Jane Martin

Current National Reforms
Operating in a “dark market” – new forms of tobacco marketing

Tobacco consumption has been declining in Australia since the 1970s when controls on tobacco advertising were first introduced. Since this time, with the advent of further tobacco control measures, tobacco advertising and promotion in the mainstream media has been further reduced. The tobacco industry considers Australia a “dark market” one in which there are limited opportunities for the tobacco industry to reach and influence new smokers, using traditional channels, in particular the young.

This paper outlines current marketing strategies used by the tobacco companies and their advertising agencies to reach the youth market. It will describe how the industry exploits loopholes in current legislation and identifies new promotional opportunities.

Increasingly the tobacco marketers have targeted young people through youth oriented activities such as dance parties, nightclubs, fashion, e-mail and the Internet. The industry uses events to capitalise on pack imagery and design elements, a key part of the image of the brand and critical to building empathy with the target group.

Much of the rationale behind the marketing is to build databases of smokers and potential smokers plus to create linkages with other youth oriented products to enhance the reach and reinforce the tobacco brand’s values.

The removal of all avenues to promote tobacco products is essential in eliminating one of the key modifiable factors influencing the uptake and prevalence of smoking among youth.

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