Know How to Work It

That I found myself surprised by this was actually the surprise.  The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act signed in 2009 gave the FDA the power to regulate tobacco.  It also called for several changes related to marketing and production of tobacco.  One of the first changes had to do with warning labels and messages for smokeless tobacco (SLT) products.  Cigarette warning labels will be changing in 2014. 

The law provides four warning messages that must rotate on packages and advertisements.  The cans and pouches of SLT must have warnings that encompass 30% of the label.  Any print ads, including billboards, must also contain one of the warning phrases and it must take up 20% of that media.

I have seen the cans already, but today I saw a big sandwich board display at a gas station.  The warning label on this ad, in combination with the picture and product tag line is a marketing stroke of genius.  I took a picture.  There is a glare from the sun but take a look - I'll tell you what my reaction was a little further down in the post. 

To me the advertisement is challenging and bold.  DARE

means one should be brave and brave people do not heed WARNINGS so the fact that "Tobacco is Addictive" adds to the appeal of the product, for those that are adventurous - yes? We just can't get in front of Big Tobacco -