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R. J..REYNOL~ TOBACCO ,|NT,ERNAT|ONAI.: "~'T~ Cornl~l~ltlic~'ons: Gu~9[tt~es and Resources" European ETS Communications Strategy The primary objective of~ the ETS communications strategy is clear: to devise and implement EU and local market plans that preempt and counter the potentially negative impact of the IARC oublk;ations ,and ~)ro~osed report on second-hand smoke. This does not mean that plans can be limitedto criticism of IARC alone, nor that scientif'¢ argument will, by itself, suffice. IARC creates the context in which the ETS issue is going to be debated but, ultimately, the industnj will be arguing the broad FTS issue, not just the publication el' a sJn~e adverse report_ Thus, criticLsm of the epidemiological basis on which the ~ARC report has been prepared is necessary, but J essentially negative, and not enough. Publication of the CIAR~Xl~)sure.msults of independent scientffic research, presents an opportunity to demonstrate credible scientific results and broaden the debate, as has already bee~dem~stFated-happened in the United Kingdom. Recognition of the social problems associated with ETS is also important if legislators are to be persuaded not to implement, and the public to not support, more svingent smoldng restrictions. With these points in mind, it is apparent that communication with key audiences cannot be limited to one~)oint in f~me,. As laid out later in this document, the indus~'y needs to begin this process.~c,a~lg flow, and to take that communication through and beyond publication of the [ARC report and exposure studies. Target audiences I The ramif'cations of the IARC .studies and their final report will be fel~ most clearly withJrt government and the media. It is here that the Issue will be ~ought. For this reason, it is recommended that the pdmary target audiences within each market be limited to politidans, bureaucrats and regulators, and to national and specialist media. CECCM and the international companies will adopt responsibility for communication with EU institutions, and pan-Furopean media. Each NMA and/or member company will need to take responsibility for its own national government and media targets. Three parl plan It is rtot going to be possible to deal with the threat posed by IARC in isolation. Scientific criticism of the US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) report on ETS has, for example, had little effect. The publicity surrounding the classifica~on of ET$ as a class "A" carcinogen overcame rational argument and c~eated a new and more dangerous environment for the industry. The weaknesses of epidemiology, the strengths of exposure science, the politicization of IARC, and the relevance of "accommodation" type programs can only be successfully argued in the context of the broad ETS issue. : With a small number of exceptions, the media is uneducated about ETS. Most journalists will start writing about ETS from the simple position that it is harmful, despite the industry's evidence to the contrary. Moreover, they will assume that anything the industry presents is prejudiced, while anything that IARC and the anti-smoking lobby declare is altnJistic. September 15, 1B95 t [Draf~ 2]

R. J. RE'YNOI_DS TOBAG¢O INTERNATIONAL: "ET"~ Communications: ~uidegne~ encl Resources" The framework plan presented in this book is built upon these assumptions. It relies heavily on the need to educate key media targets ahead of IARC =ublic, ations and the exposure studiesCIAR~tudies. Full details appear in section three. Preparing local media networks: the immediate task facing the industry is to try and build better relationships with key opinion formers, primarily in the media. This will be accomplished by education, but it also depends on being consistently available, frank and open. Moreover, it demands acceptance that, although there is no scientific basis for the attacks that have been made on ETS. there is a social problem associated with second-hand smoke. It is thus advised that a small number of key media targets be approached and, over a per~Od of montl-,s, educated in depth about the ETS issue. This is already happening in some mad(ets. PublicaUon of mcposure studies: the results of the exposure studies will be published on a center-by-center basis throughout much of lg96 end 1997. In some cases the studies will be published before the [ARC mporL So the specit'¢ plans adopted for each market will, to an extent, depend on t~ming. The publication of the Hazelton Report, in the United Kingdom, in late 1994, proved to be very newsworthy. There was genuine media interest, because rra~t.joumalists found the results so surprising. Coverage was very fair', and it is clear that suchthe studies can be an extremely useful tool for the indusk'y, with both the media and government. However, exposure studies, by themselves, will not counter the threat posed by [ARC, and it is likely that the anti-smoking lobby will now be better organized to deal with exposure science than was the case with the edflir~akHazelton ~tudy public~tionPepert. It is also fair to say that media interest in the studies will not be limited to the countries of origin. This explains the importance of consistent industry comment, and the appointment of Spdng O'Brien to provide some measure of quality control. Responding to IARC: although the exposure science is valuable, it does not directly challenge the validity of IARC's research. It is going to be very important, in each market, to question the basis of IARC's research, as well as its politicization. This will require g~mpetsnt scientific comment from within the industry but, ultimately, third party se.ientific comment will be of greater importance, if the criticisms of [ARC made by the industry are to be credible_ The social component; most markets have "accommodation" type programs in place and, in some cases, these programs cross national borders. For this reason, it has not been felt necessary to include "solutk~ns" campaigns as part of the overall communications framework, Nevertheless, it is very important that these existing programs are woven into each NMAs IARC plan and,,= necessary, given a prominence that does not currerttly exist. Equally, it is vital that consumer research on ETS be available, to demonstrate public unease about smoking bans, and that existing allian(:es with .tide asso~iation~ be maintained. Through pub|ieation of research, the public can be an effective ~poke=man for the industw's core argument that smoking bans are unnecessary. In much the same way, the willingness of bade associations to speak out on this issue can be as effective for the indusby as third party scientific comment_

~. ,L ~.~:Y14Ot_~S TOBACCO tN'rl=RNATIONAL: *~c'TS Communicab'ons: Guiclelines and Resources" Management The philosophy that lies behind the recommended strategy is very simple: coordinated, yet individual, NMA communication in all major I~U markets, supported by targeting Of key EU opinion-fommm and pan-European media. CECCM, tl~e NMAs, their" member companies, and the international tobacco companies all need to work closely together if a successful Furopean campaign is to be achieved. Each has an important and specific role. CECCM: Its primary role Js to provide adv,, guidance, support and product to each NMA, calling upon the resources of the memberir~ematiemd companies as appropriate. CECCM also aGtS as a clea~'Jng house for information b~tween NMAs and companies and, as such, it will be the local point for industry cooperation and coordination. Working with the intemaUonal tobacco companies, CECCM will also be responsible for communication with EU institutions. International tobacco companies: in addilion to their work through CECCM, the intemational companies will be providing practical resources to NMAs, such as their ETS scientists to act as spokespersons, and the benefit of their expod~e in dealing with the ETS issue in many markets. They will also, of course, continue to operate in If~e normal way through the NMAs on which th~j am represented..-Ha~g-fu~ded-tbe f~b~f-ti~e-mseamt~-~ultsr, tkmagi~prir~eden, NMA$: each NMA is responsible for developing and implementing a ~ational ~-TS communications program. The recommendations contained in this book are a f~amework for action, not a specific market-by-market plan. Nevertheless. it is expected • at each NMA, along with its member companies, would'.'.-.'~ incorporate the key elements of these recommendal~ons, namely to build understanding of the ~TS issue in broad perspective through local media networks; to preempt the IARC report by working with the international companies and Spring O'Bden to pul~licize the ~xposure studies; and to counter the ~,RC report by questioning its scientific validity. It is also expected that CECCM will be presented with an IARC plan, to include key media targets, by eac~ 01' its NMA members before the end of this year, and then kept informed of progress on a regular basis. ~ept~rnb~r 15, 1995 3