Monitoring “Be Marlboro” Advertising Campaign in the Philippines (2013)

Philip Morris needed to update its brand image. As the company reported to its stockholders1 - “For decades, the brand image of Marlboro was built upon the famous cowboy campaign. We recognized that Marlboro needed a new communications platform for today’s world. We developed the new “Don’t Be A Maybe – Be Marlboro” campaign, which was initially implemented in Germany and rolled out to approximately 20 markets in 2012. With the new campaign, Marlboro encourages adult smokers to be decisive, trust themselves and follow their inspiration. Marlboro does not believe in “Maybes.” One year after it was created, Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corporation (PMFTC) launched the “Be Marlboro” Campaign in the Philippines, using very similar, if not identical, look and design of materials used in other countries: posters and billboards with big black bold letters that say words such as “Don’t Be A Maybe” in a plain white background, with a “Be > Marlboro” printed on the lower right-hand corner.2 3

                                                                                                                1 2012 Philip Morris International Complete Annual Report for Investors Available at: http://investors.pmi.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=146476&p=irol-reportsannual 2 Photo source: http://statigr.am/p/507676053649531128_280474135 3 Unless otherwise stated, all photos used in this paper are taken by HealthJustice around Metro Manila. Some of the photos are gathered from the trending photos on Instagram under the hashtag dontbeamaybe as official photos from Marlboro are inaccessible to nonmembers of their website.

 

 

Sari-Sari Stores As shown in the photo above, these large signs are visible in various sari-sari stores around Metro Manila and in some provinces. The sari-sari stores get these signages for free from the company. PMFTC makes sure that it is very eye-catching and visible from afar – above the roof and not shuffled together with other promotional materials of other products, and are made of durable materials. Photo A 4

Photo B

                                                                                                               4 Photos source: http://statigr.am/p/495997634524464929_18439336

 

 

Some signs have other words printed on them, crossing the word “Maybe” to emphasize the motor biker’s success on his journey if he is determined enough. 5 The intention is to link a positive quality. i.e., perseverance or decisiveness, with use of cigarettes, or specifically, smoking Marlboros.

Convenience Stores Aside from sari-sari stores, these signs and posters are also visible in convenience stores such as 7-Eleven and Mini-Stop, located behind the counter where it is very visible to every customer, especially as they are forced to look that direction when paying for their purchases.

                                                                                                               5 Photo source: http://statigr.am/p/506328660312626264_25740548

 

 

Ads in 7-Eleven Alimall, Cubao and 7-Eleven Aurora Boulevard, Cubao (respectively) behind the cashier counter, enclosed in a frame.

Around June 2013, a contest was held by 7-Eleven wherein the winners get free “Be Marlboro” Zippo lighters.6

Lighted signs are also found in convenience stores like this one in Mini-Stop Aurora Boulevard, Cubao.

                                                                                                               6 Photo source: http://statigr.am/p/472938597258686046_259702874

 

 

Supermarkets Advertisements in supermarkets for the campaign are found either by the liquor, baggage claim, or outer area of the supermarkets, which are all very visible and eye-catching to the customers. Marlboro cigarettes by the liquor section of Robinsons Ilocos Norte, San Nicolas.7

                                                                                                               7 Photo taken by HealthJustice

 

 

Marlboro cigarettes by the baggage counter area of Rustans Gateway, Cubao, grabbed attention of shoppers through the use of lighted signs.

At Shopwise in Cubao, there is a Marlboro kiosk among the various food and gift stalls at the area just outside the grocery section.

 

 

Bars and Restaurants Some bars and restaurants use of lighted “YES” and “NO” signs on top of their bar tables instead of the usual “Be Marlboro” posters, signs, and billboards found in convenience stores and supermarkets.

DJ Zedd Concert during Labor Day Weekend in Boracay To launch the campaign here in the Philippines, a beach concert was held at the most popular tourist spot in the country, at the one of the peak seasons of the year – Labor Day Weekend (around May 1) at the Island of Boracay.8

                                                                                                               8 Photo source: http://statigr.am/p/449852670656049102_22763514

 

 

In anticipation of the concert, big life-sized “YES” and “NO” signs were placed along the beach, in front of one of the most popular resorts in Station 1: Discovery Shores.9

Promotional signboards showed the “Maybe” word crossed out in red ink, and the tagline of the concert was “Stay in or Rock out,” which emphasizes the need to make that decision to attend the event.10

Invitations and promotional materials included lighters, hard plastic cards (like credit cards or access cards), a bag, and other packages, with words like “Maybe,” “No Sitting on the Fence,”

                                                                                                               9 Photo source: http://statigr.am/p/447363223294351051_25740548 10 Photo source: http://statigr.am/p/449558524776191221_25740548

 

 

“Be Marlboro,” and “Stay in or Rock Out.”11 All promotional items were consistent with the big bold letters and color scheme of Marlboro - black, white, and red.

Production personnel had more straightforward statements written on their shirts, such as “Decide Now.”12

                                                                                                               11 Photo source: http://statigr.am/p/449774677905380991_8185260 12 Photo source: http://statigr.am/p/448894135060436814_25740548

 

 

Promotional girls were tapped to roam around the event venue wearing black tank tops with the words “Yes” and “No” printed in front, with a red “Nothing in Between” printed between the two words.13

                                                                                                               13 Photo source: http://statigr.am/p/448972098576047922_289058062

 

 

Recent Events and Promotions It was only around June-July 2013 when other events and promotional materials started becoming visible in the Luzon area. During the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 76 Opening Ceremonies on June 29, 2013 at the Mall of Asia Arena, there were some Marlboro promotional girls going around wearing skimpy black, white and red outfits.14 Their attire was discreet and does not have the tobacco company brand on it. This was strategic because it is an event for the youth basketball fans and tobacco companies are prohibited from holding promotional events that target the youth. But, it is quite obvious that the youth is the target market of this campaign, including college students, high school and grade students.

Similarly, in various places around Metro Manila and even nearby towns and cities outside, Marlboro promo girls go around in red, white, and black outfits to different “hip” places, giving away free lighters that have the words “Don’t Be A Maybe” printed on them. This is done on a regular basis, even without an occasion or event.

                                                                                                               14 Photo source: http://statigr.am/p/488664789938765013_310640670

 

 

White lighter A15 White Lighter B16

Black Lighter A17 Black Lighter B18 Black Lighter C19

Promo girls at Cabana Grill, Bulacan20 Promo girls at Republic Wake Park in Nuvali21

                                                                                                               15 Photo source: http://statigr.am/p/499232188310267973_267367857 16 Photo source: http://statigr.am/p/467838514569011133_359532166 17 Photo source: http://statigr.am/p/504007657613972656_187187580 18 Photo source: http://statigr.am/p/504690001214042188_239875891 19 Photo source: http://statigr.am/p/504683345734398904_239875891 20 Photo source: http://statigr.am/p/499191464361375698_414197732 21 Photo source: http://statigr.am/p/503487790353222694_18389098

 

 

Last July 20, 2013, an event was held at Coco Superclub in San Pedro, Laguna, which was a tie-up between Marlboro and Mini Cooper.22 It featured highly irresistible prizes, meant to entice participants to join the event.

                                                                                                               22 https://www.facebook.com/events/1338308109641835/

 

 

Conclusion Although regulations are now stricter for cigarettes, tobacco companies like Philip Morris, are finding different ways of promoting and advertising their products, specifically through indirect but powerful messaging. In “Be Marlboro,” we have observed that (1) the printed materials don’t explicitly show people smoking cigarettes or have the word Marlboro in big bold letters, but rather have attractive or positive statements that sound rebellious, urging them to exert power and authority by making firm decisions and connecting these positive attributes to the brand. In “Be Marlboro,” we have observed that the printed materials don’t explicitly show people smoking cigarettes or have the word Marlboro in big bold letters. But, the materials have attractive or positive statements that sound rebellious, urging them to exert power and authority by making firm decisions and connecting these positive attributes with choosing the brand and smoking cigarettes. On the other hand, to make up for the “discreetness” of this campaign, (1) PMFTC makes sure that the ads are very big, visible, eye-catching, and attractive; 2) the statements raise the public’s curiosity about the campaign; 3) the ads are placed in locations with very high foot traffic; 4) the events are held in conjunction with occasions that young people regularly attend (i.e., Labor Day weekend in Boracay and the UAAP Season Opening Ceremony); and 5) they use promo girls in bars and events. The “Be Marlboro” campaign shows the need to be vigilant against the tobacco industry marketing campaigns. It also highlights that the Philippines should have a comprehensive TAPS ban because partial bans are not effective in protecting the youth from being the target of the marketing campaigns of the tobacco industry. Partial advertising bans do not work and, without a comprehensive TAPS ban, the tobacco companies will continue to find a way to promote their deadly product and target kids.