The government has no right to destroy brands that abide by the law – for once, my sympathy lies entirely with the tobacco companies – Dean

In this opinion piece in today’s SMH,Sydney-based creative director and social media commentator Rowan Dean asks, Why does it take so many advertisers so long to realise the best advertising is the truth?

Dean (left), a regular on The Gruen Transfer, and a reformed smoker, argues: “By all means, make smoking illegal. You’ll get no complaints from me. But if the government is not prepared to go down that path, then it has no right to wantonly destroy brands that abide by the law. And the companies and shareholders of those brands have every right to fight for their survival. For once, my sympathy lies entirely with the tobacco companies.”