President Clinton's planned "crackdown" on tobacco,
specifically a ban on brand-name cigarette advertising at
sporting events, has members of the NASCAR Winston Cup racing
community "fuming," according to USA TODAY. The prohibition of
brand-name advertising could create "significant changes" on the
Winston Cup circuit, which has had R.J. Reynolds as its primary
sponsor since '71. Speedway Motorsports President & CEO Humpy
Wheeler: "It could have all kind of short-and-long-term problems"
(USA TODAY, 8/23). R.J. Reynolds spokesperson Nat Walker: "We're
saying what we said a year ago, when President Clinton first made
his proposals, that we'd have to wait and see the actual text, to
see how it might affect our involvement [in motorsports]" (Glick
& Peltz, L.A. TIMES, 8/23). Clinton Press Secretary Mike McCurry
said the new FDA regulations could be announced today. He added
reports of an executive order on tobacco were wrong, and assuming
the OMB finishes its review of the tobacco rules, the president
will "simply" announce the FDA standards (AD AGE ONLINE, 8/23).
Other ad groups against the planned regulations: the American
Association of Advertising Agencies, the American Advertising
Federation, the Association of National Advertisers, the Magazine
Publishers of America, and the Direct Marketing Association (N.Y.
TIMES, 8/23).
REVERSE EFFECT? Association of National Advertisers Exec Dir
Daniel Jaffe says the proposed restrictions would have little
immediate effect on broadcasting, but could ultimately open the
airwaves to tobacco products advertising. Tobacco manufacturers
have said they don't plan to buy broadcast ads, and have never
challenged the '70s law that restricts them to non-broadcast
media, but a court challenge to these proposed restrictions could
open the door for such ads (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 8/23).
