Is Unbranding Good For Your Health?

My first reaction to this story in Ad Age about a proposal in Europe to ban cigarette branding was outrage and amazement. It seemed to smack of the old Soviet Union. A case of government regulators overstepping the boundary of free speech, right?

And yet.

This is not a giant leap over the barrier of free speech. That was taken by all constituencies, including the tobacco companies, when cigarette advertising was banned. Label design influence purchase decision no less than advertising, perhaps more. Procter & Gamble recognized it for "the first moment of truth" for interacting with a product. Thus, eliminating the package design is the logical next step to banning advertising (although, leave it to those cunning advertising people to figure how to brand through the name alone, the only thing that's allowed on the package).

I don't share the view that this is the first step to eliminate advertising for other products. Fast food and sweets are not addictive, while cigarettes are, and therefore in a special class.

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