ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact

Marlboro’s parent company, Altria, one of the planet’s largest cigarette makers, made a US$13b cash investment in JUUL late last year that has caused the vape maker to shift its tack somewhat this year.

The e-cigarette maker, who grew from largely anti-tobacco beginnings, has since revived Marlboro’s popular ‘Marlboro Man’ advertising campaign from the halcyon days of advertising in their latest effort to entice young people into taking up nicotine.

That move has attracted condemnation from anti-tobacco groups, who say the ‘Marlboro Man is an example of toxic and deceptive advertising that has no place in the 21st century.’

However, no representative from an anti-tobacco group was willing to go on record to say e-cigarettes are more harmful than tobacco products as the science is still out on it.

The campaign, which features the local talents of Carrotshaver Colenso BO Creative Director Marc Poon, is set to appear in magazines, billboards and bus shelters in Queensland and New Jersey by the end of the year.

Mr Poon spoke to The Advocate about the controversial campaign and how his team of creative Carrotshavers transformed the Marlboro Man into something relatable to today’s youths.

“It started off with a conversation I had with my nephew, who’s into fortnite,” laughed the Poon.

“He said, ‘Hey uncle Marc, yeet on my nuts!’ and them dabbed at me. I remember in the campaign brief we got from JUUL said something about them wanting to target tweens and teens and it all just clicked,”

“I recounted this story to my team and they just groaned at me. You’re probably groaning on the inside right now – and so too are the people reading this dribble when it does to print,”

“Next thing we know, we’re pushing print on the JUULbro Man campaign. Turns out those words and terms are popular with the kids and it got approval right away. Strange industry this. Yeet country is here.”

More to come.

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