Tom the Dancing Bug by Ruben Bolling for June 04, 2015

Transcript:

"whats the deal with that cowboy cigarette guy"? Previously in "Tom the dancing bug" It is illegal to advertise cigarettes on television , but tobacco companies have devised a strategy to circumvent this rule. First they establish a recognizable logo... Then they carefully place that logo where television cameras will just happen to pick them up. On "Late show with David Letterman' the logo appears on two different faux billboards on the sets cityscape backdrop with no apparent purpose except to be broadcast. The latest infraction But the story continues on the 11/18/93 "Seinfeld" the same logo is prominently displayed as Elaine holds up a magazine. Like the Letterman biilboard, the magazine appears to be a prop, specifically designed for the broadcast. At any rate, you can be sure that the magazine ad was not chosen haphazardly Just asm in a previous episode m the band of pretzels george was seen eating was carefully selected. The actor who portrays George endorses that brand. The mayo connection But why would a net work want to promote Marlboros, a product that can't even legally buy advertising time? Perhaps there was a direst payment involved.... But, more likely the answer is mayonnaise! Marlboro is owned by Phillip Morris, which also owns Kraft General food and Miller. Phiilip Morris is a Major Tv advertiser, spending over $224 mil. on network time in the first half of '93 Does Phillip Morris advertise its products on "Seinfeld"? Yes! In fact , guess what brand mayonnaise was one of the spongers of "seinfelds" promotional tour? The Networks , desperate for a bigger slice of the philip Morris advertising pie, have every incentive to help the conglomerate get its tobacco-promoting images on TV to what lengths will phillips morris go to continue this practice and to silence those who dare to -