How Tobacco Industry Uses the Media to Further its Interests

By Simon Mwangi

The war against tobacco use globally hasn’t been easy, even in the wake of glaring, shocking facts and figures showing how deadly its growing and use is. The media have a powerful role in influencing individuals and policymakers and have made critical contributions to the cause of tobacco control. Media channels hold the power to frame conceptual models, influence the evolution of these models in the public’s perceptions, and ultimately guide these perceptions toward the implementation of policy.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cigarette smoking is responsible for more than 400,000 premature deaths per year and reduces the life expectancy of smokers by an average of 14 years. This total exceeds the death toll of HIV/AIDS, substance abuse, motor-vehicle collisions, suicide, and homicide combined

For the longest time before countries domesticated Article 13 guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, cartoon characters that proved wildly successful in marketing tobacco to youths were used to market its use. They were later replaced by more confusing and sophisticated campaigns, ostensibly designed to reduce the level of direct marketing to adolescents.

The guidelines give Parties guidance for introducing and enforcing a comprehensive ban on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship or, for those Parties that are not in a position to undertake a comprehensive ban owing to their constitutions or constitutional principles, for applying restrictions on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship that are as comprehensive as possible.

Unfortunately, today we are witnessing an “evolved” media debate. Instead of a choice between pro-tobacco messages and anti-tobacco messages, youths are now forced to distinguish between anti-tobacco messages designed to prevent youth smoking and anti-tobacco messages designed to encourage youth smoking.

The tobacco industry has long tried to use the media to further its own ends. The more discredited its voice has become with the public, the more it has been forced to use third parties to put its message across. A more indirect way of media advocacy includes commissioning editorials, columns and newspaper reports ‘independent experts’, or convincing writers to pen such materials under their own name.

The aim of a media strategy is twofold, to target both policymakers and the wider public with a view to influencing the public debate. The tobacco industry has aimed to shift the debate away from issues concerning smoking and health to more emotive ones. This popular – and almost populist – view attempts to frame tobacco control as government interference as a threat to consumer freedom and individual rights.

The Internet is an increasingly popular medium to get the message out which includes mail marketing, email marketing, web marketing, and mobile marketing, and its impact is not well understood. Through direct marketing, consumers are reached through mail, web, email, and mobile marketing platforms. These types of marketing are opt-in, meaning consumers elect to receive marketing directly from companies. Tobacco companies use direct marketing to build relationships with consumers who receive regular coupons and free giveaways. Tobacco companies began direct marketing in the 1970s when it was determined that these tactics were an efficient way to reach existing consumers, recruit new customers, and inspire brand loyalty.

Published by People Daily on 1/2/2022.