"As a result, Members of Parliament are calling for a public inquiry into the logos, suggesting that televised coverage of F1 could be banned in the United Kingdom until they're removed.Both Ferrari and Marlboro deny the claims. The Ferrari Marlboro barcode story was dead. The problem is, this funky barcode does and, according to British doctors, it violates the ban with a subliminal pro-smoking message.Now, prominent English physician John Britton has written to the British Department of Health and the BBC (which airs the incredibly popular F1 races) to question the legality of showing the races in England while the barcode remains. F1 traditionally has a strong link with tobacco advertising and has a history of blatantly flouting the ban with altered logos. Why a bar code? So why on earth has Luca di Montezemolo gone public with his thoughts on the matter? Jordan, which was sponsored by Benson & Hedges, famously changed its livery to read "Bitten & Hisses" during certain races in 1997 to get around the rules. Ferrari is the only Formula One team with a tobacco brand in its formal title, Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro. "Is it still subliminal when everything I look at makes me want a cig? Despite the ban, Marlboro Due to the no-tobacco-ad rules, Marlboro's logo doesn't appear on any of the Ferrari team's race cars, apparel, equipment or on track billboards. After a dismal 2009 season, Ferrari are determined that their 2010 F1 car, the F10, succeeds.…Sponsorship of Formula Teams by tobacco companies is subject to a de facto ban due to laws which ban tobacco sponsorship of televised sporting events. Dr. Britton stated, " The bar code looks like the bottom half of a packet of Marlboro cigarettes. I was stunned when I saw it. Ferrari have responded to criticism of their Marlboro ‘barcode’ by changing the design. In this case, the barcode and the red, white and black colors are supposedly meant to remind viewers of the bottom of a Marlboro cigarette package. The team issued a statement saying: Together with Philip Morris International we have … Continue reading Ferrari change Marlboro barcode design This is pushing at the limits. By confusing Ferrari’s position on the matter he’s only given people fresh cause to wonder whether F1’s most successful team should be allowed to circumvent rules banning tobacco advertising.
English: Marlboro barcode advertising has been used occasionally since 1972. The director of the UK's Center for Tobacco Control Research asks, "I think this is advertising. The story had … What is their explanation? The space on the car is now predominantly red with a white box outline. At a time when, on the other side of the Atlantic they are fighting to provide a more equal health service, in the old continent of Europe, so called experts are racking their brains to come up with theories that have no scientific basis: I think there are more important matters to think about than a bar code. The team said they hope they change will “put an end to this ridiculous story”. 14-set-2016 - ferrari have agreed to remove the controversial 'barcode' livery from their formula one cars after long standing suggestions that it represented subliminal advertising for their cigarette sponsor marlboro. If you look at how the bar code has evolved over the last four years, it looks like creeping branding. Therefore, it's best not to waste any more time replying to this sort of nonsense or to those who are instrumental in wanting to stoke up the story.But, as Britton and others point out, Ferrari is unable to provide a tangible explanation for the bar code's inclusion in its livery. Ferrari President Luca di Montezemelo issued this statement yesterday:Frankly, I find this argument completely pointless and it is verging on the ridiculous to claim that the colour red or a graphic design which shows a bar code could induce people to smoke. (under EU legislation it is an offense for a tobacco company to sponsor sporting events). When the European Union banned tobacco advertising on Formula One cars in 2007, Marlboro replaced its logo by a barcode using the same colour scheme and reminding of its logo.