TOKYO, Sunday: In a move reflecting the changing dynamics between Big Tobacco and advertising, Philip Morris International has appointed Thirteen, a Japanese creative agency owned by McCann Worldgroup, on a project basis for an undisclosed product launch around its IQOS heated tobacco brand.
An acronym for ‘I quit original smoking’, the brand offers a smoke-free alternative to cigarettes.
“We’ve built the world’s most successful cigarette company,” says IQOS on its NZ website. “But we will be far more than a leading cigarette company. We’re designing a smoke-free future, based on smoke-free products that are a much better choice than cigarette smoking.
“Our vision is that these products will one day replace cigarettes.” The development was reported by Campaign Asia (scroll down for the link).
Publicis One holds the bulk of PMI’s business in Japan and led the launch of IQOS, which debuted in the country in 2014 and is now available in 38 among its major clients. Dentsu Isobar also works on the brand.
“By eliminating the major health problem of smoking products, Big Tobacco can now market a legitimate product – provided it can deal with perceptions of addiction.”
Some networks have declined to work on cigarette brands for ethical reasons or to avoid compromising the way they are perceived. McCann Worldgroup parent IPG is known for its significant healthcare business and has not worked with tobacco companies for a long time.
Innovation by tobacco companies towards supposedly less dangerous products is now changing the game.
The global tobacco industry remains a vast business. By eliminating the major health problem of smoking products, Big Tobacco can now market a legitimate product – provided it can deal with perceptions of addiction.
Nicotine – without the caustic smoke – is still a mildly addictive substance, similar in many ways to caffeine.
Just how the industry develops its marketing globally and in NZ will unfold over the coming 12 months.
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