SITUATION
In late 1999, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and its public health allies were facing a challenging environment. A full year had passed since the landmark Master Settlement Agreement between the states and the nation's largest tobacco companies, and a sense of apathy towards the issue of tobacco was developing among politicians, opinion leaders and the media. The lawsuit and settlement action had moved from the high-profile federal level to the state and local level, and neither Congress nor the presidential candidates were interested in addressing tobacco-related issues. In short, policy makers felt that measures were now in place to regulate the industry, and their attention was directed elsewhere.

Additionally, the tobacco companies began launching multi-million dollar campaigns touting their philanthropic activities and anti-youth smoking campaigns, and the public began shifting its focus away from Big Tobacco's outrageous, deceptive behavior.

The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids recognized the need to effectively counter the tobacco industry's claims that it was changing and that further regulation was unnecessary. GMMB was selected to serve as its advertising agency and strategic partner in a stepped-up, proactive effort to turn up the heat on Big Tobacco.

APPROACH
The opposition's massive monetary advantage requires that GMMB's approach constantly maximize advertising expenditures by being strategic, tactical and smart. We recognize that advertising alone would not be nearly as effective as an integrated communications campaign that surrounds the audience with consistent messaging.

Therefore, our national advertising efforts are constantly coordinated with the Campaign's public policy, media outreach and public relations tactics to achieve the following primary goals:

• To remind opinion leaders that the tobacco industry has not changed. It continues to market to children, deceive the public about the dangers of its products and attempt to obtain special protection from Congress.
  
  
• To communicate to members of Congress and the Administration that it would be beneficial to enact legislation that protects public health and that there is a price to be paid for supporting policies that protect the tobacco industry.
  
  
• To help create an environment conducive to enactment of legislation granting effective FDA authority over tobacco products and defeat of legislation that protects the tobacco-industry.

State and Local Anti-Tobacco Initiatives
In addition to our work at the federal level, GMMB also works closely with the Campaign to develop advertising and media placements for anti-tobacco initiatives at the state and local levels.

Securing Tobacco Settlement Money
As more and more states face budget shortfalls, many Governors and key legislators have threatened to cut tobacco settlement money earmarked to pay for tobacco prevention programs. GMMB designed print and radio ads targeting policymakers to reveal their proposed use of the tobacco settlement funds for other projects. The ads have been credited with pressuring the states' leadership to use tobacco settlement funds for needed tobacco prevention programs in many states, including Arizona, Florida, Missouri, Montana, Virginia, and Washington.

Increasing Tobacco Taxes
GMMB also has been instrumental in coordinating advertising efforts in states where advocates are fighting for an increased tobacco tax. GMMB has designed print and radio ads focusing on evidence that teen smoking is greatly reduced by raising the price of cigarettes. At a time when most states are facing budgets deficits and funding for tobacco prevention programs is being cut, these ads demonstrate funding of tobacco prevention programs through increased cigarette taxes. The ads reinforce the message that tobacco prevention programs save the state in future health care costs for tobacco related illnesses. The Campaign has succeeded by encouraging the legislature to raise the cigarette tax more than $.50 per pack in a number of states, including Indiana, New Jersey, Vermont, Wyoming, Washington, New Mexico, West Virginia, Alaska and Arkansas. The Campaign helped to achieve a $0.45 cigarette tax increase in Nevada.

Passing Smoke-Free Ordinances
In addition, GMMB is working with the Campaign to educate voters on the harmful affects of secondhand smoke and urge the public to pressure their state and local legislatures to pass clean indoor-air ordinances. Using radio and print, GMMB has produced ads that focus on the public health effects of secondhand smoke, especially for children, and the benefits of smoke-free ordinances for families and business. The Campaign has been successful in passing smoke-free ordinances in several states and communities including Montana; Delaware; Connecticut; Maine; Idaho; Massachusetts; Rhode Island; Minot, ND; Albuquerque, NM; and Dallas, TX.