This paper aims to explore the Indonesian public perceptions of the ethics of tobacco advertising. Six focus groups and thirty personal interviews were conducted in eight urban villages in Yogyakarta, Indonesia to gather data. The findings indicate that the majority of participants believe that tobacco advertising is unethical. Participants recognised that to attract their primary target market, young male consumers, tobacco advertising adopted attractive themes such as enthusiasm, persistence, bravery, enjoyment, masculinity, success, humour, youth, adventure and family. Most participants also believed that tobacco advertising is targeted at children and teenagers who do not understand the underlying messages of tobacco advertising. The study is concluded by offering a number of implications for tobacco advertising policy in Indonesia. Introduction and background / rationale