Tobacco ad comes under fire in Indonesia

Produced by Lowe Indonesia, the outdoor ad shows two young men at the door of a moving bus. They are holding onto their friend to make sure he does not get left behind.

The wording in Bahasa Indonesia says, ‘Lebih baik pulang nama daripada tinggalkan teman’ which critics translate as ‘It’s better to die than leave your friend behind’.

Depicted to the right is the Sampoerna logo, with the words ‘Teman yang Asyik’ – ‘a fun friend’.

Bangkok-based anti-smoking lobby SEACTA (Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance) has condemned the ad, saying it brings cigarette marketing to a new low.

SEATCA director Bungon Ritthiphakdee said, “It is very irresponsible to say such a horrible thing, especially as the aim is just to sell cigarettes. First of all, it is ludicrous to call a hazardous product that kills half its users a ‘friend’. It is simply despicable for PT Sampoerna to trash the Indonesian people in this manner. ”

The body feels that the ad is directed at young people - adding that about 12 per cent of Indonesia’s youth aged 13-15 years, smoke cigarettes (boys at 24 per cent and girls at 2 per cent).

Lowe Indonesia was not at liberty to comment but a spokesperson for Sampoerna said, “We would like to point out that the colloquial phrase used in our advertising ‘Lebih baik pulang nama daripada tinggalkan teman’ is associated with friendship and has no association with the word ‘dying.’ It appears that the phrase has been mistranslated.”

One Jakarta-based source considered it far-fetched to think the ad is saying it’s better to die than give up smoking.

But another industry executive felt the ad is irresponsible given the strength of sentiment calling for a ban on tobacco advertising in Indonesia. “If you know there are anti-smoking bodies trying to get cigarette advertising banned then you’re playing into their hands with ads like this,” he said.

There have been persistent calls for tobacco advertising to be curbed in Indonesia, and earlier this year the government announced that a ban would be enforced in stages.