WHAT'S NEXT

Tell Maroon 5 to drop tobacco sponsorship
  1. Signatures
    181 out of 5,000
    Petitioning
    1. Maroon 5 (+ 1 other)
      Petitioning
      close
      • Maroon 5
      • Career Artist Management (Maroon 5 Band Management)
  2. Created By
    John Baker
    Melbourne, Australia
About this Petition Petition Letter Petition Updates
How We Won

Feb 22, 2011

Tobacco sponsorship of youth-focused events is one of the main tactics that the tobacco industry uses to lure in the next generation of smokers in developing countries. So when advocates learned that Surya Professional Mild, an Indonesian clove cigarette company, was promoting Maroon 5’s upcoming tour, they took action. After receiving letters from over 170 Change.org members, Maroon 5 and their management moved quickly to have the tobacco company's name removed from all posters and advertising. Maroon 5's management contacted the tour promoter, Java MusikIndo, to immediately cease the use of the Surya brand in the promotion of the concert, scheduled for April 27th. According to an email the management company received from Java MusikIndo, the Surya concert series sponsorship "will be pulled immediately and we apologize for any negative attention towards Maroon 5." Read more about this victory here.

Maroon 5 are an American band that are playing in Jakarta, Indonesia on 27th April 2011. This tour is being sponsored by Surya Pro Mild, a cigarette brand owned by British American Tobacco.

As the fifth largest tobacco market in the world, Indonesia has over 70 million smokers, and this deadly habit kills over 200,000 Indonesians every year. This country is one of the few countries in the world that has not signed the WHO's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, and there are limited tobacco control policies or education programs in the country. Transnational companies as well as local manufacturers have an open playing field when it comes to marketing, advertising and sponsorship.

Tobacco sponsorship of this sort is exactly how the tobacco industry entices young people to pick up the deadly habit. By associating their products with popular music, sporting teams and other youth-focused events, the industry is able to effectively capitalize on the imagery and identity of artists, athletes and pop culture themes. Whether they intend to or not, the musicians at this event will essentially become brand ambassadors for this cigarette company. There’s a reason why tobacco industry shells out millions of dollars for this type of sponsorship – it works.

However, musicians do have the ability to stand up to the tobacco industry's egregious marketing tactics. In April 2010, former American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson removed tobacco advertising and sponsorship from her Jakarta tour, at the urging of fans and anti-smoking groups. Similarly, Alicia Keys refused to play her Indonesian tour unless sponsorship and marketing from Phillip Morris’ Sampoerna brand was halted.

Maroon 5 and their management team have the same power. They can refuse to play this event unless sponsorship from the cigarette makers is ended and their logos removed from all concert paraphernalia. Indonesia may just be another stop on their 2011 tour, but the lasting impression they make in the country – for better or worse – has significant ramifications.

Photo credit: tobaccocommons.com

 

Why People Are Signing
Recent Signatures

Tobacco sponsorship of Maroon 5 tour in Indonesia

Dear Wayne,

Maroon 5 will be playing a concert in Jakarta, Indonesia, on the 27th of April. This concert is being sponsored by Surya Pro Mild, a cigarette brand owned by British American Tobacco.
As the fifth largest tobacco market in the world, Indonesia has over 70 million smokers, and this deadly habit kills over 200,000 Indonesians every year. This country is one of the few countries in the world that has not signed the WHO's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, and there are limited tobacco control policies or education programs in the country. Transnational companies as well as local manufacturers have an open playing field when it comes to marketing, advertising and sponsorship.

Tobacco sponsorship of this sort is exactly how the tobacco industry entices young people to pick up the deadly habit. By associating their products with popular music, sporting teams and other youth-focused events, the industry is able to effectively capitalize on the imagery and identity of artists, athletes and pop culture themes. Whether they intend to or not, the musicians at this event will essentially become brand ambassadors for this cigarette company. There’s a reason why tobacco industry shells out millions of dollars for this type of sponsorship – it works.

However, musicians do have the ability to stand up to the tobacco industry's egregious marketing tactics. In April 2010, former American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson removed tobacco advertising and sponsorship from her Jakarta tour, at the urging of fans and anti-smoking groups. Similarly, Alicia Keys refused to play her Indonesian tour unless sponsorship and marketing from Phillip Morris’ Sampoerna brand was halted.

Maroon 5 and their management team have the same power. I am asking for Maroon 5 to refuse to play this event unless sponsorship from the cigarette makers is ended and their logos removed from all concert paraphernalia. Indonesia may just be another stop on their 2011 tour, but the lasting impression they make in the country – for better or worse – has significant ramifications.

Regards,

John Baker

[Your name]

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