Barraclough Simon, Gleeson Deborah
La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Asia Pac J Public Health. 2017 Mar;29(2):132-139. doi: 10.1177/1010539516688081. Epub 2017 Jan 24.
This study analyses what British American Tobacco (BAT) and its 4 publicly listed Asian subsidiary companies have told their shareholders about the commercial value of tobacco packaging. The discourse on packaging in BAT annual reports was analyzed, revealing themes of modernization, rejuvenation, internationalism, heritage, innovation, value for money, and competitive edge. Packaging was credited with providing existing brands with a competitive edge and enabling the successful "launch" of new ones. Since advertising, sponsorship, and free samples were prohibited in many countries, packaging has become more important for advertising. New brands and brand variants have proliferated. BAT companies have allocated considerable resources to regularly altering packaging for marketing purposes. Clearly, restrictions on packaging will substantially detract from the promotion of the company's brands. The findings provide further evidence from industry sources of the vital function of packaging and further justify plain packaging as an essential part of any comprehensive tobacco control policy.
本研究分析了英美烟草集团（BAT）及其4家亚洲上市子公司向股东披露的有关烟草包装商业价值的信息。对英美烟草集团年度报告中有关包装的论述进行了分析，揭示了现代化、年轻化、国际化、传统、创新、性价比和竞争优势等主题。包装被认为能为现有品牌提供竞争优势，并助力新品牌的成功“推出”。由于许多国家禁止广告、赞助和免费样品，包装在广告方面变得更加重要。新品牌和品牌变体大量涌现。英美烟草集团各公司已投入大量资源定期更换包装以用于营销目的。显然，对包装的限制将极大地损害公司品牌的推广。这些研究结果为行业提供了进一步证据，证明包装具有至关重要的作用，并进一步证明平装是任何全面控烟政策的重要组成部分。
