Anne Landman's Collection
Preliminary Proposal for A Corporate Affairs Programme Philip Morris France
Abstract
This public relations plan created by the public relations company Ruder Finn for Philip Morris France discusses how the company can work around a "difficult national siuation," specifically a French law called "loi Evin," which prohibits "all propaganda or publicity, direct or indirect, in favor of tobacco or tobacco products as well as their free distribution." The law also precluded sponsorship activities.
The author discusses how "the illness and death arguments used in anti-smoking campaigns [in the U.S.] have little effect on smokers and in particular young people [in France]," and how in France "the stressed non-smoker is still considered a fanatical trouble-maker when strongly defending his right to fresh air."
The Plan discusses how to influence legislators and opinion leaders in France, and states (on Page 25) that "defense of issues surrounding tobacco needs to be done in a third party context - non-tobacco linked experts, sources need to speak on behalf of tobacco interests." It also urges Philip Morris to "take the initiative in education programmes informing young people about the risks of smoking," reaffirming that PM's promotion of youth anti-smoking programs in France and elsewhere is done out of concern for public relations and the effects of these activities on legislators rather than out of concern for public health. .
Ruder-Finn proposes to help PM "establish a discrete, credible and effective voice and an institutionalised lobby...to defend its interests without being visible as Philip Morris," to "position Philip Morris as a concerned French citizen and a resource for factual information on both sides of the debate, and to "... highlight [PM's]...efforts to protect the environment; concern for health, youth and the quality of life in general."
Also of interest is the quote which which Ruder Finn introduces the paper (immediately below).
Fields
- Quotes
1 will do all that is within my power to prohibit this awful vice the day that you can show me a single virtue which is capable of bringing 120 million to the national treasury." --Talleyrand
[From Page 12]:
THE CONTEXT IN FRANCE
As opposed to the United States, the current legal and political context and press attitudes do not reflect the actual popularity of smoking as a habit in France. The smoker is not an exception and is the more typical, respected profile than the non-smoker. U.S. attitudes are considered extreme. A prominent French sociologist has been quoted as saying on return from a visit to the U.S.: "Americans are crazy. Pretty soon they are going to have restaurants with 'eating and non-eating sections.' " That is why the passage of the "loi Evin" should not only be considered a failure for tobacco interests, but also, completely out of phase with current social behavior.
The French Smoking Population
In France, unlike the United States, smokers are not social outcasts. The illness and death arguments used in anti-smoking campaigns have little effect on smokers and in particular young people...
40% of the French over 15 years smoke (a percentage which has remained unchanged for 10 years, while the European average is down 0.7% and the US by 1.1%) and women are smoking more and starting at an increasingly early age... Experts draw attention to the problem of the increase in tobacco consumption amongst young people. The surveys have been the same for years: the percentage of 20 year old smokers is at least 50%... This is particularly true of young women...The discomforted and stressed non-smoker is still considered as a fanatical trouble-maker when strongly defending his right for fresh air. The EEC's objectives for 1995 include increasing the amount of European non-smokers to 80%. 57% of the French would be in favour of banning smoking in restaurants every other day (Louis Harris survey).
[From Page 14]"
85% of the French would favour a ban on smoking in public places and the anti-tobacco campaign is approved by 90%. The majority of smokers themselves share these opinions (R.G.S. N. 93 April 1990)...
[From Page 17]:
In a summary fashion, one could say that a simple objective is to avoid the possibility that the" New York syndrome" becomes the natural outcome of the "loi Evin." In this same optic one must be realistic about the expectations from any lobbying efforts. It is clear and inevitable that their will only be increased regulation of tobacco over time. What is important in the current context is limiting the extent to which the "loi Evin" is applied and moderating its interpretation and in the long term avoiding the cigarette smoker "pariah" syndrome of the United States and future regulation concerning ETS...
From our initial review of the situation and our discussions with you, we would group your objectives in two categories:
3.1 Overall Objectives
The general principals that should underlay all initiatives would include the following:
--shifting political and media attitudes to more accurately reflect the social practice concerning smoking in France
--positioning Philip Morris as a concerned French citizen and a resource for factual information on both sides of the debate (for use by other institutions), highlighting its scientific activities and efforts to protect the environment; concern for health, youth and the quality of life in general.
--establishing a capacity for management of and participation in the on-going debate in France on the question of smoking.
--establishing a discrete, credible and effective voice and an institutionalised lobby (or more than one over time) to defend its interests without being visible as Philip Morris
--ensuring a proactive influence on legislative, regulatory and grass roots initiatives as they develop in order to extend the time frame and environmental space for smokers in France
--avoiding the debate and specific focus on smoker interest versus the general public. This debate has had a "boomerang effect" in France, rather than increasing sensitivity, the smokers versus non question tends to annoy people. In sum, avoid direct confrontation on the issue and place the debate in the context of broader discussions.
--mitigating against the sense of isolation of smoking
--avoiding dogmatism and capitalising on the French sense of individualism and liberty without being obvious...
--Allowing Philip Morris to exist outside the context of the smoking debate.
- Company
- Philip Morris (now a division of Altria Group)
- Author
- Ruder-Finn (public relations agency)
- Recipient
- Philip Morris
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