Page 40 - Crisis Communication Practical PR Strategies

No Thrillers, but Hard Reality 21
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activities. A company that brings a legal product to market in a legal
way can nevertheless find itself in difficulties.
The tobacco industry is a prime example of a sector with those types
of problems. Tobacco products are freely available for sale in news-
paper shops, supermarkets, petrol stations, etc, and still the govern-
ment considers them to be dangerous products that should be banished
as much as possible. The tobacco industry regularly finds its hands tied,
for instance by the ban on advertising, which has become increasingly
restrictive over the years.
In the first phase, active advertising was prohibited: it was no longer
permissible to portray cowboys with a cigarette, either in the hand or
hanging casually from the corner of the mouth. Only the product itself
could be shown. The result: posters showed packages of cigarettes, but
no smokers were anywhere to be seen. In the second phase, the
product itself could not be shown. Furthermore, all packages and
signage had to carry messages such as ‘Smoking damages health’ and
‘Smoking kills’.
The next step was a complete ban on tobacco advertising. From that
point on, placing the name of tobacco products on merchandise was no
longer permitted, and that was a red line through the campaigns of the
tobacco producers. Through merchandising and sponsoring, they had
sought a workaround to escape the strict regulations: Marlboro developed
the Marlboro Classics clothing line; Camel started the adventurous Camel
Trophy; and Richmond organized vacations. Tobacco manufacturers also
sponsored events such as Formula 1 races and rock festivals, on a major
scale.
In Belgium, tobacco advertising is only permitted at specific tobacco
sales points. Additional restrictive measures were also imposed, such
as the prohibition on smoking in public buildings and restaurants.
Many private organizations and companies followed the government
in taking steps against smoking in their establishments.
A case in point: those who took the train 30 or 40 years ago were
forced to search for the non-smoking compartment. Today, in
Belgium, you have to look for the ‘isolation cell’ where smoking is still
allowed. Passenger carriers (airlines, railways, subways) in an
increasing number of countries have become smoke-free.

The greatest civilian nuclear disaster in history

Environmental contamination, an explosion, a fire, a transport acci-
dent in which poisonous substances are released: these are all situations
that could lead to an environmental crisis. It could be the result of a
wide variety of causes: incomplete safety or security plans, a defective