In the heart of Jakarta, tobacco advertising continues to echo in the lives of its youth on screens, in the streets, and through the speakers of music events. Despite regulations aimed at controlling tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship (TAPS), the reality remains. For many teenagers in the capital, smoking is not only visible, it is familiar, desirable, and in many cases, aspirational.
How Youth Culture Becomes a Target
A study by Tulodo Indonesia highlights just how deeply embedded tobacco advertising remains in the daily experiences of adolescents. Conducted among 1,278 youths aged 12 to 18 in Jakarta (2023), the study aimed to explore the relationship between exposure to tobacco advertising and the intention to smoke. The findings were presented at the 10th Indonesian Conference on Tobacco in Bali earlier this year and offer compelling evidence that existing tobacco control measures are not keeping pace with the evolving landscape of marketing.
Television emerged as the most dominant channel, with 80 percent of respondents reporting they had seen tobacco advertisements on TV in the past month. This was followed by billboards and banners (41%), online advertisements (36%), and point-of-sale promotions (33%). Beyond traditional media, nearly half of the youth surveyed reported encountering tobacco promotions via social media, a space where content is personalized, shareable, and often harder to regulate.
When Music, Gaming, and Sports Fuel Smoking Intentions
However, the data reveals more than just exposure, it reveals influence. One in ten respondents expressed an intention to smoke, and among them, a clear pattern emerged: they were significantly more likely to be passionate about music, sports, or online gaming. These interests were not incidental. In fact, adolescents who reported a strong passion for music were 1.75 times more likely to express a desire to smoke. Those drawn to online gaming had odds nearly twice as high, and youth interested in sports also showed increased smoking intention. The correlation was particularly stark in the context of music events. Teens exposed to tobacco branding at concerts or music festivals were more than three times as likely to report smoking intentions.
Rethinking Tobacco Policies for the Digital Age
Tulodo’s research supports a growing call to tighten Indonesia’s TAPS regulations, especially in media and venues that attract youth. The findings suggest that simply banning tobacco ads on traditional media is no longer sufficient. Instead, control efforts must extend to concert sponsorships, e-sports platforms, and youth-centric social media.
It’s time to close the loopholes. Indonesia’s youth deserve protection not just from cigarette packs, but from the subtle, seductive power of branded concerts and sponsored gaming. Join Tulodo in advocating for stronger, smarter tobacco control where youth voices and culture are part of the solution.
(By Maman Saputra, Heribertus R. Wibowo, and Nicholas Goodwin)
Published by