Did you notice something different about the Ferraris at the Spanish GP? The Scuderia has removed the “bar code” design from Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa’s F10 race cars, after some noisy doctors claimed that the design is subliminal advertising from Marlboro (tobacco advertising in sports is not allowed in the EU). Philip Morris’ Marlboro is the only remaining tobacco brand in Formula 1 and is the title sponsor of the sport’s most famous team.
Ferrari denied the accusations and have grudgingly removed the offending design. The result is a white bordered empty box on the F10’s engine cover, which is rather ugly. Why didn’t they just remove the entire thing? Is it to prove a point? Your guess is as good as ours!
“Together with Philip Morris International we have decided to modify the livery of our cars starting with the Barcelona Grand Prix. This decision was taken in order to remove all speculation concerning the so-called “bar code” which was never intended to be a reference to a tobacco brand. By this we want to put an end to this ridiculous story and concentrate on more important things than on such groundless allegations,” an official Ferrari statement read.
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why wont they stand on their terms? if they were true to their statement, they should keep that barcode there…
So they proof it is true.
Leaving the box there to remind ppl that “Malboro was here”..this is even more effective than having the name there..just my 2 cents…
Even without the bar code, every F1 fans also know Malboro still main sponsor of Ferrari.
Actually, i did not know that Malboro was the main sponsor of Ferrari until this news popped up…(Noob here..haha)…and ppl tend to remember things that ppl did wrong..again, jz my 2 cents!!
Like Motogp Ducati raing, Marlboro is 1 of the main sponsor too.
Re: Why didn’t they just remove the entire thing? Is it to prove a point?
I think to indicate that the advertising space is taken. ;-)
If not some other sponsors may think that ferrari still has space for a “major” sponsor …..
;-)
soon these doc. will start watch MotoGP and realize the same on duc.
Now everybody knows that the white bordered empty box is Marlboro. Subliminal? Those doctors now seems to be part of that subliminal advert campaign.
wahahaha
The purpose of advertisement is? publicity, awareness. The noisy doctors just made it much more successful in achieving the purpose. And Ferrari decision to remove the ‘Barcode’ lines But Not the Box altogether ll even make it much much more successful as an advertisement. When people see the Box, they r reminded of the ‘Malboro’ brand. Ferrari very smart. Malboro clever. The noisy doctors….
But there is still subliminal behind the Ferrari’s drivers race suit.
yeah, just look at the barcodes on the race suit. The smaller the emblem, the easier to see…..the bar codes read … MALBORO….
what the @#@$.
When you got hospitalized for any critical illnesses or even cancers as a result of that Malboro brand and their friends, by that time you will appreciate what the ‘noisy doctors’ have strove for. You will even start lecturing your sons / relatives to stop smoking before it is too late. TRUST ME.
Guess the livery had something to do with Marlboro then. But what those doctor cause was to make Ferrari realize they could still do better in advertising Marlboro by putting a box there now, and those doctors’ ranting gave the perfect “ethical” reason to change it but for Marlboro’s benefit! lmao this totally backfired.
Now everybody thinks Marlboro.
My first thought when I saw the new design is : there is a box of Marlboro.
For me, red colour of Ferrari F1 car, that also means to Malboro (also red colour).
mayb our MOH should sponsor lotus team. put a picture of a damaged lung on the car :P.
remove or not, people already know
padan muka kau ferrari. haha
barcode still behind alonso’s helmet. kept seeing it during the race. hahaha
Common, even doctors that saving lives in hospitals were smoking malboros due to heavy stress at work…..
But for the love of god, pls remove that pathetic looking F duct (good it is banned in 2011) and that rear fin that makes the already ugly looking F1 cars to look more pathetic…… the only good looking ones are Mercedes F1 n Lotus.
The whiye borderline is deliberate. This actually signify the outline of the famous Malboro red and white box’s flip top. if they add the ” V ” inside.
Actually, i dont see a reason why tobacco companies, beer companies, or even betting companies are unable to sponsor….
social responsiblities…
Three letters from me:
L.O.L.
put gambar kretek and luffman or zon king….the docs wont suspect anythg
wahahaha luffman!=D
As if advertising for liquor is any better. Damn doctors are such hypocrites. They smoke & drink as much as the next guy. Maybe more.
Halo Doctors, Force India has Whyte & MacKay. McLaren has Johnnie Walker. Red Bull has Singha. So what’s next? No alcohol advertising?
Oh, Burger King is a sponsor for Sauber. Ban that next. Fast food leads to obesity. And how about petroleum products? Prolong contact with petroleum products can be cancerous. Lets ban Shell, Petronas, Mobil, Total, ELF, Esso. Lets not forget what polluters airlines are. Ban Air Asia, Kingfisher Airlines, OzJet, DHL. Lastly, lets just ban F1 all together. It’s not environmentally friendly & promotes unhealthy vices (smoking, drinking, fast food).
Good one! haha…
LOL…. I couldn’t have said it any better.
And so far, I’ve not heard anybody complaning about the girls holding the umbrellas/parasols….
soon all malboro boxes will be that design…wait and see
It already has. It’s called Marlboro Intense.
wow, this is just ridiculous. Just leave the barcode there la.
If people want to smoke, they’re going to smoke anyway, a barcode isn’t going to make a difference.
well the white lines look more like marlboro then the barcode.
BMW better
“Together with Philip Morris International we have decided to modify the livery of our cars…”
This line already said it all. Together with….
tell a pretty girl cashier from the hypermarket to bring in a barcode reader…
a single scan will prove everything
Teeet……………………….Marlboro RM8.90 LOL……heheheeheeh
they didn’t do it because, they know what will show up on the screen if the barcode is scanned…
think about it eversince that this episode of barcode=marlboro arises….
NO ONE even and ever mentioned about a device called barcode reader, or POS(point of sale) system AT ALL….
The thing is, why would racing series want tobacco companies out? Screw the doctors, smoking is legal, selling tobacco is legal and killing human beings is good for population control. What better way in killing people by letting them do it themselves, over a prolong period of time with their own will and themselves to blame for? Its better than restricting people from giving birth right?
Removing tobacco and liquor industry from racing is one of the main reasons why WRC is in dire situation, Lemans can’t really expand its reach, and F1 is always talking about budget constraints with fewer and fewer new, competitive teams (Brawn’s an exception). The car industry needs racing, and racing needs sponsors, and the best sponsors when it comes to racing has always got to be tobacco companies and liquor companies.
Who in the world would like to see F1 cars with Shokobutsu, Darlie or Ajinomoto livery? I can’t imagine the day when our F1 lineup looks like this:
1. Ferrari Colgate Palmolive
2. Williams Pampers
3. Kotex GP
4. Nestle Coco Crunch F1 GP
5. OldTown GP
6. Sin Chew Jit Poh GP
7. Ikea GP
These stupid regulators are just targeting and shouting at easy targets that helps no one at the end of the day. If they’re so opinionated about smokers, why not rally for governments all over the world to ban cigarettes? They can’t can they?
At the end of the day, since tobacco is an industry that cannot be abolished, might as well make good use of it through their sponsorship money.
Screw them! I want my tobacco livery back in EPL, WRC, F1, LeMans; and for those who oppose the idea, get a life, or perhaps a girlfriend, or a gay partner.
Thank you.