Tobacco Teardown

What is a Tobacco Teardown?

A youth based cleanup effort to help communities change the way that tobacco is promoted. SWAT teams approach convenience stores that have tobacco advertising. Youth request that stores teardown their storefront tobacco ads. In exchange, the youth help clean and beautify their store. In the case of stores who do not display tobacco advertising and do not promote tobacco use messages, the youth may conduct a cleanup as an offer of appreciation to them.

Why do a Tobacco Teardown?

Tobacco kills about 6,000 Oklahomans each year. It is our leading cause of preventable death, killing more Oklahomans than alcohol, auto accidents, AIDS, suicides, murders, and illegal drugs combined. ( The tobacco industry spends an estimated $274.3million in Oklahoma yearly promoting a product that kills. ( Every year in Oklahoma, 7,500 youth under the age of 18 become new daily smokers. (

Many convenience stores are located near schools, so children are exposed to tobacco advertising on a daily basis. Retail stores are a major focus for tobacco industry advertising partly due to the limits placed on advertising elsewhere such as television, newspapers and billboards through the Master Settlement Agreement. Because of the high frequency of youth visiting convenience stores, the tobacco industry promotes these locations as ideal sites to “hook” youth.

Published research studies have found that youth are three times more sensitive to tobacco advertising than adults and are more likely to be influenced to use tobacco by tobacco industry marketing than by peer pressure. One-third of underage experimentation with tobacco is attributable to tobacco company advertising. ( org)

How do I do a Teardown?

First Training on Operation Storefront & Tobacco Teardown. third Operation Storefront activity. fourth Prepare your retailer information packet. second Get all parental releases signed.

sixth Visit with your retailer. Is this safe for the youth educator or would it be best for an adult partner. fifth Make sure your local media is on board. seventh Tobacco Teardown activity.

Media attention is one of the most important aspects of the Tobacco Ad Teardown. This is the way that the community knows what and why this project is happening. In addition, media attention is most likely one of the main incentives for store participation. There are many ways to utilize media and it is important for teams to be creative.

Press releases: sent to radio, newspaper and local television. Newspaper: ads, interviews (team spokesperson, and store owners), community calendar, articles, and letters to the editor. Radio: News, live or prerecorded interviews, PSA’s, and commercials. Television: Live on site broadcasts, news shows and interviews. Ways to Utilize the Media

Role Playing What would you do?

Role Playing What would you do? If the store owner forgot that he/she set up a meeting with you and isn’t around. - Reschedule - Call again - Show up at the store at a random time

Role Playing What would you do? If the owner only wants to remove some of the ads but wants to keep other banners, signs and posters in his store. - Try to do as much as possible - Encourage the owner to take down all of it

Role Playing What would you do? If the owner says he/she makes $1,000 each month by having outdoor ads and can’t afford removing them. - Saves money by cleaning the lot and beautifying the store - Removing the ads makes the store more appealing and families like it - Ask them if they have a contract, if so have them review it and see how much signage is mandatory

Role Playing What would you do? If the owner doesn’t believe that ads have any effect on whether people use tobacco, so why bother? - Give them statistics on youth tobacco use rates - Provide them with statistics about the incidence of tobacco use and advertising - Tobacco users will buy from them whether or not they advertise - Tobacco companies spend so much to have them displayed to promote and normalize pro-use messages to youth

Role Playing What would you do? If the owner wants to know how the Teardown will benefit them. - Tell them that this activity will be getting media attention. Make sure that you set this up before the teardown takes place. Media attention is a great way for the store to get positive publicity. - The store will look more presentable and get community recognition via radio, television and newspaper. All of this is great for business.

Role Playing What would you do? If the owner is too busy to participate in the project. - There is nothing that they have to do. - Show up at random times and present them with the packet. Often times, the store manager will be working with you and speak to the owner themselves.

Role Playing What would you do? The most important part is to build a positive relationship with the retailer. Do not burn any bridges. You may just be planting the seed for a future Teardown. Many stores decide to reduce advertising on their own just because of the information that you are providing.

Don’t just sit there! Let’s get started!

Tobacco Teardown