Tobacco companies using social networking to target young. Tobacco companies are using legal loopholes to market products on social networking sites including Facebook and MySpace targetting young smokers.
Advertising restrictions on cigarette giants are forcing companies to become savvier in the way they reach consumers.
Fan clubs and unofficial product pages endorsing Marlboro, Benson and Hedges and Lucky Strike are now appearing on social networks, and have the ability to redirect users to the product's website, The Daily Telegraph reports.
Advertising restrictions on cigarette giants are forcing companies to become savvier in the way they reach consumers.
Fan clubs and unofficial product pages endorsing Marlboro, Benson and Hedges and Lucky Strike are now appearing on social networks, and have the ability to redirect users to the product's website, The Daily Telegraph reports.
Fan clubs and unofficial product pages endorsing cigarettes are now appearing on social networks / Facebook
Cancer Council Australia has called on the Federal Government to intervene and ensure the sites are pulled down.
Tobacco companies have denied officially setting up Facebook and Myspace pages.
But experts said it was difficult controlling the stealth internet advertising with regulation a global problem.
"It needs to be brought to the Government's attention because they have been very good at restricting tobacco advertising," Professor Ian Olver from the Cancer Council said.
"Now we have this whole new media that can be used and needs to be looked at because it can get a huge number of people, particularly young people."
Marlboro has 5058 followers on Facebook while Benson and Hedges also uses the social
networking site.
University of Sydney researcher Becky Freeman has been studying the proliferation of tobacco companies using the internet as a marketing tool.
"One of the most innovative marketing strategies was by the Camel brand, which engaged the online community to help design a new packet," she said. / news.com.au
Tobacco companies have denied officially setting up Facebook and Myspace pages.
But experts said it was difficult controlling the stealth internet advertising with regulation a global problem.
"It needs to be brought to the Government's attention because they have been very good at restricting tobacco advertising," Professor Ian Olver from the Cancer Council said.
"Now we have this whole new media that can be used and needs to be looked at because it can get a huge number of people, particularly young people."
Marlboro has 5058 followers on Facebook while Benson and Hedges also uses the social
networking site.
University of Sydney researcher Becky Freeman has been studying the proliferation of tobacco companies using the internet as a marketing tool.
"One of the most innovative marketing strategies was by the Camel brand, which engaged the online community to help design a new packet," she said. / news.com.au
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