Marketing and all things related

R.J. Reynolds Tobacco is no stranger to controversy, particularly when it comes to its Camel brand of cigarettes.  In an attempt to defer some of the negative publicity surrounding the company's advertising and marketing tactics, R.J. Reynolds Tobacco announced they will abandon all tobacco print advertising of its brands in magazines and newspapers in 2008.

R.J. Reynolds Tobacco spent $40 million in print advertising during 2006 and $30 million between January and September 2007, however, that amount is just a small fraction of the company's overall marketing budget. 

Interestingly, print advertising of tobacco products has been banned in many countries in Europe and other parts of the world, but it is still legal in the United States.  On the other hand, tobacco advertising has been banned in the United States on television, radio and billboards.

Anti-smoking groups believe that R.J. Reynolds Tobacco's decision to stop print ads in 2008 is simply a way to defer criticism from one of its most visible marketing tactics, but it does little to stop people from smoking, particularly children and young people.  I have to assume the $30-40 million R.J. Reynolds Tobacco will save by eliminating print advertising from its marketing budget will simply be shifted to a different marketing tactic.

What do you think of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco's decision to stop print ads in 2008?  I should also mention that the company has stated that it will re-evaluate its print advertising decision for the years following 2008, so print advertising is not necessarily gone forever for R.J. Reynolds Tobacco.