We support restrictions on cigarette marketing, including complete bans of certain types of advertising, for example on television, radio and billboards.

Like many in the public health community, we believe that regulation – rather than voluntary codes – is the most effective way to limit tobacco marketing. Regulation can ensure that all companies follow the same rules and, if fully enforced, it can better achieve public health objectives.

We do not, however, support bans on all tobacco advertising. On this point we disagree with the WHO and the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. The ability for manufacturers to communicate with adult smokers and to differentiate their brands from those of competitors is fundamental to vigorous competition.

Three basic principles guide our marketing:

We don’t market to children, and we don’t use images or other content that might hold particular appeal for minors.

We put health warnings on all our marketing materials and packs.

All our marketing must respect global standards of decency as well as local cultures, traditions and practices.

“We oppose product placement and we routinely decline all requests for such activities.” André Calantzopoulos, Chief Operating Officer

Here are a few examples of what these rules mean for our day-to-day marketing practice:

We don’t use any cartoons, youth-oriented celebrities or models who are under 25 in our advertising and marketing.

We don’t advertise on the front or back cover of any print publication for general circulation.

We oppose product placement – the practice of paying to have a brand used or shown in a movie or TV programme – and we routinely decline requests from movie producers to use our products in films.

Marketing is one of Philip Morris International’s great strengths, and it remains at the core of our competitive strategy. We believe that regulation can effectively limit tobacco marketing while preserving the ability to communicate with adult smokers.

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