The 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health

Objective: This presentation will provide visuals of current advertising strategies of the tobacco industry in Jogjakarta, Indonesia. The analysis of these ads will focus particularly on the core cultural themes which are utilized to sell cigarettes and how the indigenous tobacco industry (kretek cigarettes) positions itself as an important contributor to the Indonesian nation-state.

Methods: From 2002-2005, tobacco advertisements were collected from a variety of sources including newspapers, billboards, magazines, and storefronts in Jogjakarta, Java. Advertisements were translated into English and thematic, textual, and visual analysis was undertaken by the research team. Twenty-five in-depth interviews were conducted with smokers on a range of issues, including what type of person smoked various brands of cigarettes and smoking identity among males of different age groups.

Results: Almost 60% of men in Indonesia are smokers, and to date, there has been little tobacco control activity in the country. Tobacco advertising and marketing in Indonesia is among the most sophisticated and aggressive in the world. In this paper, an analysis of tobacco advertisements sheds light on cultural themes used by tobacco companies to make smoking appear to fit Indonesian culture and appeal to both tradition and modernity. We highlight the challenge of developing and implementing tobacco cessation programs in consumer environments where tobacco use is well established and believed to have significant social utility. In order to be successful, those involved in tobacco cessation will need to reframe some of the core smoking messages which are replete in advertised messages.