Marlboro’s latest global advertising push, the “I AM Marlboro” campaign, is facing fierce criticism from anti-tobacco campaigners who accuse Philip Morris International (PMI) of deliberately targeting young people with a message that ties smoking to personal identity and self-expression.
The campaign, which spans billboards, television advertisements and online content, has drawn condemnation from experts who say it contradicts PMI’s stated ambition to phase out cigarettes. Mark Hurley, vice‑president of 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.”
Campaign accused of exploiting youth identity
The “I AM Marlboro” campaign uses imagery and promotions that critics argue are designed to appeal to adolescents and young adults still forming their sense of self. In the Philippines, roadside stands selling Marlboro cigarettes have run competitions offering scooters or campaign-branded merchandise with each purchase. An Indonesian television advertisement depicts young adults climbing mountains and rehearsing in a rock band, activities associated with exploration and rebellion.
Lisda Sundari, chair of Indonesia’s Lentera Anak Foundation, said the campaign is highly visible in the country and “connects smoking with identity, self‑expression, confidence, belonging and lifestyle”. She added: “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.” Sundari noted that this effect is amplified by social media platforms such as YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, which play a central role in youth culture and social interaction.
The new campaign closely echoes PMI’s previous “Be Marlboro” campaign, launched in Germany in 2011 and centred on themes of risk‑taking, independence, exploration, rebellion and freedom. A German court banned the “Be Marlboro” campaign in October 2013, finding it encouraged smoking in individuals as young as 14 and specifically targeted “risk‑taking, rebellious youths”. Although the ban was overturned on appeal in October 2015, the court’s initial reasoning highlighted the campaign’s deliberate appeal to younger audiences. PMI rolled out “Be Marlboro” across 64 countries, including many low‑ and middle‑income nations, and faced legal challenges in Brazil, Colombia, Switzerland, and elsewhere. PMI has now filed or owns trademarks related to “I AM Marlboro” in about 20 countries, among them Indonesia, Morocco, Bangladesh and Germany.
Jorge Alday, director of the Stopping Tobacco Organizations and Products (Stop) initiative at Vital Strategies, said: “The ‘I AM’ campaign lays bare the duplicity in Philip Morris International’s claims to want to end cigarette sales. 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’s Tobacco Control Research Group have pointed out that the decline in PMI’s cigarette sales has stalled since the company announced its ambition to go smoke‑free. The group, which runs the Tobacco Tactics website, has documented how tobacco companies consistently circumvent marketing restrictions.
The “I AM Marlboro” campaign is not the first time PMI has faced accusations of hypocrisy over its marketing. In 2018, the company launched a “Hold My Light” campaign in the UK encouraging smokers to switch to e‑cigarettes, a move that Cancer Research UK called “staggering hypocrisy” given PMI’s continued global promotion of tobacco cigarettes. Research across several African countries, Indonesia and other low‑ and middle‑income nations has recorded prominent Marlboro advertising and promotions near primary and secondary schools, despite PMI’s own code of conduct pledging not to market to minors. The company has also introduced and promoted flavoured cigarettes globally, a product category banned in the United States because of its appeal to young people.
Philip Morris International’s defence
PMI’s chief executive, Jacek Olczak, said three years ago that “cigarettes belong in museums”, insisting the company was shifting towards alternatives such as vapes. A PMI spokesperson defended the latest campaign, stating: “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.”
The spokesperson added: “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.” PMI’s marketing code includes guidelines that prohibit the use of images of youth‑oriented celebrities or models under the age of 25, and require that advertising be placed where at least 75% of the audience is estimated to be of legal smoking age. The company says it does not pay social media influencers to endorse its products.
PMI’s financial results underscore the continued importance of its combustible business. In the first quarter of 2026, the company reported net revenues of $10.1 billion, with smoke‑free products accounting for $4.4 billion. Combustibles revenue rose 6.7% (0.9% organically) even as cigarette volumes declined 5.1%. Marlboro itself reached a record first‑quarter category share of 10.7%. Meanwhile, IQOS – PMI’s heat‑not‑burn device – became the number one nicotine brand by volume in markets where it competes with Marlboro, holding approximately 77% of the heat‑not‑burn category.
Critics, however, argue that such figures reveal a company still heavily reliant on cigarette sales. Hurley said: “For a company that claims to be moving beyond cigarettes, this looks less like a transition and more like doubling down.” Alday added that the company’s own marketing code has repeatedly failed to prevent campaigns that appeal to younger audiences. “The style and messaging of ‘I AM Marlboro’ strongly attract younger viewers, regardless of the fine print,” he said.