MEDIA POLICY ON TOBACCO ADS MIXED
By Adnews Staff
Legal product or not, some media are continuing to refuse tobacco ads. However, not all are boycotting the cigarette companies. The Toronto Star has had a no smoke sign on its ad department door since 1987 and intends to keep it there. This applies to brand or corporate advertising. The newspaper has continued to accept ads for tobacco-sponsored events, national/travel advertising manager Ian Bain told Adnews before Christmas, as tobacco companies prepared to start advertising in the New Year. Late last month The Star ran a full-page ad from the Canadian Tobacco Manufacturers Council (CMTC) outlining the tobacco industry's self-governing code for advertising. This ad was accepted because it didn't promote a brand, Bain said. The ad also ran in The Globe and Mail, which has refused tobacco advertising since 1986 and will continue to impose this ban. Also in the no-smoke camp is Maclean's magazine. The Toronto Sun, on the other hand, will gladly accept tobacco companies' business. Advertising director Heather McKie says. "Editorially we did not support the ban. We are an adult publication. It is a legal substance and we will not turn the ads down." At least one large newspaper publisher, Southam Inc., is accepting ads. Six outdoor advertising companies, including Canada's largest, Mediacom, all indicated they would say yes. Before tobacco billboards were banned at the start of the 1990s, tobacco advertising accounted for a large part of outdoor companies' revenues.
In September the Supreme Court struck down the tobacco advertising ban imposed by the previous Conservative government. Now the Liberals are trying again. The federal Health Ministry is currently attempting to put together legislation which bans all tobacco ads and sponsorships, and which will survive any legal challenges. The CTMC code limits cigarette advertising to newspapers, magazines and billboards, and prohibits ads that depict people. The ads must be aimed at adults and have to be approved by a tribunal appointed by advertising industry representatives hired by the tobacco council.