Tobacco manufacturers this week put a brave face on the loss of consumer advertsing as a marketing vehicle.
As Gallaher bowed out with its eyecatching The fat lady sings...' billboard and newspaper farewell tribute to Silk Cut advertising (pictured above), rival Imperial Tobacco called a day on its iconic Lambert & Butler campaign with a poster declaring We've been outlawed'.
Both companies claim they are ready for life without consumer advertising, having already survived similar watershed moments such as the axing of cigarette TV commercials in 1965. In particular, manufacturers are gearing up for a potential frenzy of instore activity, although this could still be curtailed if new guidelines, yet to be issued by the Department of Health, are too prohibitive.
Jeremy Blackburn, trade communications manager at Gallaher, says: "Our activity will depend on the regulations regarding gantries and point of sale material. But, if possible, that will be one of our main drivers in future."
Blackburn insists existing brands will continue to prosper in the post-consumer advertising era, although he admits that launching new products without the aid of advertising will present "new challenges".
Iain Watkins, trade communications specialist at Imperial Tobacco, says the challenge facing manufacturers will be operating in a "dark market", although this will not be a unique experience as countries around the world, including Australia and France, already operate advertising bans.
However, the demise of consumer advertising could yet prove costly to marketing personnel: Watkins admits the company will review its marketing set up.

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