Alicia Keys apologizes for tobacco ads – after she takes the money and runs

According to online reports, singer Alicia Keys issued an apology for tobacco ads that appeared on posters advertising her concert which is only two days away.

The 28-year-old singer apologized after discovering that her gig, which kicks off on July 31, was sponsored by tobacco firm Philip Morris.

In a statement, Keys said she asked for “corrective actions” as soon as she came to know about the advertisements. The company has withdrawn their sponsorship and the billboard posters have also been removed.

“I apologize for any misleading advertising initially associated with the show,” BBC quoted Keys, as saying in a statement. “I”m an unyielding advocate for the well-being and health of children around the world and do not condone or endorse smoking. (Source)

Don’t you love it when celebrities feign ignorance about a promotion that’s using their name? I guess she missed that big ass Philip Morris logo on everything associated with her concerts, ie tickets, posters, etc? Who or what did she think was sponsoring her shows?

A celebrity is a fool if he or she doesn’t know about a promotion that’s tied to their name. They can’t blame the business manager if they’re ignorant about business.

Photo: Wireimage/Getty

katgirl33

She knew; otherwise it shows how blind she is to her business, or stupid…..

Come on now, you don’t know who’s signing your paychecks???

I’m just saying…..
brenden

She looks good in this picture. I especially like how the…Never mind. If she says she had no idea, I believe her. Whether or not that makes her a bad business woman Im not sure…
mjoylaw

well she did something about it..everyone makes mistakes
PAGESINADIARY

THIS IS SOME BU-BU
http://www.myspace.com/thegameoncw Bird

Why is it bad for her to get sponsorship from Phillip Morris? Alcohol companies gotta be in the top 3 concert sponsors. If that’s ok then cigarette sponsorship should be ok too. They are both legal and when I smoke a fag (that’s for you Sandra with no pun intended) my judgment is not impared to the point where I go out and kill people with my car or give booty to questionable characters in a drunken haze.
Anna

Bird Says:

Why is it bad for her to get sponsorship from Phillip Morris? Alcohol companies gotta be in the top 3 concert sponsors. If that’s ok then cigarette sponsorship should be ok too.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I guess because alcohol companies tell you to drink responsibly(they are not trying to make alcoholics out of you, whereas cig companies know they are purposely putting addictive things in the cigs to keep you buying. You know what your box of cigs say. They don’t put anything like that on a bottle of liquor so there is nothing to apologize or defend when they are sponsoring your concert.
Kymystry

@ Bird … exactly … and I don’t even smoke OR drank .. why should she apologize .. SOMEONE is gonna sponsor her ..
katgirl33

ITA w/Anna, and I’m thinking she don’t want to be a role model for young girls (who are her fans) smoking….it’s understandable, but I’m still not understanding how she didn’t know who was sponsoring her tour….

Example….Nivea is sponsoring Janet’s tour…they got a commercial w/”Rock Wit You”……

Y’all think Janet has no idea that Nivea is sponsoring her?

Mistakes do happen, but that’s a big one….LOL
prynsexxx

She looks really nice in that picture. Love the shirt.
ggouch

If I were a part of her CAMP, I would be more embarrased by the claim of ignorance. Are you serious!!, you really didn’t know who your SPONSORS were?

That sounds dumb. Perhaps Keys should consider looking through her finances…what else are you not reading
http://www.myspace.com/hune916 HunE916

Folks obviously don’t know the workings of being an entertainer! This girl is a musician/actress. They HIRE people to oversee contracts, promotion, ALL THAT! You think artists have time to look through every single document that is involved with their career? Be f*cking for real, folks!

What would be the point of her knowing about a sponsor and then pulling everything? That’s just wasted time, effort and money!

THINK people! THINK!
ggouch

HunE, my mouth is hanging open at your statement are you serious with that statement. and now I am looking for the follow up post that says you’re only kidding.

If she gets sued, whose money do they take, her’s or the employee’s? MEDITATE on that for a moment…

That is like saying a President of a Corporation don’t have to read contracts, because he’s too busy being a president. . Are you serious?!!

Keys, is a business within herself. If they sue her, she wont get out of it by saying to the judge, you think artists have time to look through every single document…….Be f*cking for real, folks!

That statement is stupid as shit..I’m sorry, I’m not trying to raise a rukus…BUT!!!!! lets just go back and think about what you said.
http://www.myspace.com/thegameoncw Bird

Anna Says:

I guess because alcohol companies tell you to drink responsibly(they are not trying to make alcoholics out of you, whereas cig companies know they are purposely putting addictive things in the cigs to keep you buying.
**********************************************************

If you think alcohol companies are not trying to make alcoholics out of people, you got another thought coming. First of all that “drink responsibly” campaign is fairly new and was likely started to give the appearance of political correctness and nothing more. And regardless of their intentions there are millions of alcoholics worldwide and they are killing folks and destroying their families. Alcohol is no better than cigarettes and is ten times as deadly. Alicia did nothing wrong accepting their sponsorship. I say again, if it is ok for alcohol, it is ok for cigs.
http://myspace.com/mullatos SnootyPooty1

Its not hard to believe that she did not know I am sure other people take care of her business… Not many celeb are hands on when it comes to alot of things.
LB

I think you should research this more before throwing in ur skewed view of it. there’s more to this than ur telling and u know it
http://www.myspace.com/hune916 HunE916

@ ggouch

It just takes common sense. Do you work in business environment? Most companies (like mine) have a specific person, usually someone with a LAW DEGREE, that reviews and goes over contracts. Your typical contract can be up to 50 pages long just for the lease of a Port-O-Potty!

Does the President of my corporation read all the contracts? No. We have a Legal Contracts department for that. Even if he did, the President has a BUSINESS Degree.

Now, you’re talking about a singer. Hmm, lets say in a given day she has rehearsals, recording studio time, concerts, interviews, etc. Where the hell do you think she’s going to have the time, let alone the business knowledge, to review a promoter sponsorship?

Plus, if they dropped out as sponsors and the tour didn’t fold, that means she had multiple sponsors, probably a dozen at the least and you’re telling me that SHE is supposed to keep track of this?

Of course it’ll be her money that gets took in a lawsuit, that’s why you have liability insurance and deal with financial companies that back up their work. Like she’s at home doing her own accounting and her own books!

So, I think YOU are the stupid ass in this equation. (Not to raise any ruckus.)
leat

DAMN A Keys i thought you of all people were smart enough to know that Phillip Morris is soooooo much more than tobacco! So would she have a problem with sponsorship from an alcohol company or pharmaceutical! DAMN!
kdillon

Alicia is too smart not to know who her sponsors, business partners, or investors are. Alicia herself has to know this because of situations like these, but she didnt count on someone actually making a fuss about it. In the industry all money is dirty, and in life but once you are aware of something you are held accountable. Its a good thing that she apologized because she would like to save face and keep her image…..keep it moving.
mr mr

ONCE AGAIN, SANDRA HAS IT WRONG…..

check out the REAL news story and why Alicia is being applauded:

Scheduled to perform a show in Jakarta, Indonesia at the end of the month, billboards have gone up promoting the concert in tandem with Phillip Morris/Sampoerna-made cigarettes, according to Fox Business.

Giant billboards bill the concert as “A Mild Live Production”. “A Mild” is a cigarette brand produced by Sampoerna. The billboards feature a large photo of Keys, the logo for “A Mild” cigarettes and a large health warning that states, “Smoking can cause cancer, heart attacks, impotence and harm pregnancy and fetal development.”

The singer has been applauded for her efforts to stop the tobacco-maker from sponsoring the show by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. The president of the organization, Matthew L. Myers, recently recognized her in a statement on the campaign’s website.

“Alicia Keys has set a positive example that should be followed by musicians and entertainers worldwide by demanding the withdrawal of tobacco industry sponsorship of her July 31 concert in Jakarta, Indonesia,” Myers said. “We applaud Ms. Keys for taking quick action to disassociate herself from the tobacco industry and to prevent her name, image and talent from continuing to be used to market cigarettes to children. It is critical that the tobacco company involved, Philip Morris International/Sampoerna, and concert promoters immediately end the sponsorship and all tobacco-related marketing and branding associated with the concert.”

While it is illegal for tobacco companies to engage in brand name sponsorships of concerts in the U.S. under a 1998 legal settlement, it is allowed in developing countries like Indonesia.
http://myspace.com/mullatos SnootyPooty1

@HunE916…. Well said thats what I was saying… Please like they sit down and look at all of that stuff!!!!

Alicia Keys apologizes for tobacco ads – after she takes the money and runs

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