MIDDLE EAST
04 WORLD NEWS
21 December 2008
ADVERTISING
‘Deceptive’ ad case proceeds
Court approves state-level action against cigarette ads
that suggest ‘light’ brands are a healthier choice
advertising. Both brands are owned by
By CHARLIE NEYRA/News Writer
Philip Morris.
US The Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday Altria had tried to block the suit by argu-
that smokers are able to sue cigarette com- ing that the Federal Cigarette Labeling and
panies for ‘deceptive’ advertising using Advertising Act preempts state laws and
state laws. gives it immunity from state lawsuits.
The case against Altria—owner of Philip The Supreme Court decision opens the
Morris, makers of Marlboro cigarettes—al- way to over 40 cases across the US that
leges that the multinational company uses claim billions of dollars in damages for
ads for ‘light’ or ‘low-tar’ cigarettes to de- falsely advertised cigarettes. The claimants
ceive the public into thinking the product must now prove that the use of ‘light’ and
is a healthier choice. The justices voted 5-4 ‘low-tar’ in advertising violates state anti-
that people can use state consumer protec- fraud laws.
tion laws to sue the cigarette company. The Supreme Court had been expected
Three residents from Maine are repre- to rule in favour of Altria because in recent
senting all smokers who believe they have consumer cases it has ruled against state
been misled on the dangers of smoking by regulation of businesses, and in favour of
The Marlboro “Light” man is riding into state-wide trouble
Marlboro Lights and Cambridge Lights federal power.
No more Knorr for JWT
Seeing a
Tribune owes TV studios
Unilever shifts creative duties for its
way to easy
US Tribune Co. has filed for lion) and NBCU ($4.9 million).
Chapter 11 bankruptcy protec- The troubled company may now
biggest brand in ‘unfair’ decision
money
tion as it struggles to restructure pay as expected, negotiate longer
$13 billion in debt. American tel- payout terms or, if bankruptcy
evision studios are reported to be occurs, never pay, according to
UK Making
facing the loss of millions in un- broadcastingcable.com.
money dur-
paid invoices for shows provided The case is part of the wider
ing the re-
to Tribune’s 24 TV stations. downturn in the media, which
cession just
Tribune’s bankruptcy filing this week sees 600 jobs cut by Sun
became that
in Delaware lists the following Media in Canada and the New
bit easier as
debts: Warner Bros. ($23.7 mil- York Times announce plans to
beauty prod-
lion), Twentieth Century ($8.1 mortgage its new Manhattan HQ
uct website
million), Disney-ABC ($6.2 mil- in order to raise $225 million.
feelunique.
com is pay-
ing people
to use their
eyelids for advertising. Thailand ticket giveaway
After the application of a tem-
porary eyelid tattoo, money is AirAsia said it wanted to
earned on a “pay-per-wink” rate bring back tourists and busi-
of 10p (14c) up to a maximum of nessmen by “reinstating the
£100 ($149). Winking totals are core message that it is now
GLOBAL WPP Group’s JWT has fair decision,” JWT Worldwide CEO
tallied up on the website based on safe to travel to the Land
been dealt a massive blow by the Bob Jeffrey told staffers in an inter-
an honour system. of Smiles”. The promotion,
announcement that Unilever is nal note.
According to Mischief, the called “Get Your Baht to Thai-
moving its Knorr account to Lowe The shift means Lowe picks up
agency behind the campaign, land”, was run on the airline’s
Worldwide. Knorr boasts annual a plum piece of business worth an
nearly 100 people signed up
global sales of $3.9 billion and JWT estimated $5 million in revenue
website over the weekend.
within a few hours of the launch.
had worked on the brand since and $156 million in spending, ac-
Thailand’s tourism indus-
2001 but now Unilever has awarded cording to executives familiar with
Feelunique.com’s Amy Rebours SE ASIA Budget carrier AirA- try dived after months of anti-gov-
its Europe, Asia-Pacific and Latin the account.
says: “It’s a genuine marketing sia has given away 100,000 free ernment protests culminated last
America accounts to UK-based Knorr’s creative account for
first, which encourages people to tickets to Thailand as part of a month with demonstrators taking
Lowe Worldwide. North America, Australia and Af-
spread a feel-good winking mo- marketing campaign to entice over Bangkok’s two main airports
“We are disappointed and have rica is still managed by DDB, which
ment and earn some much-need people back to the country fol- for a week. A new prime minister
told Unilever we think it is an un- is part of the Omnicom Group.
extra income in the process.” lowing recent political unrest. has been installed.
www.mediaweekme.com
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