What is a brand without its packaging?

The government-led initiative, which is expected to be adopted by other countries around the world, has sparked a global debate on how certain products will be marketed in the future. Benson & Hedges, Silk Cut and Hamlet owner Japan Tobacco International (JTI) has launched a campaign to envisage the effect of the initiative on the alcohol, soft drink and confectionery sectors.

‘[The campaign] is a wake-up call to the food and drink sector to let them know that they are next in line for extreme regulations,’ Jonathan Duce, head of external communications at JTI, told Campaign.

The Future of Brands campaign comprises an exhibition and interactive website that are styled after an abandoned circus, which serves to highlight the counterintuitive nature of the initiative, according to JTI. It was launched at the International Food & Drink Event 2017, and the company plans to present it at other trade shows in the future.