Media Alert: ANA, 4A's, AAF Strongly Criticize Proposed Tobacco Marketing Legislation | About the ANA | ANA

Media Alert: ANA, 4A's, AAF Strongly Criticize Proposed Tobacco Marketing Legislation

March 4, 2009 - New York, NY - Today the Association of National Advertisers (ANA), American Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAA) and American Advertising Federation (AAF) submitted a detailed letter to Members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee expressing their strong opposition to H.R. 1256, the "Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act." The bill, introduced by the Committee's Chairman, Congressman Henry Waxman (D-CA), and expected to be marked up in the House today, proposes the most severe restrictions on the marketing of a legal product in U.S. History.

The legislation would impose sweeping restrictions on the advertising of tobacco products that far exceed current regulations and clearly violate First Amendment protections of commercial speech guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution, according to the Associations and a broad range of legal authorities they have consulted.

"The terms of the legislation add local restrictions on top of federal regulations, essentially preventing tobacco marketers from implementing a national campaign," said Dan Jaffe, Executive Vice President, Government Relations, ANA. "The bill's over-reaching prohibitions limit advertising to text only, ban pictures and color, and forbid outdoor advertising. This is a very troubling piece of legislation that could create broad precedents adversely affecting other areas of advertising."

Mr. Jaffe is available to journalists to further explain industry objections to the legislation. To speak with Mr. Jaffe, please contact Lesley Neadel at 917.595.3034 or lneadel@cooperkatz.com.

ABOUT THE ANA

The mission of the ANA (Association of National Advertisers) is to drive growth for marketing professionals, brands and businesses, the industry, and humanity. The ANA serves the marketing needs of 20,000 brands by leveraging the 12-point ANA Growth Agenda, which has been endorsed by the Global CMO Growth Council. The ANA’s membership consists of U.S. and international companies, including client-side marketers, nonprofits, fundraisers, and marketing solutions providers (data science and technology companies, ad agencies, publishers, media companies, suppliers, and vendors). The ANA creates Marketing Growth Champions by serving, educating, and advocating for more than 50,000 industry members that collectively invest more than $400 billion in marketing and advertising annually.

MEDIA INQUIRIES

Lesley Neadel
CooperKatz for the ANA
917.595.3034
lneadel@cooperkatz.com