Tobaccers are betting on outdoor advertising

The most advertised brands of cigarettes, estimated UMM, were: "Winston Light", "Pall Mall", "Kent", "Priluki", "Monte Carlo Lights", "Prime-Class", "Marlboro" and "L&M lights" .

Outdoor advertising is the most common way to promote and popularize brands of cigarettes. Besides it, there is also advertising in printed form, the information in points of sale for consumers, sponsorship, or BTL.

Today many politicians initiated partial ban advertising of cigarettes, which also includes the abolition of outdoor advertising. For example, in June this year to the Verkhovna Rada were filed two bills relating to additional bans tobacco advertising. Moreover, such actions are assumed to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which Ukraine ratified officially on June 6, 2006.

Coordinator coalition of social organizations and initiatives "For free from tobacco smoke" Konstantin Krasovsky Ukraine believes that this year one of the two bills should be passed. "The ban tobacco advertising is inevitable. And it is quite sufficient to six months rather than a year or two, "- he says.

On the one hand Konstantin Krasovsky argues that advertising has no information, and each new brand of cigarettes potentially covers new customers. "Permission to inform - that means increasing the number of consumers. With little in terms of public health "- said Konstantin Krasovsky.

But on the other hand representatives of the tobacco industry believe that advertising should inform consumers. "Manufacturers should be able to communicate information on the name brands to adult consumers, particularly at the points of sale" - says Director of Corporate Relations "Philip Morris Ukraine" Elena Khomenko. She also noted that most market participants does business on the basis of long-term planning, so the laws governing tobacco advertising should contain a transition period.

"Ideas to ban outdoor advertising based on the false assumption that people are supposedly less smoking - said Dmitry Redko. - A ban one of the most powerful channels of advertising leads to the continuation of the market. Every advertising restrictions only lead to increased competition in the market for the dominant player ".

Elena Khomenko also confirms that the information on the trademark is the basis of fair competition. "We do not oppose the ban outdoor advertising. But any unforeseen changes will lead to a redistribution of forces and reshuffle in the market "- Elena Khomenko said.

Mr. Krasowski also explains that in some countries, which has been completely banned cigarette advertising, tobacco consumption fell. This advertising industry as a whole has suffered. Affected only a few advertising agencies that worked on advertising of tobacco products. Therefore, in the opinion of Konstantin Krasovsky, in the Ukraine followed a total ban on tobacco advertising. "Only a total ban advertising can reduce tobacco consumption" - he says.