Anne Landman's Collection
Corporate Affairs in EEMA is Different...
Abstract
This 35-page document from Philip Morris' (PM) Corporate Affairs Office describes in detail the company's vas, wide-ranging strategies to fight public health tobacco control efforts in countries across Europe and the Middle East. Topics discussed include fighting tax increases, countering the decrease in social acceptability of smoking, influencing legialators and officials from standards-setting bodies, and much more.
Not unexpectedly, one strategy was to influence government:
"...A FIRST STEP [to fight proposed restrictions on cigarette advertising in Poland] WAS A MEETING BETWEEN PM MANAGEMENT AND THE [Polish] MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, AFTER WHICH THE LATTER BECAME AN ACTIVE SUPPORTER OF A VOLUNTARY CODE OF CONDUCT AS A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE TO STRINGENT RESTRICTIONS..."
Another strategy was to push a voluntary advertising code to legislators as a substitute for real restrictions on advertising:
"OUR THIRD STRATEGY POINT IS ALSO TO PRESENT AN INDUSTRY COUNTER-PROPOSAL IN THE FORM OF A VOLUNTARY ADVERTISING CODE...PM WILL EVALUATE THE BEST WAY TO PRESENT AND DEFEND THE CONCEPT OF A VOLUNTARY ADVERTISING AND PROMOTIONS CODE AS OPPOSED TO A LEGISLATIVE BAN."
Another strategy was to use sports sponsorships to influence the media, government officials and opinion leaders:
"IN TERMS OF PM SPONSORED SPORTING EVENTS SUCH AS F1, RALLYING, MOTORBIKING, BOATING AND GOLF, WE WILL BEGIN ACTIVELY USING THESE EVENTS TO FURTHER STRENGTHEN TIES WITH THE MEDIA, GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, AND OPINION LEADERS."
PM also planned to work through smokers' rights groups. PM planned to increase funding for recruitment for these groups (like "Smokepeace" in northern Europe), to use them to create the appearance of a grassroots uprising against smoking restrictions, and use them as a vehicle to fight public health organizing around tobacco issues (e.g., with events like "World Smokepeace Day"). These events were planned to counteract the activities and influence of groups like the World Health Organization and the International Union Against Cancer.
User-Contributed Notes
- 73-middle east marketing. ustr. partly printed.
Fields
- Quotes
(From Page 12):
1. MARKETING FREEDOMS.
TURKEY.
IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR, THE ANKARA PARLIAMENT ADOPTED A BILL BANNING ALL TOBACCO ADVERTISING. FOLLOWING INTENSE PH AND INDUSTRY G.R. ACTION, PRESIDENT 0ZAL REFERRED IT BACK FOR REVIEW, THE BILL IS NOW UNDER DEBATE AT THE PARLIAMENT'S JUSTICE COMMISSION. OUR STRATEGY IS TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE INDUSTRY,CONTINUE TO SUPPORT ALLIES LIKE THE MEDIA, AND LOBBY DIRECTLY THE COMMISSION MEMBERS WITH THEHELP OF NEWLY-HIRED TOP GR CONSULTANTS BASED IN ANKARA. WE WILL ALSO ESTABLISH CLOSER CONTACTS WITH THE MEMBERS OF THE JUSTICE COMMISSION TO HAVE OUR COUNTER-PROPOSAL ACCEPTED.
(From Page 14):
POLAND.
THIS IS QUITE AN INTERESTING EXAMPLE IN THAT IT HIGHLIGHTS THE TRULY INTERNATIONAL COALITION OF ANTI-SMOKERS, ALL TOO EAGER TO CONVERT FRESHLY LIBERATED TERRITORIES TO THEIR THEORIES.
THE ISSUE STARTED IN APRIL OF THIS YEAR. WE RECEIVED WORD THAT THE POLISH SENATE WAS DISCUSSING A NEW LAW WHICH WOULD TOTALLY BAN ADVERTISING,RESTRICT PUBLIC AND WORKPLACE SMOKING AND IMPOSE STRICT PRODUCT REGULATIONS, SUCH AS HWLs [Health Warning Labels].
THE BACKBONE OF OUR STRATEGY IS TO CREATE A COALITION OF INTERESTS WITHIN THE INDUSTRY, TO USE IN-MARKET LOBBYSTS (NOT A VERY COMMON ASSET IN TODAY'S POLAND)..AND TO SUBMIT A COUNTER-PROPOSAL IN THE FORM OF A VOLUNTARY CODE OF RESTRICTIONS.
PM's GOOD CONTACTS WITH PRESIDENT WALESA, THANKS TO GUY SMITH'S INITIATIVES, COULD PROVE VERY USEFUL WHEN THE TIME COMES TO DRIVE OUR POINT OF VIEW HOME...
IN TERMS OF CONCRETE ACTIONS, PM HAS SECURED INTERNATIONAL TOBACCO COMPANIES' COOPERATION ON THIS ISSUEIN EASTERN AND CENTRAL EUROPE. A FIRST STEP WAS A MEETING BETWEEN PM MANAGEMENT AND THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, AFTER WHICH THE LATTER BECAME AN ACTIVE SUPPORTER OF A VOLUNTARY CODE OF CONDUCT AS A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE TO STRINGENT RESTRICTIONS... IN OTHER WORDS, WE HAVE CONVINCED EACH PARTNER OF HIS VESTED INTEREST IN THE ACCEPTANCE OF A VOLUNTARY CODE...
CURRENTLY, PM AND THE INDUSTRY ARE PURSUING THEIR LOBBYING EFFORTS IN LINE WITH SPECIFIC AND TARGETED SPONSORSHIP PROGRAMS...
(From Page 17):
SWITZERLAND
ONE OF THE HOST PROFITABLE MARKETS OF THE EEMA REGION, THIS COUNTRY WILL VOTE IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS ON A POPULAR INITIATIVE WHICH WOULD TOTALLY BAN ALL FORMS OF TOBACCO ADVERTISING...THE CA's [Corporate Affairs] STRATEGY TO DATE HAS BEEN TO SECURE THE TOTAL SUPPORT OF THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY IN THE BATTLE AGAINST THESE ADVERTISING RESTRICTIONS. THE STRATEGY INCLUDES CO-ORDINATED EFFORTS WITH THE AD INDUSTRY AND THE ALCOHOL INTERESTS.
IT ALSO AIMS AT SECURING THE SUPPORT OF BALANCED POLITICIANS FAVOURING REASONABLE SOLUTIONS VS BANS...
(From Page 24):
OUR THIRD STRATEGY POINT IS ALSO TO PRESENT AN INDUSTRY COUNTER-PROPOSAL IN THE FORM OF A VOLUNTARY ADVERTISING CODE...(from Page 25) ...WE WILL SEEK POTENTIAL ALLIES WITHIN THE OTHER MAJ0R INDUSTRY PLAYERS IN ORDER TO PROMOTE THE INDUSTRY'S POSITION DURING THIS PHASE...ON MAY 16, A MEETING WAS HELD WITH THE LOCAL MANUFACTURERS AND THE FCC DURING WHICH THE INDUSTRY PROPOSAL WAS SUBMITTED AS A POSITION PAPER AIMED AT COUNTERING THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION. ...NEXT, PM WILL EVALUATE THE BEST WAY TO PRESENT AND DEFEND THE CONCEPT OF A VOLUNTARY ADVERTISING AND PROMOTIONS CODE AS OPPOSED TO A LEGISLATIVE BAN.
(From Page 26):
THE FOURTH IMPORTANT ISSUE THAT CONFRONTS US IS ETS AND SMOKERS' DISCRIMINATION.
IN SWEDEN, THE MAGNUSSON COMMISISON RECOMMENDED IN MARCH 1990 THE ADOPTION OF A RESTRICTIVE TOBACCO ACT WHOSE MAIN PURPOSE IS TO PROHIBIT SMOKING IN SWEDEN'S PUBLIC PLACES AND WORKPLACES. THE ACT WOULD STRONLY LIMIT SMOKING IN ALL HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS.
OUR STRATEGY TO COMBAT THIS PROPOSAL HAS BEEN TO: ONE, ACHIEVE A JOINT INDUSTRY POSITION AGAINST THE COMMISSION AND SUBMIT IT TO THE MINISTRY OF SOCIAL AFFAIRS. TWO, DEVELOP AND DISSEMINATE CONTRASTING VIEWPOINTS ON ETS AND INDOOR AIR QUALITY IN ORDER TO COUNTER THE COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATIONS AND SCIENTIFIC MISINFORMATION. THREE, MOBILIZE THIRD PARTY SUPPORT SUCH AS RESTAURANT OWNERS AND SMOKERS' RIGHTS GROUPS. THROUGH PUBLIC DEBATE AND PUBLIC OPINION POLLS, IN TERMS OF PM SPONSORED SPORTING EVENTS SUCH AS F1, RALLYING, MOTORBIKING, BOATING AND GOLF, WE WILL BEGIN ACTIVELY USING THESE EVENTS TO FURTHER STRENGTHEN TIES WITH THE MEDIA, GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, AND OPINION LEADERS. AND THE GROUP HAS BEEN CONSULTED BY MR. MAGNUSSON.
(From Page 28):
SWEDEN IS NOT THE ONLY AREA WHERE ETS HAS BECOME A RAPIDLY BECOMING AN ISSUE OF CONCERN; IT'S RAPIDLY BECOMING AN ISSUE IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE AS WELL. ANTI-SMOKING GROUPS LIKE IOCU, WHO AND IUCC [HAVE] BEGUN INCREASING THEIR ACTIVITIES IN THIS REGION...TO COMBAT THIS GROWING THREAT, OUR PRESENT STRATEGY CONTAINS FIVE ELEMENTS...
(From Page 30):
THE NEXT ISSUE I WOULD LTKE TO DISCUSS NOW IS SMOKING AND TOBACCO'S ACCEPTABILITY. IT IS A FACT THAT, IN MANY OF OUR MOST SOPHISTICATED MARKETS, SMOKING IS BECOMING AN INCREASINGLY ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR, AS A CONSEQUENCE OF THE ANTI'S CONTINUOUS ATTACKS ON SMOKERS AND THE INDUSTRY.
CA's STRATEGY IN THIS REGARD IS TO ENHANCE AND PROJECT PM's CORPORATE IMAGE THROUGH A COMPREHENSIVE AND SYSTEMATIC GR PROGRAM. OUR STRATEGY ALSO INCLUDES THE CREATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF PROGRAMS WHICH REFLECT, IN A POSITIVE WAY, THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE INDUSTRY TO STATE REVENUES, GROWERS, RETAILERS, SPORTS, AND CULTURAL EVENTS.
...REGARDING THE COMPANIES' CULTURAL AND SOCIAL SPONSORSHIPS, OUR GOAL IS TO RESTORE SMOKING ACCEPTABILITY BY BUILDING SMOKERS' CONFIDENCE AND BY PROJECTING PM'S GOOD PUBLIC IMAGE VIA COHERENT HIGH QUALITY SPONSOSHIP PROGRAMS...ALONG THESE LINES WE WILL CONTINUE OUR SPONSORSHIP OF THE PM FLOWER AWARD IN FINLAND IN 1992... OTHER EVENTS INCLUDE A TOP LEVEL JOURNALIST TRIP TO ARGENTINA AND BRAZIL IN 1992 AND OPERATION HARARE REPEATED...IN TERMS OF PM SPONSORED SPORTING EVENTS SUCH AS F1, RALLYING, MOTORBIKINGw BOATING AND GOLF, WE WILL BEGIN ACTIVELY USING THESE EVENTS TO FURTHER STRENGTHEN TIES WITH THE MEDIA, GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, AND OPINION LEADERS.
CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE AS WELL. ANTI-SMOKING GROUPS LIKE TOCU, WHO, AND UICC HAVING BEGUN INCREASING THEIR ACTIVITIES IN THIS REGION.
- Company
- Philip Morris (Altria Group)
- Author
- None stated. Found in the area of Philip Morris Public Affairs Ryebrook/Central Files (Corporate Affairs meeting)
- Recipient
- None stated. Format is a presentation, as for a group.
Document Images
