Marlboro maker accused of ‘exploiting’ young people with new global ad campaign

Anti-tobacco campaigners have condemned a global advertising campaign for Marlboro by Philip Morris International (PMI), saying the company is being duplicitous in claiming it wants to end cigarette sales.

The “I AM Marlboro” campaign – which experts on the tobacco industry said appeared designed to attract young people – includes billboards, TV ads and online content.

Roadside stands selling Marlboro cigarettes in the Philippines have run competitions to win a scooter or campaign-branded merchandise by buying the cigarettes. An Indonesian television advert shows young adults climbing mountains and rehearsing in a rock band.

PMI has filed or owns campaign-related trademarks in about 20 countries, including Indonesia, Morocco, Bangladesh and Germany.

PMI’s chief executive, Jacek Olczak, said three years ago that “cigarettes belong in museums”, and that the company was shifting towards alternatives such as vapes.

However, Mark Hurley, vice-president at the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, said: “You can’t claim that cigarettes belong in a museum while launching a global campaign to make Marlboro cigarettes a core part of how young people see themselves.

“The campaign exploits young people’s search for identity, belonging and self-expression and ties it to Marlboro cigarettes.

“For a company that claims to be moving beyond cigarettes, this looks less like a transition and more like doubling down.”

The new promotional campaign echoes PMI advertising from more than a decade ago, which used the slogan “Be Marlboro”, and which was banned in Germany over concerns it appealed to teenagers.

Jorge Alday, director of Stopping Tobacco Organizations and Products (Stop) at Vital Strategies, said: “The ‘I AM’ campaign lays bare the duplicity in Philip Morris International’s claims to want to end cigarette sales.”

Alday added: “Let’s face the obvious: if the company was serious about ending cigarette sales, it wouldn’t be advertising cigarettes.”

Researchers at the University of Bath said the decline in PMI’s cigarette sales had stalled since they announced an ambition to go smoke-free.

Lisda Sundari, chair of Indonesia’s Lentera Anak Foundation, said the campaign was highly visible in the country.

“What makes it concerning is not only the cigarette branding itself, but the way the campaign connects smoking with identity, self-expression, confidence, belonging and lifestyle,” she said.

“A slogan such as ‘I AM Marlboro’ presents the brand almost as part of someone’s personality or social identity, which can strongly appeal to young people who are still in the process of identity formation.”

She said this was particularly relevant where social media platforms such as YouTube, Instagram and TikTok played “a central role in youth culture and social interaction”.

“While tobacco companies may state that their marketing is intended only for adult smokers, the overall style and messaging of campaigns like this can still strongly attract younger audiences,” she said.

A PMI spokesperson said: “Philip Morris International today is a drastically different company from a decade ago. In Q1 2026, 43% of our net revenues were generated by smoke-free products, compared to essentially zero when we announced our smoke-free future. The fact is our shipments of smoke-free products have increased every year, while over the past 10 years PMI has sold 240bn fewer cigarettes.

“To be clear, our marketing is restricted to adults and subject to both our own marketing code and legal requirements designed to prevent youth appeal or access.”