Three main products, which fall under this category, are condoms, alcohol, and tobacco products. Alcohol and tobacco advertising have been banned in many countries including India (on DD and AIR) and the USA television networks. While alcohol and tobacco product manufacturers say that truthful and non-deceptive advertising of legal products is constitutional.
Supporters of the ban say that advertising of such products might result in sickness, or even death of users. However, alcohol advertisers try and convey messages about moderate drinking like Baccardi ad ‘Baccardi mixes with every thing but it does not mix with driving’. But where there is a ban on advertising of such products, advertisers use surrogate advertising like promoting other products of the same name. So we have matchboxes, playing cards, cut glasses, pet bottles, diaries and annual planners being advertised which clearly promote alcohol or tobacco products.
Many media do not accept condoms ads, although there is no ban on it. Newspapers rarely accept condom ads. Television has only recently started telecasting condom ads. Only magazines publish condom ads regularly. However, many people feel with the menace of AIDS and the increased cases of sexually transmitted diseases, all media should accept condom ads.
