performers.
Still, the company is sponsoring the reunion concert of the group Eraserheads. To make matters worse, people looking for tickets are being asked to visit the tobacco company’s website, declare themselves to be smokers and agree to receive information and marketing materials from the company. Does Phillip Morris really think that they have a just cause, or do they simply have a low regard to the intelligence of the Filipino? do they really think that they can get away with this?
It is a good thing that the government is being tough on this matter. The Department of Health (DOH) has promised criminal prosecution against the officers of Phillip Morris specifically, its president, general manager and board of directors.
I hope that the government, with the help of the private sector remains tough in this instance. In a country where 240 people die every day from tobacco related illness, where the government spends more money to help those suffering from cigarette related illness (compared to the taxes collected), it is time that those who promote the proliferation of smoking is handled the way they should be- strapped with a tight leash.
Related news:
- http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/philip-morris-international-caught-philippines/story.aspx?guid={2F8DE90F-3D58-4BEE-A811-B61E4A19533F}&dist=hppr
- http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20080630-145679/Cigarette-ad-ban-in-media-starts-Tuesday
- http://ph.news.yahoo.com/gma/20080806/tel-doh-warns-cigar-firm-from-sponsoring-284c369.html
They can, in fact, get away with it.
Like they said they are organizing the event NOT sponsoring it. They can always say it’s a private event with thousands invited. It’s all about technicality.
Look at it as a Marlboro party where the Eraserheads was paid to play. The law does not say Marlboro can’t throw a “private party”. Even the website says “OUR events”.
They’re not mass marketing, they are in fact only targeting smokers. Maybe they started the gossip that contributed to the whole viral marketing but you can’t pin that on them. It’s the bloggers who kept promoting Marlboro, mentioning Marlboro on their websites because of the initial speculation that Marlboro was sponsoring the event.
I am not saying Marlboro is right in doing any of this. That their whole business is even moral requires another discussion. But I’m sure their legal department has studied this and know that they are, technically, NOT breaking any law.
Technically not breaking the law, as we all know, is used when one is breaking it. The term “Technically NOT” is used as a means to escape prosecution. Isn’t that tantamount to playing with us, thinking that they can get away with it? isn’t that insulting the Filipinos and spitting in their faces? Isn’t that saying, “we are playing dirty but you can’t do anything about it”?