Abstract
This R.J. Reynolds document shows how RJR uses advertising and special events to help increase the social acceptability of smoking. RJR planned to "Develop and execute advertising campaigns which show people in smoking-related social situations that heighten the social acceptability of smoking." The paper cites as examples RJR's VANTAGE "Pleasures" ad campaign [Samples of these ads are at
http://roswell.tobaccodocuments.org/pollay/images/Vant03.01_display.jpg and
http://roswell.tobaccodocuments.org/pollay/images/Vant01.13_display.jpg ]
...and ads for WINSTON and SALEM that show people smoking in social situations.
RJR also planned to "capitalize on Special Events activities which reinforce smoking in public, highly visible environments and provide excellent political/thought leadership contacts to combat anti-smoking activists."
Cigarette companies insist that their advertising is aimed solely at reinforcing brand loyalty or getting people to change brands. This document shows that is not the case, that cigarette companies also have also used advertising to increase and reinforce the social acceptability of smoking and "combat" public health efforts to decrease smoking.
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KEY ISSUE 4
SOCIAL ACCEPTABILITY
Brand Marketing_Strategies
1. Develop and execute advertising campaigns which show
people in smoking related social situations that heighten
the social acceptability of smoking.
The new VANTAGE "Pleasures" campaign which
focuses on smoking in social situations.
The new WINSTON and SALEM campaigns which
include smoking in social situations.
2. Continue to capitalize on Special Events activities which
reinforce smoking in public, highly visible environments,
and provide excellent political/thought leadership contacts
to combat anti-smoking activists.
3. Increase emphasis on local promotional activity which
includes community involvement and a strong social
orientation (such as SALEM Summer Street Scenes) and
thereby enhance the social acceptability of smoking.
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KEY ISSUE 4
SOCIAL ACCEPTABILITY
Marketing Development Strategies
1. Identify, define, and monitor consumers' attitudes and
beliefs regarding the social acceptability of smoking
through ongoing consumcr wants research.
Accomplish through existing ongoing research programs.
2. Provide Market Research input on how restrictive smoking
issues affect consumer attitudes and behavior.
Conduct post-wave of the Nebraska Study to gauge
the effect of anti-smoking regulations.
Conduct. a review of industry commissioned research.
3. Develop a research program which will improve knowledge of
how policies relative to private sector activities and passive
smoking issues may affect consumer attitudes toward the
Tobacco Industry or toward smoking.
Assist Public Affairs in conducting Phase 2 of
Employee Communications Research.
Define Public Affairs issues to determine where MDD can
assist in development of PA strategies and programs.
4. Address social acceptability as the highest priority
consumer issue in new brand devc.lopment.
A..tive brand development projects, GS and CC
focus on social acceptability benefits.
Further technological exploratory will be conducted
to identify other means of providing social
acceptability benefits.
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KEY ISSUE 4
SOCIAL ACCEPTABILITY
Sales Department Strategies
1. Utilize Sales Management's knowledge of and familiarity with
key business leaders, particularly in the retail and whole-
sale trade, to enlist support for the tobacco industry
consistent with legal guidelines.
?.. Working in conjunction with Public Affairs, continue an
ongoing communication system directed to Field Management.
Minimize the potential negative impact of anti-
smoking activities on retail and wholesale community
by providing accurate and timely information regard-
ing trends in anti-smoking activity, pending
legislation in specific localities, assessment of
potential impact and auggested courses of action.
3. Develop internal programs directed at our Sales Representa-
tives which will better equip them to deal with anti-tobacco
attitudes and reaffirm the industry's and Company's future.
e Suggested guidelines/responses for handling anti-
smokers' criticism/abuse.
Reaffirmation of the Company's commitment to
leadership and growth.
a Perspective on career opportunities for R. J. Reynolds
employees.
4. Continue support and participation in the Tobacco Action
Network (TAN).
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KEY ISSUE 4
SOCIAL ACCEPTABIhTTY
Research and Development Strategies
1. Collect and disseminate scientific information on smoking/
health issues.
Effective conformation storage and retrieval syslems.
Assessment of the validity and relevance of published
data used in the smoking/health controversy.
Assessment of the sincerity, objectivity, and candor
of individuals and organizations with opinions on the
smoking/health controversy; identify those sympathetic,
or at least unbiased, towards the industry point of
view.
Assessment of the scope, relevance, and caliber of
smoking/health research by outside scientists.
2. Provide critiques or evaluations required by management or
outside legal counsel on issues in the smoking/health subject
area.
Position papers.
Input to product development.
Input to legal.
3. Develop new tobacco products which address key aspects
of social acceptability.
Improved '.aste with lowest T/N/CO numbers.
Reduced side stream.
Low gas phase.
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