Vice Media has been condemned as “irresponsible” by campaigners for using its expertise targeting young people to make ads for tobacco company Phillip Morris.

Vice’s role in making content for one of the world’s largest tobacco companies, maker of cigarette brands including Marlboro, was revealed on Thursday by the Financial Times. A Vice spokesperson confirmed that the work was carried out by Edition Worldwide, a separate company owned by Vice that produces content for advertisers.

The ads will not carry Vice branding and will not run on Vice properties. They won’t be shown to people in the US or UK as both countries have strict rules prohibiting tobacco advertising.

However, Caroline Renzulli from the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids said the company should not be using its experience targeting young people to help the tobacco industry sell cigarettes.

“It is highly irresponsible for Vice to use its expertise to help Philip Morris find new ways to reach young people and sell more of its deadly products, especially in low and middle income countries,” said Renzulli.

“Tactics like this show why countries need to ban all forms of tobacco marketing, as called for by the international tobacco control treaty.”

Edition was set up as a subsidiary of Vice UK called Talent Ventures last April and changed its name in January.

Although a separate company, Matt Elek, Vice’s Europe Middle East and Africa chief executive, is listed as one of Edition’s directors.

Vice launched TV channel Viceland on US cable network A+E last year, and is preparing to roll out a series of channels across Europe. Earlier this month, Vice announced it would be partnering with Sky for a UK version of the channel.

The company is valued at $4bn following investment from companies including 21st Century Fox and Disney.