Here’s is an interesting pop quiz you can do to test your knowledge on smoking and the tobacco industry.

Scroll down to the end for the answers.

Q1. Marlboro cigarettes global annual sales exceed…

A. $15 Billion                                                 B. $5 Million

C. $ 10Million                                                 D. $10 Billion

Q2. How many cigarette related deaths are there in the UK per year?

A. 12,000                                                        B. 20,000

C. 100,000                                                      D. 120,000

Q3. How many compounds or additives are there in a cigarette?

A. 600                                                             B. 160

C. 60                                                               D. 600

Q4. When a cigarette is burnt, how many toxic and/or chemical compounds are made?

A. 1000                                                           B. 2000

C. 4000                                                           D. 10,000

Q5. Which country is the largest importer of American style tobacco?

A. UK                                                             B. USA

B. Brazil                                                         D. China

Q6. How many cigarette filters are estimated to be found as litter in the westernised world?

A. 4.5 Thousand                                             B. 4.5 Million

C. 4.5 Billion                                                   D. 4.5 Trillion 

Q7. Predicted deaths from smoking for the year 2030 are…

A. 4 Million                                                     B. 6 Million

C. 8 Million                                                     D. 10 Million

Q8. Brazilian tobacco farmers have a higher than average suicide rate from the rest of the country. Is the rate…

A. 3 x Higher                                                  B. 5 x Higher

B. 7 x Higher                                                  D. 10 x Higher 

Q9. The first country in the world to ban the sale of tobacco and smoking in public places is…

A. Australia                                                     B. Bhutan

C. Ireland                                                       D. Canada

Q10. Bidis are…

A. Old people                                                 B. A healthy cigarette

C. An unfiltered cigarette                                 D. A sweet 

Q11. Philip Morris’s Youth Smoking Prevention Program advertisement on MTV Europe was called…

A. You don’t have to smoke to be cool          B. Don’t do it!

C. Cool it… a smoke?                                   D. I’m cool, I just can’t help it.

Q12. Since the ban on tobacco advertising in the UK in 2003 how many new brands have Philip Morris launched?

A. 0                                                                 B. 1

C. 2                                                                 D. 3 

Answers

Q1 (A) Philip Morris manufactures, markets, sells and distributes in more than 160 countries.

Q2 (D) 120,000 deaths a year is equivalent to the population of a town the size of Norwich or Chester.

Q3 (A) Arsenic (Rat Poison), Formaldehyde (Body Preservative), Acetone (Nail Polish Remover), Hexamine ( BBQ Lighter), Cadmium ( Rechargeable Batteries), Lead (Petrol Fumes) Methanol (Rocket Fuel) and Ammonia (Household Cleaner) are all found in cigarettes.

Q4 (C) The additives used in the manufacture of cigarettes are government approved for food. However, they were not tested by burning them. It is the burning of the substances that changes their properties. Many of these chemicals are carcinogenic. i.e. cause cancer.

Q5 (B) Tobacco companies now grow and manufacture cigarettes in developing countries where overheads are less, markets are larger and anti tobacco legislation is almost non-existent.

Q6 (D) Cigarette filters are not biodegradable as cellulose acetate; a form of plastic, is one of the components that make up the butt and never breaks down.

Q7 (D) 70% of these deaths will be in developing countries.

Q8 (B) A link was found between organophosphate pesticides and skyrocketing suicides which coincided with the seeding and harvesting of tobacco crops in Venancio Aires.

Q9 (B) The Himalayan kingdom of 900,000 people banned tobacco use in early 2005 as part of its continuing tobacco-free initiative programme.

Q10 (C) Imported from India, these cigarettes contain tobacco but are wrapped in nonporous leaves and sold in a variety of flavours such as strawberry, mango and vanilla. Bidis are referred to as cigarettes with training wheels by health authorities.

Q11 (A) This initiative is dwarfed by corporate sponsorship, marketing and point of sale activity at rock concerts, formula 1 and sporting events.

Q12 (C) Basic and Marlboro Blend 28 have both been successfully launched in the dark market post advertising ban.

 Have you got what it takes to be a tobacco executive?

>> Take this cool interactive quiz  at www.thetruth.com Now <<

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The major tobacco industry players are…

Philip Morris Ltd. Owned by Altria Inc.

Brands include – Marlboro, Raffles, Basic and Philip Morris.

1) The company manufactures, markets sells/distributes in more than 160 countries.

2) Produces 7 of the top 20 best selling global cigarette brands.

3) Collectively accounts for 18% of the global cigarette market.

4) Marlboro is one of only 2 brands with global sales exceeding $15bn per annum

The Marlboro Man advertising campaign by the Leo Burnett Agency is widely acknowledged as one of the all time most successful advertising campaigns. Ads  depicted nothing much to do with cigarettes (i.e. paper rolled around dried leaves), but propelled the brand to the forefront of premium cigarettes market. 

British American Tobacco / Rothmans

Brands include – Lucky Strike, Dunhill, Rothmans and Royals

1) The company operates in more than 150 countries.

 Reynolds American Inc.

Brand include – Winston Salem

Gallaher

Brands include – Benson & Hedges, Silk Cut, Berkeley, Sovereign, Dorchester and Mayfair.

Imperial Tobacco

Brands include – Embassy, Regal, Superkings, Lambert & Butler and Richmond.

Tobacco companies such as BAT and Philip Morris both run Youth Smoking prevention programs as part of their corporate social agenda. The ‘you don’t have to smoke to be cool’ advert was shown on MTV Europe, minimum age notices are placed in points of purchase and the brand logo is not sold on caps and t-shirt.

However these initiatives are dwarfed by corporate sponsorship, marketing and point of sale activity of rock concerts, Formula 1 and other motor sports. These events are attended predominately by young people whose perception of rock stars or the motor racing champion is one of cool and glamorous, who lives an inspirational lifestyle all young people can only dream off.

The reality of driving for most people is one of congestion, frustration and pollution. Cars have always been sold on an image of open roads, hassle free driving and freedom to travel. These associations have always been the Marlboro Mans identity. Sponsoring motor-sport has taken the campaign yet another step forward from the days of the cowboy.

Rock ‘n’ Roll stars have always been aligned with rebellion, free wheeling, on the edge and everything the previous generation despises. Again these are all qualities young people identify with and want to be a part off. These qualities are coincidentally the same as the Marlboro Man myth.

The reality the original Marlboro Men, Wayne McLaren, is that he succumbed to lung cancer and died at the age of 51. McLaren’s brother provided a voiceover over a withered image of Wayne in a hospital bed prior to his death asking the question ‘Lying there with all those tubes in you, how independent can you really be?’

Cigarette girls are used extensively to reinforce the brand in bars clubs, high profile events, parties, film premiers, fashion shows, concerts, festivals and restaurants. Although giving away free product to customers is no longer prohibited selling them at a great reduction isn’t. There is also the perceived association of beautiful models and cigarettes, the image of glamour is aspirational and being at all the right places. It sends out a message that if you smoke you can be ‘hot like me’. Again associating cigarettes to sexy, young and glamorous women enforces the image the brands try to portray. It is the wrong message to send out when about one fifth of 15 year olds are regular smokers, with the number of girls lighting up outnumbering boys. Most of the girls I knew who promoted cigarettes in bars don’t actually smoke.

The image of smoking in the all media is still perceived as cool. From 50’s stars such as James Dean (Rebel Without a Cause), to Michael Caine (Get Carter) right through to today’s blockbusters starring Brad Pitt (Fight Club) and John Travolta (Swordfish). These stars are immortalized in film images that are so strong the picture could be still endorsing cigarettes as a ‘cool thing’ 50 or 100 years from now in cinemas and in your home on DVD.

Dirk Bogart           Celebrities           John Wayne

Throughout the 90’s the TV and film franchise ‘The X Files’ contained a character played by the non-smoking actor – William B Davis called ‘Cancer Man.’ The Fox TV publicity department were more PC and referred to the character as ‘Cigarette Smoking Man.’

For film directors today to reinforce the image of smoking as a cool character trait is morally irresponsible, lazy and shows a great lack of imagination.

Certain celebrities revel in their ability to smoke cigarettes like it’s a badge of honor. The problem is in these days when celebrity is celebrated and impressionable young people readily buy into it, promoting smoking is not only irresponsible but stupid. Not all the blame can be laid at the door of this or that celerity. The media should be more careful of what photographs and images they choose to reproduce.

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