Tobacco advertising tightens self-control

A working group of the Swiss Fairness Commission, the executive body of the Swiss Advertising Foundation for Fairness in Commercial Communication, has specified the list of print media in which tobacco advertising is permitted. Piero Schäfer, the communications officer of Schweizer Werbung, has published an interview with managing director Ueli Custer, a member of the working group and the IG Elektronische Medien. The text reveals that the tobacco industry's 1992 agreement with the Commission on Fair Trading, which regulates self-restriction in tobacco advertising, had already been tightened in 2003. Since then, tobacco advertising has only been permitted in print media with a readership of at least 80 percent adults. The working group has now also examined the titles that only just meet the 80 percent adult share. In addition, all titles without readership figures were examined individually by the working group. The list published by the Swiss Cigarette Association shows those titles in which tobacco advertising may be placed. The list does not provide any information on which titles have been removed. Approximately twenty titles are new to the list. If tobacco advertising is published in titles that are not on the list, the Swiss Cigarette Association undertakes to initiate internal arbitration proceedings against its member. No action will be taken against the publishers, "as they only place advertisements if they have been commissioned to do so", says Custer. Print media that would like to be included on the list can apply for inclusion, but must be able to credibly prove that the publication meets the criteria.