Philip Morris USA Asks "Please Don't Give Our Cigarette Brands a Part in Your Movie"

Business Wire, Nov 15, 2006

RICHMOND, Va. -- Philip Morris USA (PM USA) is asking entertainment industry decision-makers to voluntarily eliminate the use of its products from their productions with a new trade print advertising campaign. Designed to raise awareness of PM USA's positions on product placement and the use of its brand imagery, the campaign also encourages the industry to reduce or eliminate smoking scenes in movies directed at youth.

"Movies have the power to amuse, delight, teach and inspire. However, some studies suggest they may also influence a child's decision to smoke,"1,2,3 said Jennifer Hunter, vice president, Youth Smoking Prevention and Cessation Support for Philip Morris USA.

The ads will appear in Daily Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, and other trade publications beginning the week of November 13th.

Philip Morris USA does not want its brands or brand imagery depicted in movies and television shows. Since 1990, Philip Morris USA's policy has been to deny all requests for permission to use or display its brands in movies and television shows intended for general audiences.

Philip Morris USA is an operating company of Altria Group Inc (NYSE: MO). For more information about Philip Morris USA, our programs and positions on tobacco-related issues, please visit us at www.philipmorrisusa.com.

To view the ads, please go to the address below:

http://www.philipmorrisusa.com/en/downloads/about_us/pressroom/ general/pdf/smoking_in_movies_ads.pdf (Due to its length, this URL may need to be copied/pasted into your Internet browser's address field. Remove the extra space if one exists.)

1 Sargent, J.D., Beach, M.L., et al. (2005). Exposure to movie smoking: Its relation to smoking initiation among US adolescents. Pediatrics, 116,1183-1191.

2 Sargent, J.D., Dalton, M.A., et. al. (2002). Viewing tobacco use in movies: Does it shape attitudes that mediate adolescent smoking? American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 22(3), 137-145.

3 Pechmann, C., and Shih, C. (1999). Smoking scenes in movies and antismoking advertisements before movies: Effects on youth. Journal of Marketing, 63, 1-13.