'Cigarette sex' ads fined NIS 400,000

The Zarmon-Goldman ad agency and Lamit tobacco company have been fined NIS 400,000 for breaking the law as they used human figures fashioned out of cigarette packs in their ads. Israeli law states that you can't use human (or animal) figures advertising cigarettes, but if that wasn't bad enough the cigarette-box humans seem to be engaging in oral sex.

In one, a red (presumably male) figure cut out from a Kiss packet is on his knees between the legs of a reclining blue (presumably female) figure. In another ad, the female figure is on her knees with her "face" in front of the standing (male) figure's "groin."

Eilon Zarmon, owner of Zarmon-Goldman ad agency, said to the Jerusalem Post: "The discussion with the ministry was very short. We have excellent relations with the ministry. It claimed we are violating the law, but our lawyers (from the Tel Aviv firm Zeltner, Halperin, Pitchon, Kadmon) say these are not actual human figures but only cut out from cigarette packets. Actually, it is a work of art." Pornogami art perhaps.

Not shy of controversy Zarmon-Goldmans pervious claim to fame was for the Dutch brand Max cigarettes, showing two upright cigarettes with one of them bent at the tip and about to "collapse", mimicking a Jet striking the Twin Towers.

"We are not afraid of slaughtering holy cows" Zarmon said at the time.