Advertising

5 Pages 1264 Words

An important element in advertising, of which Marlboro has taken full advantage. Marlboro has
gained allies in the art and entertainment world by sponsoring sales promotions on its packs that
donate money to local museums and by budgeting money toward cultural recipients from the
American Crafts Museum to the Dance Theater of Harlem. (Business Week 8/8/88) New York's
Lincoln Center for performing Arts, in 1987 allowed a huge banner advertising the Marlboro
Country Music Festival featuring Dolly Parton, Alabama, and the Judds, to hang on the front of
the public building flashing the red and white triangular logo of Marlboro cigarettes. The
Country Music Festival banner follows the Marlboro Western image, but like the Marlboro
Country ads the placement of the banner, hanging in New York, shows the appeal is not limited
to a country Western audience.
Before the ban of cigarette commercials in 1972, Philip Morris sponsored television events
including the weekly coast to coast pro-football and championship playoffs, Perry Mason,
Rawhide, a western series, and Troubleshooters, an adventure-thriller.(Esquire 1960). Mike
Wallace's Night Beat, sponsored by Marlboro after it's first night on the air, embodied the
qualities the company was looking to associate itself with, "Shock impact, originality, a talented
reporter obviously in the ascendant...and an intimation of public service through fearless
reporting"(Esquire 1960). After the ban, Marlboro chose sports events for their promotions. Once
off the TV air waves, the company stopped sponsoring big, team sports such as football and
baseball which were sponsored by other cigarette companies. Marlboro preferred to be the solo
sponsor of solo sports. Emphasizing the rough individual, Marlboro invited all of its patrons who
sat safe at home smoking Marlboros from the red and white pack to feel a part of the win each of
the 28 times Marlboro Formula One driver, Alan Prost, cross...