Cartoon heroes are being "called upon to rescue the battered image of a very real-world institution -- the

Australia's 1992 Tobacco Advertising Prohibition Act prohibited most forms of tobacco advertising, making it more difficult for tobacco companies to promote their products. Despite the law, an Australian market-research firm called Feedback Plus was found to be distributing free cigarettes in a program it said was a "taste-testing survey" being carried out as part of a "marketing research" program.

The migration of sponsored video news releases (VNRs) and B-roll footage from television stations to websites is increasing.