Lagos — The Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) recently announced some "control measures" in respect of advertising of tobacco products and alcoholic beverages. Among the measures are a ban on advertising or promotion of tobacco products on television, home videos and outdoor boards. APCON also said no pitch panel display of products would be allowed in sporting venues. These bans will take effect January 1 next year. The council has also restricted advertising of tobacco products in newspapers and magazines to inside covers and run-of-press inside pages. Such advertisements would not be in colour and will not appear in publications targeted at children.
In regard to alcoholic beverages the council said the code of advertising practice would be amended to permit the sponsorships of sporting events by brands of alcoholic beverages on two strict conditions. The conditions are that only brand names or product packs could be flashed on the screen or used as back-drops and that there should be no spot adverts promoting product-in-use immediately before or within the duration of the sponsored programme. The council will also disallow the promotion of spirits by offering material incentives and prizes.
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