Tobacco Sponsorship Loopholes

[Raglanparade]

It was reported over the weekend that Ferrari are going to use the Barcode to subliminally promote Marlboro once the ban is imposed.

Does anyone have any more creative ways that could be used to get around the new rules ?
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One Idea.

A new biscuit or coffee brand is set-up called barlMoro.

Marlboro has no financial ownership in this company. But, instead, they simply just give the company money.

barlMoro owns/runs a small F3 team.

Marlboro writes off sponsorship expenses of $50 Million to sponsor blank space/barcode on F3 car.

barlMoro uses that money in turn to Sponsor the Ferrari F1 Team.

So the money comes in to sponsor the F3 team, and goes out to sponsor the F1 team.

The main objective of this is to ensure that barlMoro not owned or controlled by Marlboro...... so that the tobacco legislation does not affect it.
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[Kicking-back]

I don't think we'll see much of this happening.

Most of the tobacco sponsored teams (McLaren, Ferrari, Renault, BAR, Jordan) have contingency plans for new backers.

[Raglanparade]

So far ive only heard of the Johnnie Walker and McLaren link ?

What are the plans for the others ?

[Kicking-back]

BAR will most likely have increased Honda backing, Jordan has Midland's contacts and money, Ferrari will stay red and be subliminal and Renault will carry more manufacturer branding.

[climb]

The subliminal impact of a bar code is really disputable IMO.

[Just Do It!]

If the rules are rightly written, no team or any entity associated with a team will be allowed to display, depict, portray, or in any other way have any links to any tobacco company, nor will they be allowed to derive any income from any such sources.

Its pretty easy to sort really.

[GTRMagic]

But Philip Morris, or indeed Altria as its parent is known, has many many entities, so anything is possible in the financial merrygoround of an international corporate....

[nkh]

They could do what West did when they wanted to sponsor a McLaren F1 that took part in the Le Mans race, pay a small radio station to change their name and put it on the car: http://www.diecastsportscar.com/LeMa.../49mclaren.jpg
http://www.racingsportscars.com/phot...-06-18-049.jpg

[chillibowl]

Originally Posted by Just Do It!

nor will they be allowed to derive any income from any such sources.

does the ban mean they can't even accept money from a tabac. company? how about for selling team clothing/accesories etc. with tabac branding in markets that are not included under the ban(if there are any)?

[andy_b]

I actually worked on the GTR west livery many years ago I dont think the French authorities really liked that

Marlboro triangles (96ish) and the horizontal style bar code on the Lark McLarens were also a bit crafty, but Mika, David and Team have to be one of the best alternative

Bar code, Kmi, Team wording, Team Spirit, Be on Edge are also subtle colour and font links to cigarette companies. Get too close and people like the French government throw a wobbly (thats why the Mirror Man logo only appeared on the McLarens at France in 1997).

The old Marlboro charts for different branding and lettering back in the 90's had about six different variations, because rules then were different for car, personnel and tucks, in addition to France, Britian and Germany allowing different things.

I suspect this chart has grown over the past few years. Even back in the mid 90's I heard the old " well launch a Margarine in Ecuador called Marlbro" but the never did and I think that would create lots of negative publicity.


One last thing, that I dont think was picked up re Johnnie Walker - If you look at the press image McLaren relased with JW branding, you'll notice that the Juan Pablo wording on the side pod ISNT in the West livery. I still think come Turkey or 2006, those white elippeses (Spl) will be replace by JW branding

[andy_b]

Originally Posted by chillibowl

does the ban mean they can't even accept money from a tabac. company? how about for selling team clothing/accesories etc. with tabac branding in markets that are not included under the ban(if there are any)?

very grey area last time I heard. Years ago a tobacco company whose initals were well known were planning to give out quality polo shirts to the crowd. Some would have one letter, others would have another etc and some (lucky ones) would have a blank one. The theroy was camera pans in the crowd and see's a sea of tobacco logos



Never happened in the end

[Hazard]

Originally Posted by Kicking-back

BAR will most likely have increased Honda backing, Jordan has Midland's contacts and money, Ferrari will stay red and be subliminal and Renault will carry more manufacturer branding.

Jordan's B&H sponsorship is pretty much down to zero already. They only carried the logo's in any noticeable form at Monaco. The sidepods are back to 'Narein' & 'Tiago' again as of the last race.

[Dutton]

Just to say, all this talk of Ferrari using "subliminal" markings refering to Marlboro... I assuming we are talking about basically leavign the distinctive red-white triangle designs?

That wouldn't be subliminal, as we would be very much consciously aware of it.

[Mekola]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

But Philip Morris, or indeed Altria as its parent is known, has many many entities, so anything is possible in the financial merrygoround of an international corporate....

That's what I was about to say... Altria could use brands of Kraft Foods (like Suchard and its derivates) in order to replace Marlboro brand on F1 cars.

But about replacement brands, I remember that Paul Stoddart used to have "Marlboro Air" as a sponsor in his European Formula Racing F3000 in 1999.

[Kicking-back]

Originally Posted by Mekola

That's what I was about to say... Altria could use brands of Kraft Foods (like Suchard and its derivates) in order to replace Marlboro brand on F1 cars.

I think they'll decide not to.

You can advertise cheese anywhere - whereas F1 was one of the few avenues available to promote the fags.

I think we'll see some new and different sponsors come in - perhaps ones who've been put off so far by being seen alongside cigarette ads.

[Logrence]

I think if these people wanted to make more money from cheese sales we would already see a significant dairy presence in international motorsport. Additionally I know of no-one who has a 'thing' for cheese and snaffles 20 slices a day. It's a lucrative business, this ciggy thing.

Last I heard Marlboro are planning to give Ferrari money to maintain a car with no sponsorship logos at all except Shell on the sidepods.

[andy_b]

Originally Posted by Logrence

Last I heard Marlboro are planning to give Ferrari money to maintain a car with no sponsorship logos at all except Shell on the sidepods.

Yeah, there was this talk of a basic red car with a white band along the bottom, the same as the new style Marlboro hordings. Problem for me, they only introduced it in Hungary last year and I havent seen it that much, come July, they will only be able to use this hording design at tobacco friendly circuits and therefore its "awareness" as a graphic device for Marlboro will be minimal.

I know years ago when Germany (or maybe it was France) had there tobacco rules and it was still Marlboro at McLaren, we had to change the chevron point to a radius as the standard was too close to the Marlboro logo. I seem to think that was done on the Minichamp model (either 95 or 96)

[flor]

you can see the new barcode livery here: http://www.f1total.com/bilder/cat.php?c=05testsil2

[chillibowl]

Originally Posted by Kicking-back

I think we'll see some new and different sponsors come in - perhaps ones who've been put off so far by being seen alongside cigarette ads.

certainly this has been sir frank's take on things for a long time now, and he has been very successfull at bringing in new sponsors in both a tech partnership and straight sponsorship role who feel that way about being linked to tobacco. but even that has limits.
personally my fear is that this void, in the short term, will involve teams opting for one shot promo deals for big budget movies and cheesy product placements (although the stormtrooper pit crew was pretty cool but if done wrong it could have been terrible) rather than going for, or being able to find long term sponsors who can give you that constant stream on income.

[chezza]

Can't Ferrari continue with there marlboro sponsorship...using the clothing company and not the tobacco company??

[the_royksopp]

Or they could write Maranello, but with the same font?

[Logrence]

No, all this will be banned. So will all the obvious tricks like using a logo or a different word in the same font...the teams who refuse to move to more ethical sponsorship are really scratching their heads about what to do.

[Dutton]

How can they just ban using font styles or un-tagged designs?

I mean, it could be obvious as hell as to its purpose.....but PROVING it....

Not very easy.

[Logrence]

Because the teams aren't allowed to use logos similar to tobacco sponsorship logos, it's as simple as that. If McLaren use the West font and a red slash on the car you can quite clearly see that.

What winds me up is that we're even talking about all this - why on earth can F1 not accept the inevitable, show a spot of moral fibre and find some other sponsors?!

[DKGandBH]

Wait 'till you see the drivers "Light Up" in front of a camera...

DKGandBH