Tobacco - Advertising

By Jerry Price - Mar 13, 2006 -

“The tobacco Industry spends more than $12.4 billion per year—over $34.1 million a day—marketing its deadly products in the U.S. alone, much of this reaching kids.

Tobacco Advertising Gallery (Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids) [Accessed November 1, 2005].

  • In 2003, cigarette companies spent $15.2 billion, or more than $41 million per day, on advertising and promotional expenses. This amounted to more than $53 for every person in the United States, or $333 for each adult smoker, and was a nearly 22 percent increase over the previous year. Tobacco industry advertising and promotional expenditures more than doubled since 1998.
  • The four highest marketing expenditure categories are 1) promotional allowance price discounts paid to retailers or wholesalers to reduce the price, such as off-invoice discounts, buy downs, or voluntary price reductions ($10.8 billion or 71 percent); 2) promotional allowances, such as payments to retailers or wholesalers ($1.9 billion or 13 percent); 3) retail value-added involving bonus cigarettes ($677 million or 5 percent); and 4) coupons ($651 million or 4 percent). Cigarette companies spent $31 million on sports and sporting events in 2003.
  • “The five major U.S. smokeless tobacco manufacturers spent $236.7 million on smokeless tobacco advertising and promotion in 2001. The smokeless tobacco industry spent $17.8 million on sports and sporting events in 2001.
  • Women have been extensively targeted in tobacco marketing, and tobacco companies have produced brands specifically for women. Such marketing toward women is dominated by themes of social desirability and independence, which are conveyed by advertisements featuring slim, attractive, and athletic models.
  • Certain tobacco products are advertised and promoted disproportionately to members of racial/minority communities. For example, marketing toward Hispanics and American Indians/Alaska Natives has included advertising and promotion of cigarette brands with names such as Rio, Dorado, and American Spirit, and the tobacco industry has sponsored Tet festivals and activities related to Asian American Heritage Month.

“Fact Sheet: Tobacco Industry Marketing,” http://www.cdc.gov (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), February 2004 [Accessed November 16, 2004].

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