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Can branding stop you from lighting up?

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Issues on reducing the number of smokers in Malaysia has been discussed recently, resulting in the local government planning to impose certain guidelines to decrease the number of smokers.According to a local news report, the government is proposing certain amendments while seeking public feedback online on the guidelines in the next two weeks.These guidelines include:Manufacturers being barred from making claims on the grade, quality and flavor of the product.Increasing the size of pictorial health warning on packages.Cigarette sticks will have the words ‘Smoking is hazardous to health' written on it.Tobacco companies can only sell products in plain packaging (following Australia's model)The ultimate question is of course whether the branding change can eventually reduce the number of smokers if no brand recognition is placed on the packaging.To Ranga Somanathan, chief executive office of Vivaki Malaysia, the missing branding will only affect new smokers."Given the loyalty amongst most of the current smokers to their respective brands, they will still tend to buy their preferred brands via deeper evaluation."The impact will be on the new consumers coming into the category as they get influenced by lifestyle symbols and messages that the brands will not be able to carry anymore," said Somanathan.From a branding standpoint, Alex Ooi, director of Roots Asia Pacific, believes that the change will not result in significantly reduced number of smokers."If the government is serious about reducing smokers, we can take cue from Singapore where there are designated areas for smoking, higher tax on cigarettes, and stricter enforcements including summons," said Ooi.Ooi also believes that there might be initial confusion in terms of branding on the consumer's side, but with no loss on the short term."Consumers may not be able to clearly identify their brand of choice, but essentially I don't see much loss in the near term as most smokers already have their preferred brand."From a long term point of view, this will open up more opportunities for cigarette brands to be more creative when marketing to consumers. So in regards to the nett-nett effect on the market as a whole, I don't see how this will deter consumers from smoking," he adds.Marketing for cigarette brands will surely see even more challenges if they already haven't.Ooi expects to see even greater push in on-ground activation and sponsorships as well as creative premiums such as lighters and personal cigarette holders among others.Somanathan believes it will be hard to tell the business strategy following the imposing of the regulations."Most cigarette companies are compliant with government regulations, thus I don't anticipate much of an issue from this. But it is hard to tell what their business strategies will be. They might look at alternative products and nicotine delivery mechanisms to market," he said.

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