This is an interesting piece of news. Apparently a group of doctors are demanding an investigation to be carried out regarding a possible Marlboro advertising on Ferrari’s Formula 1 team as part of a sponsorship deal worth US$100 million. The doctors are saying that the ‘bar code’ design on the car and team apparel is a subliminal Marlboro advertising.
Under EU legislation it is an offense to carry out tobacco advertising in sporting events. Marlboro’s parent company Phillip Morris previously signed a sponsorship deal with Ferrari that will go on till 2011. However it was understood that Ferrari will not carry Marlboro’s branding where there was a ban.
Member of the Royal College of Physicians and Director of the tobacco advisory group John Britton said, “The bar code looks like the bottom half of a packet of Marlboro cigarettes.” “I was stunned when I saw it. This is pushing at the limits. If you look at how the bar code has evolved over the last four years, it looks like creeping branding,” he added.
A Ferrari spokesperson then responded by saying, “The bar code is part of the livery of the car, it is not part of a subliminal advertising campaign. US$100 million is not a correct figure; we are not disclosing the figure but it is lower than the figure you mention.”
Ferrari is also the only Formula 1 team which carries a tobacco brand name in its official title. Do you think of the tobacco brand when you see the ‘bar code’ above?
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AI-generated Summary ✨
Comments reveal that many recognize the barcode on Ferrari as a surrogate for Marlboro sponsorship, in line with longstanding F1 branding. Some note the barcode’s design similarity to Marlboro’s logo, while others believe it is a strategic, subtle advertising method after direct tobacco ads were banned. Several feel that the association is well-known and that the barcode's purpose is to maintain brand presence subliminally. A few comments suggest the debate is influenced more by perception than fact, with skepticism about whether the barcode actually promotes smoking. Overall, the sentiments range from acknowledgment of the covert sponsorship to criticisms of overanalyzing the issue, with most believing the barcode continues Marlboro’s branding legacy despite official bans.