Anne Landman's Collection
ETS Communication Plan 910000
Abstract
This 1990 Philip Morris document discusses the company's strategies to minimize the impact of the environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) issue within the European Economic Community (EEC).
Objectives listed in the document include,
--"Maintain the debate on primary [health] issue and ETS," --"Expose faulty logic of the WHO [World Health Organization] and anti-smoking groups." --"Minimize total smoke bans in European companies," --"Activate [European] restaurant trade against government smoking regulations," --"Minimize total smoking bans on airplanes and trains," --"Counter biased and damaging surveys by antis [public health officials]," --"Create public backlash against social engineering," --"Establish SRGs [Smokers' Rights Groups] as counterpart of Anti-groups," and --"Position PM as a reasonable company and a credible source of information." As a prelude to its combative strategies, PM states that "the public generally believes that ETS can harm the health of non-smokers. This false perception is the primary excuse for public and private initiatives to restrict or ban smoking in workplaces, restaurants, transportation vehicles and other public places..."
Today we know (from other documents that describe the industry's formation of smokers' rights groups, "countermeasures" against the World Health Organization, etc.) that PM acted on many of the strategies listed in this document. Evidence of the company's efforts to slow the European Community's progress towards protecting people from secondhand smoke is especially poignant today. Both PM's domestic and international corporate web sites now caution non-smokers about exposure to secondhand smoke, saying the "public should be guided by the conclusions of public health officials" that ETS causes disease. PM's web sites now refer visitors to "anti" (public health authority) web sites for more information, including the web site of the World Health Organization. No apology appears on PM's web sites for obstructing public health progress against secondhand smoke for so many decades, or for the cost--in money and lives-- to countries, governments, health ministries and public health organizations of fighting the the industry on secondhand smoke for so many decades.
Fields
- Quotes
OBJECTIVES - Maintain debate on primary issue and ETS. - Expose faulty logic of WHO and anti-smoking groups.
TARGET GROUPS - Specialized journalists. - Politicians interested in health care issues. - Leading doctors in their field. - Scientists in relevant fields.
CHANNELS - Meetings with S&T. [PM Science & Technology Dept.] - Mailings of relevant materials. - Consultants at scientific conferences (C&B)[Covington & Burling]. - Press briefings. - Public debates.
• MESSAGES - Primary issue: Smoking is a risk factor, not a cause of human illness. - ETS: Scientific evidence shows ETS is not a risk to human health...
THE WORKPLACE
OBJECTIVES
--Minimize total smoke bans in European companies. --Position PM as a reasonable company and a cedible source of information...
ETS - THE WORKPLACE SUMMARY: Workplace smoking bans represent the most serious threat to smokers' opportunities to smoke. A total workplace smoking ban would reduce a smoker's freedom to smoke by 50%, conservatively. The threat in Europe is serious. France's new law includes a provision which could lead to governmental regulations on the subject, the Dutch government has started an anti-smoking campaign specifically aimed at the workplace, and a company in Belgium specializes in advising companies on how to deal with tobacco. The company is government sponsored and their message is professionally presented; essence, it says "ban smoking". As a result of these developments and the continuing trend in the antis' direction, communication on workplace smoking continues to gain priority and is considered crucial.
STRATEGY: Left to chance, many companies will adopt the most restrictive type of smoking policies. The tendency will be to make the simplest decision, i.e. prohibit smoking, rather than the best one, i.e. accommodation. PM's strategy will therefore have to be extremely proactive by offering solutions which will minimize the problems associated with smoking in the workplace. On a short-term, these solutions will reduce the opportunities for a smoker to smoke, but will hopefully avoid total smoke bans over the long-term.
METHODS: - PM will continue to spread the message of courteous smoking and instigate a dialogue with companies and anti-smoking organizations by running a new Basta campaign for the third time.
- A "courteous smoking day" will be tested in a large internationa] company (perhaps Jacobs-Suchard) to be used as an example of how,an effective smoking policy can be developed.
- A great emphasis will be put on placing speakers at seminars and conferences of business leaders, especially conferences organized by international associations. Article placement in these associations' newsletters will be aggressively pursued. The national markets must be responsible for developing relationships with their markets' relevant associations...
RESTAURANTS
OBJECTIVES
--Motivate restaurateurs to accommodate smoking and non-smoking clients.
--Activate restaurant trade against government smoking regulations...
Our research shows that a majority of people have at one point or another been bothered by smoke in a restaurant, further indicating that smoking in restaurants is an important issue.
STRATEGY: Our goal with this issue should be twofold: - Position PM as experienced partners of the restaurant trade and zs experts in taste and enjoyment. - Activate restaurant associations to lobby government and to offer their members "self-controlling" solutions...
TRANSPORTATION
OBJECTIVES -- Minimize total smoking bans on airplances and trains...
TRANSPORTATION SUNHARY: Europe is rapidly moving towards a smoke-free air transport system and in some countries, a smoke-free commuter train system. France and Italy are the severest examples. Research shows that most people will accept smoke bans on short plane and train rides. The consensus for longer distance travel, however, is clearly for separation of smokers and non-smokers. PM must fight for its consumers' right to smoke on long plane and train rides...
SMOKERS' RIGHTS GROUPS
OBJECTIVES
--Mobilize smokers for active defence of their rights. --Create public awareness of smokers' rights --Sensitize opinion leaders to dangers of smoker discrimination. --Establish SRG's as counterpart of Anti-groups.
- Company
- Philip Morris
- Author
- Philip Morris EEC Corporate Affairs Department
- Recipient
- Presumed corporate recipient, Philip Morris
Document Images
