CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Billboard advertising has provided the tobacco industries with a relative low cost method of advertising and was used to reach either brand audience on specific target population.

Billboard advertising has what advertising industries calls high impression rate because of its static location that makes it viewed over again by target population thereby increasing its effectiveness.

In Nigeria, Advertising Practitioner Council (APCON) measures their guide. Line on cigarette and their related products, this guideline was to meet up with the federal government decree on smoking. They provided a standard for the assessment of advertising on the tobacco and also made it compulsory for all the advertising companies to comply i.e The health warning on the advertising of tobacco, which is the federal ministry of health warns that smokers are liable to die young.

According to (APCON) tobacco product advertising would no longer be aired on radio as from April 1st 2008, while the prolibitation of the product in outdoor media took effect on Dec. 31st 2008. Also tobacco advertisement in point of media which can only be done in black and white is restricted only to inner pages of newspapers or magazines.

According to Falcom (2004) APCON decision was predicted on the need to control (the smoking habit of our people). Billboard advertising is likely remain important part at tobacco product marketing in other part of the world like Chicago.