Philip Morris International (PMI) issued a statement announcing that the company has collaborated with Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli to launch a multi-year communication platform called “Believe. Further”, and the launch event was held at Torre dell’Arsenale in Venice.
The multi-year dissemination platform was launched in Venice.
According to the PMI announcement, “Believe. Further” is positioned as a multi-year platform focusing on “progress” and “positive change” topics. PMI stated that this platform will target European cultural, institutional and business audiences, and its coverage will expand as related discussions progress.
In the announcement, PMI linked this platform to the company’s own transformation narrative. Massimo Andolina, the CEO of PMI’s European region, stated that the company is committed to transforming its business to replace cigarettes with better alternatives, and hopes to enhance the public’s awareness of technology and innovation possibilities through the collaboration with Bocelli in Venice.
Andrea Bocelli stated in the announcement that one should believe that seemingly impossible things can indeed be achieved when they help improve lives and promote human progress. This statement aligns with the theme of PMI’s current communication platform.
From the perspective of news attributes, this event is not a product launch, nor a regulatory or financial announcement. Instead, it is an enterprise communication and brand narrative project launched by PMI in connection with the transition to smoke-free.
PMI highlights the revenue share of smoke-free products
In its announcement, PMI disclosed that as of the first quarter of 2026, smoke-free products accounted for 43% of the company’s net income, and have covered more than 105 markets worldwide. The company stated that its smoke-free product portfolio includes heated tobacco, nicotine pouches, and electronic cigarette products.
PMI also stated that as of December 31, 2025, the company estimates that its smoke-free products have a global customer base of over 43 million people of legal age, and many of these consumers have shifted away from cigarettes or significantly reduced their cigarette consumption.
The announcement states that since 2008, PMI has invested over 16 billion US dollars in developing, scientifically validating and commercializing innovative smoke-free products for adult smokers. PMI claims that its goal is to eventually end cigarette sales.
At the regulatory level, PMI mentioned that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the marketing of Swedish Match General snus, ZYN nicotine pouches, and some IQOS devices and cartridges. PMI also stated that some IQOS devices, cartridges, and General snus have received the FDA’s authorization for modified-risk tobacco products.
These data and regulatory information form the core basis on which PMI consistently emphasizes the progress of the smoke-free transformation, and also constitute the corporate background of the “Believe. Further” platform.
Cultural cooperation strengthens corporate narrative
Unlike traditional product marketing, PMI’s choice of collaboration with Andrea Bocelli this time reflects more on the corporate-level image dissemination. Bocelli, an internationally renowned tenor, has a cross-cultural and cross-generational audience base. PMI connects his personal experiences of “beliefs” and “breakthroughs” with the company’s transformation narrative.
This type of communication approach indicates that during the transition to a smoke-free environment, international tobacco companies not only need to present data to investors and regulatory agencies, but also need to shape their corporate image through broader social communication.
For PMI, “Believe. Further” can be regarded as a long-term communication project targeting the high-end culture, institutions and business scenarios in Europe. Its purpose is not merely to introduce smoke-free products, but to place the company’s transformation from a traditional tobacco enterprise to a smoke-free product and consumer goods enterprise within a broader framework of “technology, innovation and progress”.
announcement mainly reflects PMI’s own description. In the report, one should avoid directly adopting its value-laden language and distinguish between the company’s communication claims and independently verifiable business data.
Industry Impact and Subsequent Observations
From an industry perspective, the collaboration between PMI and Bocelli has sent out three signals.
First, the smoke-free transformation is extending beyond product and channel competition to corporate image competition. For large tobacco companies, how to explain the transformation path to regulators, investors, business partners, and adult consumers has become an integral part of their long-term strategy.
Secondly, cultural and institutional communication is becoming an important tool for tobacco companies in their smoke-free strategies. Compared to single-product advertising, the corporate communication platform places greater emphasis on long-term narratives, social dialogue, and brand reputation building.
Thirdly, PMI continues to strengthen the credibility of its transformation by focusing on the revenue share of smoke-free products, market coverage, and scientific investment. The 43% net income share indicates that smoke-free products have become a crucial component of PMI’s business structure.
Subsequently, it is necessary to pay attention to whether the “Believe. Further” platform will carry out activities in more European markets, whether it will have a more direct connection with specific brands such as IQOS and ZYN under PMI, and how different market regulatory environments will define the boundaries between the communication activities of such enterprises and the marketing of tobacco or nicotine products.
Overall, “Believe. Further” is an enterprise communication initiative by PMI during the smoke-free transformation stage. It demonstrates that international tobacco companies are strengthening their public communication regarding the transition from traditional cigarette business to a smoke-free product portfolio through cultural cooperation, long-term platforms, and data narratives.
Andrea Bocelli is an Italian tenor singer who has been actively involved in both classical and crossover music for a long time and enjoys a high level of international recognition.