I was sent some information today about tobacco advertising on You Tube along with an article calling for greater control – either through self-regulation or legislation. It’s this type of thing that the article is getting at:
I’m not sure that more regulation is what is needed. In fact I’m not sure this stuff encourages smoking. If you look at the comments (the ones in English anyway) there is a strong anti-smoking sentiment amongst those who have seen the clip.
In traditional advertising, communication runs along a one way street. Material on You Tube and other new media is open to the kind of commentary and debate we see here on Red Alert. If the tobacco companies are silly enough to use You Tube to advertise then they open themselves up to attack they don’t need.
And, of course the same medium is available to tobbacco’s opponents. I quite like this one:
