A 'War in the Store' Started Twenty Years Ago, and the battle still rages on...
Tobacco companies now spend the vast majority of their advertising and promotional dollars at the point of sale, vying for customer hearts and minds. This
“War in the Store”was triggered in 1993 when Philip Morris heavily discounted its Marlboro brand, and other tobacco companies followed suit to compete. While the
Master Settlement Agreement of 1998 (an agreement between the major tobacco companies and 46 state attorney generals) curtailed
some tobacco company advertising. For instance, by getting rid of Joe Camel and other cartoon characters and banning product ads on billboards and magazines, it left the store environment relatively free of restrictions. The tobacco industry took
full advantage of the gap. Point of sale (POS) marketing targets both consumers and retailers. POS promotions
