.... the brain is not a vessel to be filled,
It is something to be IGNITED

January 25, 2005:

 
ITC Ltd. asked to withdraw stocks of "Gold Flake Greeting Cards": courtesy BBS

The efforts of "Burning Brain Society [BBS]" bore fruit when a recent letter issued by the Ministry of Health asked ITC Limited to remove its entire stock of greeting cards bearing the name of cigarette brand "Gold Flake." To remind you ITC had launched a range of greeting cards under the brand name "Gold Flake Expressions" which has the same logo, design and colour as the cigarette brand ‘Gold Flake’. The greeting cards have the logo printed both on the cards as well as on its cover, this clearly amounts to indirect advertisement of the cigarette brand which is a violation of the "Cigarette and other tobacco products Act (COTPA)."

It was Burning Brain Society which brought the issue to light in June 2004 and then relentlessly followed the progress all through. A massive campaign was launched on the Internet too. BBS even distributed its own "Fake Impressions" card with a logo which read "Fake Gold Tobacco Warning Cards." As a New Year message card, over 22,000 of such e-cards were distributed and downloaded from www.burningbrain.org/card.htm.

Letters and Memorandums were issued to the Prime Minister of India, the President, Health Ministry and 100's of Members of Parliament. Notices were issued to ITC Ltd. and its major stockholding companies. Copies of which are available at www.burningbrain.org/killercards.html.

BBS has also been objecting to suchlike other surrogate advertisements too. As a protest to Red & White bravery award (since it is also a form of surrogate advertisement of Red & White brand of cigarette) BBS started a spoof awards by the name of "Red and Black Shame Awards" to be given to such Government functionaries who had failed miserably to enforce COTPA and instead were helping the tobacco companies by their inaction. One of the awardees was Mrs. Shiela Dixit, the CM of Delhi. Exemption of sale tax by her government on the "Expression" range of note books promoted by "ITC Ltd." while ITC was using the same "Expression" logo clubbed with Gold Flake cigarette brand name and logo style on its other paper product, greeting cards, was sited as one of the reasons for selecting Ms. Dixit for the shame awards.

It is a major victory for us and spells hope for all other anti tobacco groups across the world too. It is a victory of a small dedicated group of people over a multi-million turnover company.

We want the withdrawal of the stocks to be immediate, without any delay. Since the withdrawal of all such ITC stationary is estimated to cost ITC upwards of 700 million Rupees so there can be some other stalling techniques to liquidate the illegal stock dishonestly.

We hope to generate opinion and move the authorities on other tobacco related surrogate advertisement issues like the "Red & White bravery awards," "Wills Lifestyle," "Manikchand film fare awards," "Kuber gutka" and such like other violations too.

Those who doubted us be reminded that most changes in the world (all through the history) are brought by a small group of dedicated people.

Hemant Goswami
Chairperson, Burning Brain Society

Please send us your views & comments on this at commentsburningbrain.org
Picture Download - Hemant Goswami

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