This Incredibly Patriotic Website From Philip Morris Is A Sly Marketing Move

Philip Morris just made a very public move to support tobacco. It has put up a website called Citizens for Tobacco Rights that's looking to drum up a more grassroots level of support for their cause, reports the AP.The Philip Morris brand hasn't had a great image in the eyes of consumers for the past few decades -- after all, they do sell cigarettes. Its parent conglomerate even rebranded in 2003 to Altria Group to help shake lose of the infamous Philip Morris name.The site is branded with a hefty dose of patriotism. It's smothered in red, white and blue, with an American flag right in the middle of it all.As for the content, there's plenty of information available about tobacco-related public policy issues. Remember, Altria does significant lobbying in Washington (lately to the tune of around $10 million each year).The move serves a few purposes for Philip Morris. The site provides value to its current customers by giving them a one stop shop for tobacco news, bringing Philip Morris closer to its customer. The customers also become more knowledgeable about the subject, and gives them more artillery as ambassadors spreading the movement on the ground.Also, it's another avenue for Philip Morris to stay in the minds of consumers, since most traditional forms of tobacco advertising are banned in the US.NOW SEE: 11 Craft Beer Companies That Went From Little To Big Time >Please follow War Room on Twitter and Facebook.Join the conversation about this story »See Also:How To Completely Destroy Your Career With One Massive Customer Service FailHow To Create The Perfect Tagline For Your BusinessYou Won't Believe The Crazy Burgers McDonald's Just Released In Japan

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