In India, it is perfectly legal to manufacture liquor and cigarettes and sell them freely, but it is illegal to advertise them through the public media. And this is precisely the context in which we are faced with surrogate advertising. Though the law bans surrogate advertising, there is no practical enforcement as it is difficult to establish clearly that a particular product being advertised is indeed a "surrogate product" and not a "legitimate business." The solution perhaps is to explore the possibility of a ban on the further extension of alcohol and tobacco brands into other categories.

Audiences joyfully applauded when Tamil film actor Rajnikanth flipped his cigarette in the air before lighting it up, or empathized with Shahrukh Khan when he consumed liquor in the movie Devdas. However, audiences might be deprived of such opportunity in future, if the Ministry of Health's proposal to ban the depiction of actors smoking on the silver screen (and also on television programs) is implemented. Several popular heroes, role models for the youth, depict addiction on screen, thus, spreading wrong signals to the youth and children who tend to imitate the same in their own lives. But the government's notification was squashed by the courts as it scuttled creative freedom.

The above proposal has to be seen in the context of the prevailing laws in India which do not permit the advertising of cigarettes and liquor on public media. However, it is quite legitimate to manufacture and sell these products. Interestingly, liquor and cigarette sales are the major revenue generators for the government by way of taxes and duties levied on these items.

As public advertising of these products is not permissible, marketers of cigarette and alcoholic products have for long been using the path of surrogate advertising to provide them with the requisite marketing exposure. Indian audiences have, therefore, been exposed to surrogate advertising for quite a long time. In view of this fact, some watchdog organizations started complaining that these ads were perhaps encouraging people to consume tobacco and liquor, indirectly.

Marketing Mastermind Magazine, Surrogate Advertising, Surrogate Product, Surrogate Business, Indian Tobacco Company, ITC, Branding Strategy, Legitimate Business, Alcoholic Products, Cable Television Networks, Brand Extensions, Liquor Brands.