19 replies to this topic

[Shiftin]

friends,

I've been struggling to post this thread for a day because it's probably nothing but I just need to know. I thought the British GP had a no-tobacco rule. You don't see tobacco advertisement anywhere on the track, teams and cars. But..... on the background when the cars drove under the bridge there was this huge "MarlboroF1" board. Not that I give a damn about the tobacco-advertisement but why was it there? Not Marlboro but MarlboroF1. Did someone forget? Is MarlboroF1 something else than Marlboro? Can they do that without pissing others of? Just curious....

Oh, and I looked around for a pic but couldn't find one but I've seen it on the TV many times. Could someone explain this please....

thx

[Williams]

Perhaps it was one of those electronic billboards on which they can key ads into the picture on TV, even though it is invisible at the track ? I know Bernie was scheming about using them a couple of years back.

[Shiftin]

Could be Williams cause you can't see the difference between a real board and a "photoshopped" one. But I am sure I saw it on Dutch RTL and Bernievision (Canal+). If someone just could get a pic of that section of the track. Because it really got to me during the race. I was more focussing on that board than on the race for a while. It seemed so strange and got me wondering......I mean, rules are rules.....No tobacco is NO tobacco....

[Williams]

Well the rules are created by certain countries that either don't want ads on their soil or on their television. There's nothing to stop another country with no such rules inserting the ads locally over top the world feed, thus affecting only their own local broadcast feed.

[Shiftin]

I personally do believe it was a real board but I admit a good pic of that section would clarify things. So I guess it's waiting for some "back-up" or a pic. :

[Ursus]

It's a real board. After a bit of search ing I found a pic over at DailyF1: http://www.dailyf1.c...oto.php?id=9384

[Shiftin]

Originally posted by Ursus
It's a real board. After a bit of search ing I found a pic over at DailyF1: http://www.dailyf1.c...oto.php?id=9384

Thanks a lot Ursus , so I guess I was right. I know, it probably ain't much but at a strictly organized F1 grand-prix I just think it's a litlle weird.

[se7en_24]

I've seen it other years before, always wondered how they got away with it!

[Higli]

At the European GP at Nürburgring there was no ban on tobacco ads, although there is a strict ban in Germany.

I mean, it is the European GP, but it still takes place in Germany. You can make of it what you like but it looks as though F1 stands above the civil law book.

Is there any explanation to this paradoxon?

[Alien]

Marlboro F1 is a clothing brand i think, not a cigarette brand; this is why they can get away with it. Prety sneaky actually, but legal i think. There must be an old thread with this at this forum, because i think i saw this explanation here, maybe last year.

[clipper]

I thought england had a ban on tobacco sponsership (on car etc) but they are able to have advertising on track signage still

[mp4]

It's just a sneaky way to get around the tobacco advert laws.
A few years ago, in Canada, they wanted to ban all tobacco ads so the cars got around it by saying things like "Player's Ltd.", "Rothman's Ltd.", "Camel Racing Services" etc... Marlboro, West and Mild Seven were exempt because they aren't officially sold sell in this country. Strangely, Benetton removed the logos anyway and replaced it with Renault.

I do remember reading something that said Britian had decided to ban tobacco logos on the cars but still allowed billboards because they wouldn't always be directly on camera.

[Rob29]

Originally posted by mp4


I do remember reading something that said Britian had decided to ban tobacco logos on the cars but still allowed billboards because they wouldn't always be directly on camera.

There is no law against tobacco advertising in UK (yet!) Only on TV where I think it was banned soon after commercial TV started. There is a volentary agreement not to have ads on the cars, or any other vehicles or athletes in competition ,which dates from 1968 when ads first appeared on cars. The Marlboro F1 sign is a mystery. Seems to be the only one left in UK. Maybe they have a long term contract!

[dbltop]

In Canada,in the past,tobacco companies could not advertise their product if they did not sell that product in Canada. Hence Marlboro and Rothmans could display their logos but Mild Seven and West could not. The rules are probably different by now. Why don't these companies get smart and go into another line of business, such as BENSEN&HEDGES sunglasses or MARLBORO stereo equipment. As long as they were legitimate business',how could anyone complain?

[random]

I saw an interview with Max Mosely some time ago and he explained the situation of the tobacco signage at Silverstone.

There are only 4 Marlboro signs at the British GP. It was rumored in the press that tobacco sponsorship was behind the entire Berniegate mess. In that the 1 million pounds donated to the labor party was to prevent a full out ban of tobacco sponsorship in the UK.

But Max pointed out how silly that was, as F1 only had these 4 billboards with tobacco livery in the UK. They will likely remain until the end of 2006 when the EC and WHO are expected to ban tobacco sponsorship.

[random]

Originally posted by dbltop
Why don't these companies get smart and go into another line of business, such as BENSEN&HEDGES sunglasses or MARLBORO stereo equipment. As long as they were legitimate business',how could anyone complain?

This sort of co-branding has been declared illegal by most countries with anti-tobacco legislation. In the US, the Master Settlement Agreement even specifically prohibits give-away promotional materials branded with tobacco logos.

[Dudley]

I thought england had a ban on tobacco sponsership (on car etc) but they are able to have advertising on track signage still

The UK allows billboard advertising of ciggys. Where they ARE is irrelevent

[titrisol]

That's why Formula 1 is looking for countries like Russia or China where tobacco ads are legal.
lots and lots of money coming from those dudes
Just remeber:
Marlboro-McLaren /Ferrari
John Player Special -Lotus
Camel - Lotus
West-McLaren
and so forth...

Originally posted by Williams
Well the rules are created by certain countries that either don't want ads on their soil or on their television. There's nothing to stop another country with no such rules inserting the ads locally over top the world feed, thus affecting only their own local broadcast feed.

[se7en_24]

Originally posted by Rob29
There is no law against tobacco advertising in UK (yet!) Only on TV where I think it was banned soon after commercial TV started. There is a volentary agreement not to have ads on the cars, or any other vehicles or athletes in competition ,which dates from 1968 when ads first appeared on cars. The Marlboro F1 sign is a mystery. Seems to be the only one left in UK. Maybe they have a long term contract!

This is exactly what I heard, I said it in another thread that the tobacco ban was currently only a gentlemans agreement, but I was reliably informed by Todd that this isnt the case:

http://www.atlasf1.c...reement tobacco

So who is right?

[VAR1016]

Sod 'em!!

VAR1016