Activists slam ITC for sponsoring Delhi Fashion Week under the brand name Wills, which has a strong association with cigarettes

Tobacco control activists have slammed ITC for sponsoring the recent Fashion Week in Delhi under the brand name Wills, which has a strong association with cigarettes.

Activists said in a press release, "The Wills India Fashion Week is held under the Wills Lifestyle brand extension of ITC.

The extension of the brand name to their clothing line, and by effect to this fashion week, makes it a massive brand building effort for the Wills brand."

Dr P C Gupta, director, Healis Sekhsaria Institute for Public Health, said, "This is an act of endorsing cigarette brands through seemingly inoffensive platforms.

Young people aspire towards a fashionable lifestyle.

Smoking hot: A model walks the ramp at the Wills India Fashion Week 2010 in New Delhi.