YOUTH DEMONSTRATION
April 28, 2005

STATEMENT BY ISHA GUPTA, HRIDAY-SHAN (INDIA)

India is a signatory to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) under the auspices of the World Health Organization. The Indian Parliament passed the Indian Tobacco Control Act which came into force in May 2004. The main provisions of the Act are:

1. Prohibition of smoking in public places.
2. Prohibition of advertisements, sponsorship and promotion of tobacco products.
3. Prohibition of sale of tobacco products to minors.

Despite this, tobacco and gutka (chewing tobacco) manufacturing companies skirt the ban by either resorting to surrogate advertising or by strategic product placement in Bollywood movies. India’s film industry is the largest in the world with a target audience of 15 million people per day. 76% of these movies portray tobacco consumption reflecting a perfect marriage for the two industries. Producers need money and tobacco companies need avenues to market their products. And what better models than the film stars themselves?!

I would like to draw the attention of all specifically to an aggressive Marlboro product placement in two latest Hindi movies, “Swades” and “Lucky.” Marlboro has been prominently placed at least 2-4 times in each movie with cameras focusing on the cigarette box. “Swades”, meaning “We, the People” revolves around the life of an Indian working at NASA in the United States who comes back to his country and mobilizes the people of his village to improve their lives. All through the movies I couldn’t figure out why Marlboro, which destroys lives, was featured prominently in it.

I would like to know, Mr. Camilleri, what role did Philip Morris, through any of its domestic or international divisions, play in getting Marlboro featured in these popular Bollywood movies?

CEO LOUIS CAMILLERI'S RESPONSE: "None, zero. Let's be very clear about this to cast away skepticism and mistrust. Challenge is to move forward. You would be surprised at the common ground share with critics...We don't pay for any product placement in tv and movies anywhere [in world]. It's as simple as that. We have lobbied the entertainment industry [against this]... "

Meanwhile, Philip Morris recently held a promotion in Argentina: exchange 10 cigarette packs for two cinema tickets.