bat south africa - Marketing

We believe that manufacturers and retailers of tobacco products should be entitled to communicate appropriately with adults who choose to consume tobacco. Our marketing practices are designed to attract adult smokers to our brands.  It is not intended to persuade people, whether adults or  youth, to begin or continue smoking.

British American Tobacco has adopted a set of globally consistent International Marketing Standards that embody, in detail, a commitment to marketing appropriately to adult smokers only. The Standards are aimed at ‘raising the bar’ by establishing a benchmark for the industry worldwide.  In some countries, it is stricter than local laws.

The global Standards cover all tobacco product marketing and messaging for consumers across print, billboards, electronic media, promotional events and sponsorship.  Examples of how it addresses tobacco product brand communications include:

• Not to be aimed at, or particularly appeal to, the youth;
• Not to feature a celebrity nor link tobacco with sporting, professional, social or sexual success;
• Not to appear in printed publications unless at least 75 per cent of readers are verified as adults;
• To carry a health warning as well as the health warnings on product packs;
• No giant billboard advertising and no billboards at all within 100 metres of a school;
• No web, television, cinema or radio advertising unless the audience can be restricted to verified adults;
• No direct or indirect product placement;
• No event sponsorship unless the participants and audience are adults;
• No direct consumer contact unless with verified adult consumers;
• No unsolicited free samples.

Download a copy of the full set of Standards.
- International Marketing Standards (96 kb)

We observe the Standards in both the letter and intent and actively encourage retailers and other business partners to adhere to it and to work to prevent our tobacco product brand names, trademarks or logos from being used by others in a way that violates the standards.

Background

Before the launch of the International Marketing Standards, our marketing was guided for many years by the Group Advertising Principles. These had set out, for example, that any advertising and promotional activities by Group companies would be directed at adult smokers, that no health claims would be made about tobacco products, that people appearing in advertising would not be, or appear to be, younger than 25, and more.

In 2001, these principles were built on further with the launch of the Standards. As well as requiring that marketing activities and messages should not particularly appeal to youth, feature celebrities or suggest that smoking enhances popularity or sporting, sexual or professional success, the Standards meant that Group companies stopped any advertising of tobacco product brands on TV and radio, even where it was still allowed by local law. In line with the Standards, the Group also exited from tobacco brand sponsorship of Formula One racing after honouring commercial commitments to December 2006, although not all our competitors did.

In 2007, the Standards were updated to include, for example, more detail on procedures to be followed for adult verification and the responsible use of new and emerging channels of consumer communication. 

Auditing Group companies’ adherence

Adherence to the Standards is continuously monitored by British American Tobacco's internal audit teams and reviewed by regional audit committees, which include Non-Executive Directors, other members of the British American Tobacco Board and members of the Management Board.  Any material issues are referred to the Board Audit Committee in London.

We welcome information, via our contact us page, from anybody who believes that British American Tobacco South Africa is not living up to the Standards.