Abstract
This brief Philip Morris strategy document about Switzerland (dated circa 1992-94) describes PM's concern with the declining social acceptability of smoking:
"The level of social acceptability determines to a large extent the success or failure of all types of anti-tobacco proposals and measures, affecting production, marketing, consumption and, overall, market size..."
PM outlines a strategy to fight the decline in social acceptability in Switzerland. One lofty company objective was "to lead politicians to reorder their priorities," and another was "to restore and strengthen smokers' confidence."
The plan includes performing surveillance on public health groups and government officials, and organizing symposia on "socio-political themes like tolerance, freedom of speech, scientific research and communication, the nanny state, health engineering and personal happiness." Other activities were to "apply overall government relations plan, based on the objectives and action lines of preserving and restoring social acceptability of smoking," "exploit the limited potential offered by the Swiss Smokers Club and strive to develop alternative organisation," and "neutralise activities driven by anti-tobacco zealots."
This document shows Philip Morris' combative attitude towards the declining social acceptability of smoking, and how unwilling the company has been to let nature take its course.
Page 1: lzn56e00
:
r
QOCTN'IRY - SWITZII2IAWD
I
i~.
11
11
1~
U
9
I
I
I
1. Social Acoentabilitlr
1. FSSLIE DFFIPFLTION
IIJVa20bQ'tEffP'
1992 - 1994
Zhe level of social acoeptability of snoking determines to a large
extent the siyocec.,s or failure of all types of anti-tobaooo
prcposals and measures, affec.t.img procktiction, marketing,
oocmmptim and, overall, market size. The Registration Book to the
7th World 47onferenoe on Zbbaooo & Health (April 1 - 5, 1990, Perth,
Aus'tral.ia), oontained the following annaanoement: "The power of the
social aoeeptability issue as a key to smpkirg control will be
explored".
Snokers, as a aonsumer group, are today as well numerically as
politically, a minority. Furthennore, they lack efficient and
powerful organisation for the defenoe and preservation of their
rights and interests. By consequence, it is mainly Lip to irdu.stry
to play this role, given the fact that acquiring new'smokers
(achieved mainly via marketing) is one thing, not losing existing
smokers (to achieve mainly by preserving social aoceptability of
sznoking) is another one.
2. oEUDCr1yEs
- to bring out inconsistencies in anti-smokinq policies,
- to lead politicians to reorder their priorities,
- to restore and strengthen smokers' confidence.
3. CF11TF2AL STRATDGY
Zhe central strategy for achieving,these objectives is to restore
factual coimmuiication on the S & Hissue and to put it in the
wider context of social, eeoronic, ethic and'poTitical
considerations, facts and requirements. This also means that
industry's eamounication, with of decision makers, s-edia and
public has to emphasise common ground interests.
4. AC PION FLANS
Actions will be undertaken and developed along four axes:
- research, analysis, monitoring
- coamninication
~
i .
- neutralisation of stnicbures
~
- internal trainirsg
.
Page 2: lzn56e00
OOUNIRY SWI`IZII2LhN12
I
I
I
I
a
I
ati
®
~
I
I
a
I
Given the European wide dimension of the social-political
approach, logic requires that development and undertaking of
actions must, to a large extent, be coordinated with CA HQ's EEtg1
and IDC. For this purpose, a specific PME task force (ooaprising
CA IDC, EE2Mh, FIR and SSli') has been put in place.
On market level, priority is given to the specific issues -related
exploitation, application or adaptation of concepts, strategies
ard action plans, with social-political orientation regardless of
the organisatiooal level they have been initiated and/or
developed.
Researrh. Analysis. Nbonitorina
- Elaboration of concept for market r+esearc?h on CA-issues in a
specific social-political perspective,
- systematic analysis / research on antis structures, resources,
network and activities (associations, institutions, government
officials, media, etc.),
- systematic analysis of antis' information and argumentation
(sources, inconsistencies, errors, biais, lies, etc.),
- develop a spokesperson's guide for argumentation in the
social-political field and perspective,
- monitor international, in paazticular EC- and WHO-driven
developments and projects with specific social acceptability
impact.
Corrnnunication
- Exploit /mesrhandise analysis and research results on antis at
each given or to be initiated opportunity,
- get organised, ttuYxugi third parties, national / international
synposia on social-political themes, like tolerance, freedom of
speech, scientific research and couamutiication, the nanny state,
health engineering and personal happiness, others,
- apart from communication, led amongst experts, put industry's
scientific communication (e.g. S&T briefings to media, health
authorities, etc.) in the wider context of social-political
consideration, argumentation and information. Elaborate concept
and content for such enlarged presentations,
- finalise, get approved and apply overall government relations ~I
~- pLan, based on the ol>jectives' and action lines of presetvirrg-and ~
restoring social acceptability of sznoking,
0
. N
. ~
Page 3: lzn56e00
I
0
I
.
I
I
0
!
0
I
I
w
I
UOUNI'RY SWITLE1ZUiND
- exploit the limited' potential offered by the Swiss Slriokers Club
and strive to develop alternative organisation.
Neutralisation of St~ucbu~e.s
- Identify all the existirg and desirable relations with industxy's
relevant instit~utional envirament in the scientific, economic,
cultural and political field,
- elaborate plan for having direct or irrlitrecst aooes.s to public and
private institutions mandated with or conmitted to tobaoca issues
with the aim to neutralise activities driven by anti-tobaooo
zealots,
- build further coalition and / or take membership (NMA,
manufactburers) in professional, econonical and public
organisations / institutions in order to widen indus-try's acces.s
to its social, eoorrcmic and political environment and in order to
strengthen industry's corporate responsibility and social
relations,
- monitor the network and activities of external structures.
Internal Traininct
- Evaluate feasibility and potential benefits for ozganisirg an
~-in-house or industry seminar on the "Harvard Negotiation Concept"
as a practically helpful instrument for CA staff and line
management for dealing with issues at the level of social'
,. acxeptability,
- organise interdisciplinary in-house seminar (CA, S&T, legal,
marketing, line manage?nent) for assessment of experie_-~cres made
and evaluation of further potential in the development of the
social-political approach,
- participate, cooperate and coordinate with PM Task Force in tt1E.'
European-wide development.-qf the social-political approach.
