California’s Tobacco Control Program, Media Campaign and the Targeting of Ethnic Markets Lourdes Baezconde-Garbanati, Ph.D., MPH Director, Hispanic/Latino Tobacco Education Network, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, IPR, University of Southern California Sao Paulo, Brazil, May 24, 2000

California’s Tobacco Control Program ä Nov Proposition 99 increased by 25 cents each pack of cigarettes,created a movement never before seen in public health ä Expected Outcome = Prevention and cessation

California’s Tobacco Control Program ä DENORMALIZATION ä Focus on reducing social acceptability of ä Tobacco use ä Exposure to ETS ä Availability of tobacco to children ä Saturation of the community with tobacco images

Denormalization Strategy ä Lasting change in youth behavior regarding tobacco can only be secured by first changing the adult world in which youth grow up...

Strategies to reduce tobacco use ä Reduce exposure to ETS and reduce tolerance to exposure ä Counter pro-tobacco influences ä Reduce youth acess to tobacco form retail or social sources ä Provide cessation services

Outcomes ä Decreased tobacco consumption ä Decreased tobacco use prevalence ä Decreases youth uptake of tobacco ä Decreases exposure to ETS

DHS-Tobacco Control Program Statewide evaluation Statewide media campaign 61 Health Departments / Coalitions TOBACCO CONTROL SECTION (TCS) 4 Ethnic Networks 11 Regional Linkage programs competitive grantees Clearinghouse

California’s population estimates ä American Indian…………..3 million ä Black……………………… 2.2 million ä Asian/Pacific Islander……. 3.7 million ä Hispanic………………… million ä White…………………… million ä TOTAL…………………. 32 million

The Partnership ä TCS Statewide media campaign and Ethnic Networks ä Advertising: ä Asher and Partners (General market) ä Carol Williams Advertising (African Am.) ä Imada Wong (Asian) ä Ad Americas (Latino)

The Partnership ä Public Relations ä Rogers and Associates (General market and American Indian) ä Young Communications (African Am.) ä Durazo Communications (Latino) ä Imada Wong (Asian/Pacific Islanders)

Research / Focus Groups ä Since 1990, advertising agencies have conducted hundreds of focus groups ä SIMILARITIES IN ETHNIC COMMUNITY ä Protective over families ä Respond to emotional and heart wrenching messages ä Angered by targeting of their children and communities by the tobacco industry ä Quit smoking for their family, but not necessarily for themselves

Ethnic public relations - Unsung heroes of the campaign ä Crisis management ä Spokesperson training ä Press conferences and press releases ä Op ed pieces, news articles ä Reposition tobacco with ethnic press ä Work with ethnic press to break historical financial ties to tobacco

Role of the Ethnic Networks ä 4 Ethnic Networks ä Asian/Pacific Islander ä Hispanic/Latino ä American Indian ä African American Work Jointly and Individually addressing particular population issues

Role of Ethnic Networks ä Provide expertise on local, regional and statewide activities at grass roots level ä Provide input on proposed strategy of overall campaign and ethnic specific themes ä Provide feedback on scripts, storyboards and other creative concepts ä Provide a “cultural reality check” of the impacted community ä Provide community spokespersons ä Hold media events to counter pro-tobacco advertising

Role of Ethnic Networks ä Why important to work with the various culturally specific Networks? ä Mission is to build leadership which become allies in tobacco control ä California has a very diverse population makeup ä Latinos, for example, represent over 48% of some counties, such as Los Angeles

Role of Ethnic Networks ä In 1997 Philip Morris (Marlboro spent $12.5 million advertising in the Latino community) ä Latinos are specifically targeted by the tobacco industry because ä Have a youthful population ä Large purchasing power ä In 1998 Latino purchasing power was $348 billion, and is expected to increase to $965 billion in 2010)

Examples of California’s Programs support Cessation ä Ethnic Networks promote in language CA Smokers Helpline ä CA Smokers Helpline NoBUTTS ä Second Hand Smoke Protection is a priority -work, home, and public places is mandatory ä Tobacco Education Clearinghouse

Media Campaign Program Examples ä Make 2000 Year to Quit (Y2Quit) Smoking ä Outreach kits for local projects ä Driven by public relations, but implemented locally ä Tailored to general population and for ethnic populations ä Designed assist local projects in cultural and significant dates (s/as Valentine’s day)

California’s Media Campaign Example ä For a Voice Campaign ä A voice ä telephone response system and website ä Media driven designed to give the public an opportunity to tell their story about how tobacco has hurt their lives or loved ones ä Callers can leave their stories or ask for cessation referrals and materials or become involved

Lessons Learned ä Ensure media activities support and work in tandem with other tobacco education and prevention programs for a synergistic outcome. -Colleen Stevens Head of CA Media Campaign Head of CA Media Campaign

Lessons Learned ä “Of all programs administered by the Tobacco Control Section, the media campaign seems to be the one component that inspires an opinion in just about everyone.” ä Colleen Stevens, Head Media Campaign

Lessons Learned ä Find the best advertising and Public Relations agencies possible for the job and build a strong and close partnership with them ä Agency will have an understanding of the strategic and political reality of your tobacco control universe and of competing demands ä Will understand their role as partners clearly

Lessons Learned ä Media Agencies will have and secure superior creative expertise, producing powerful, effective, daring advertisements and marketing tools ä Size and fiscal capacity of agency is important ä No conflict of interest

Lessons Learned ä Integrate the media campaign with local activities ä Acknowledge the work of the public relations groups in the campaign

Conclusions ä Coordinate media and local programs ä Empower community advocates ä Be culturally sensitive and use power of the community and its people ä Oversight and accountability are keys to success ä Provide strong leadership and allow for program flexibility

Conclusions ä Build environments that support tobacco control, cessation ä To get kids to quit, change adult behaviors ä Second hand smoke messages work in tandem with exposing industry tactics ä Don’t get caught up in media glitz only - Local programs must be well funded ä Media is to support and work in conjunction with local activities

Countering Pro-tobacco messages ä With our MSA settlement the Tobacco Industry is Morphing! ä Be able to adapt ä “We’ve always opperated in a restrictive environment. We are really quite agile in our ability to adapt”. Phillip Morris, Ad Age