Abstract
This 1991 Philip Morris (PM) internal memo by Robert "Bobby" Kaplan of PM Public Relations department reveals an all-out plan by PM to "devise a campaign which would foster an environment in Europe where smoking remains a socially acceptable activity."
Kaplan describes PM's strategy to undermine public health information about smoking:
"There was a basic agreement that we would need to move the public debate and resultant controversy on tobacco from health issues to social issues."
PM's program targeted not only the usual suspects--political groups and figures-- but also European business leaders, unions, the European entertainment industry (indcluding producers and directors, the television and recording industries, arts organizations, artists and government cultural ministries), "intellectuals," "sociologists" and "celebrities." PM planned to manipulate the European entertainment industry into helping preserve smoking by holding an "Entertainment Industry Conference" in Czechoslovakia about sponsorship that would feature major celebrities from the United States, Western and Eastern Europe. PM also planned to use its Nordic smokers rights group, "Smokepeace," to promote "solutions for peaceful co-existence between smokers and non-smokers without intervention and restriction." Another plan included producing a video that would portray "humerous spectrum of the 'anti'[through] exaggeration of restrictions on individual liberties."
Countries targeted for PM's campaign were Greece, Portugal, France, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Poland, Hungary and Czechoslovakia.
This document shows that PM carried out an organized campaign to undermine the effects of public health efforts to reduce smoking in Europe.
Fields
- Quotes
Below is an outline of discussions held in Paris at the PM
France office on Friday, October 25 with Roberto Forero and
Otto Baumrucker of Leo Burnett, Andrew White of PM EEMA,
Frank Farnel of PM France and myself.
Our mandate was to devise a campaign which would foster an
environment in Europe where smoking remains a socially
acceptable activity.
There was a basic agreement that we would need to move the
public debate and resultant controversy on tobacco from
health issues to social issues. We identified two
strategies, political and communications, and then we listed target groups for which to apply those strategies. Finally,we identified a series of projects over the next year to achieve our objective. Please remember that this was our first meeting and thus produced only preliminary recommendations. We recognize that our strategies to obtain the above mentioned goal must have short and long-term objectives...
- Company
- Philip Morris
- Author
- Kaplan, Robert K. "Bobby" (PMI Public Relations Manager)
1994
- Recipient
- Moreno, Francisco J (Former VP of PM, head of Latin American Div. '90-'93)
Held this position from October 1, 1990 to June 7, 1993.
RegionFrance
Czechoslovakia
Denmark
Belgium
Greece
Portugal
Germany
Spain
Poland
Hungary
TypeMEMO, MEMORANDUM
MINU, MINUTES
OUTL, OUTLINE
LitigationStmn/Produced
Named PersonKheel, T.
Depardieu
Eastwood, Clint
Baumrucker, O.
Farnel, F.
Forero, R.
White, A.
Kennedy, C.
Operation/ProjectSocial AcceptabilityIndustry efforts to counteract the decline in social acceptability of smoking worldwide.
Named OrganizationAmerican European Community Association (Group through which Philip Morris worked to influence govern)
Congress
EEC, European Economic Community
Smokepeace (Industry-supported smokers rights group in northern Europe)Was used by the industry as a grass roots front group to support industry positions to public and legislatures
SubjectSocial Acceptability (Social acceptability of smoking)The industry fought the decline in social acceptability of smoking through public relations campaigns, legislation, etc.
social influence
social policy
smoking attitude
Corporate strategy
industry activity
industry influence
industry response
industry sponsored conference
industry strategy
Document Images
Page 1: abe42e00
PHILIP MORRIS INTERNATIONAL INC. INTER-OFFICE CORRESPONDENCE
800 WESTCHESTER AVENUE, RYE BROOK, NEW YORK 105731301
CONFIDENTIAL
TO: Francisco Moreno DATE: November 4, 1991 ,
FROM:
SUBJECT:
Bobby Kaplan A~
Social Acceptability of Smoking
in Europe - First Task Force Meeting
Below is an outline of discussions held in Paris at the PM
France office on Friday, October 25 with Roberto Forero and
Otto Baumrucker of Leo Burnett, Andrew White of PM EEMA,
Frank Farnel of PM France and myself.
Our mandate was to devise a campaign which would foster an;
environment in Europe where smoking remains a socially
acceptable activity.
There was a basic agreement that we would need to move the'
public debate and resultant controversy on tobacco from
health issues to social issues. We identified two
strategies, political and communications, and then we listed
target groups for which to apply those strategies. Finally,
we identified a series of projects over the next year to
achieve our objective. Please remember that this was our
first meeting and thus produced only preliminary
recommendations. We recognize that our strategies to obtain
the above mentioned goal must have short and long-term
objectives.
A. Objective (Long-term):
Smoking as a social issue - preserving the social
environment to respect individual choice.
B. Strategies:
I. Political Strategy - Target Groups
1. Unions.
2. Ministries (i.e., agriculture, labor and
3. finance).
Political Parties (i.e., local and national).
4. Government (i.e., Administration).
5. Legislative Assistants (i.e. N
,
parliament/ministries). cn
0
6. Specialized Media (i.e., union press, social 0
~
commentaries and political press). N)
0
0%
I-A
00
Page 2: abe42e00
II. Communications
(1)
Business Leaders
a. CEO's
b. Associations (i.e., trade, employer and
advertising)
c. Personnel Managers
d. Unions
(2) Entertainment Industry
a. Producers and Directors
b. Television
c. Record Industry
d. Arts Organizations
e. Artists
f. Government Cultural Ministries/Institutions
(3) General Public and our Consumers (i.e., SRG's)
(4) Scientific/Academic Press
(5) General Media (i.e., Lifestyle, Business and
Dailies)
(6) Intellectuals (i.e., sociologists)
C. Projects:
I. Union Meeting: "Unions in the EEC by the year 2000°;
1. French unions to take lead.
2. Theme: Western.European unions working with
Eastern European unions.
3. Nine countries with three delegates each.
4. Journalists from each of the nine countries to~
attend
.
5. Advertising campaign after meeting to promote
results.
6. Timing - earliest would be February 1992.
7. Location - Paris.
Page 3: abe42e00
Ii. Intellectuals/Celebrities Conference: "Individual
Liberties in the New Europe"
1.
3. Nine countries with two delegates from each. r
4. Advertising campaign after conference to promote
Media Personnel, Writers and Actors (i.e.,
Depardieu/Eastwood).
. Profile a spectrum of the "anti's" in modern
societies.
5.
6.
results.
Timing - May 1992.
Location - Paris.
III. Entertainment Industry Conference: "Looking East and
West"
1. Major figures of the entertainment industry from
U.S./Western Europe meeting with counterparts in
Eastern Europe.
2. Theme: To include discussions of advertising
and sponsorship.
3. PM to be sole sponsor (Czechoslovakia government
serve as host). '
4. 500 - 600 delegates expected.
5. Timing - end of March 1992.
6. Location - Prague.
IV. Smokepeace '92
1. Theme: Solutions for peaceful co-existence
between smokers and non-smokers without
government intervention and restriction.
2. 25 - 30 countries represented and 150 delegates
total. '
3. Timing - end of May 1992.
4. Location - Copenhagen.
Page 4: abe42e00
V. Legislative Assistants Exchange
1. Small groups of legislative aides to key
parliamentarians.
2. Meet with counterparts in U.S. Congress and U.S.
state legislatures.
3. PM sponsor or through third party organizations
(i.e., AECA).
4. Timing - Fall 1992.
VI. Campaign for Youth Non-Smoking (ala U.S. Campaign) '
1. Introduce to Europe.
2. Timing - Fall 1992 through Spring 1993.
3. Location - begin in Brussels, then immediately'
fan out. '
VII. Courtesy Campaign (Basta-type) for Smokers (i.e.,
Responsible Smokers Campaign)
1. Should be part of SRG's plan for solutions
between non-smokers and smokers (Smokepeace '92)
VIII. Videos
1. Humorous Spectrum of the "anti".
a. Advertising campaign to support (i.e., EPC
Campaign).
2. Exaggeration of Restrictions on Individual
Liberties.
a. Advertising campaign to support.
IX. Benchmark Survey
1. Update of EEC project.
2. Distribution of results is critical.
3. Ad campaign to support.
Page 5: abe42e00
All of the above requires development.
It is understood that targeted countries agreed upon for the
above would be Greece, Portugal, France, Germany, Belgium,
Spain, Poland, Hungary and Czechoslovakia.
Please respond with your comments.
RKK/s17
cc: 0. Baumrucker
F.
R.
A. Farnel
Forero
White
a:BK90
