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36 CHAPTER 2 ■ Reducing Tobacco Use in the United States

B A R R IER S, B ENEF I T S, A ND THE C O MP E TI TI O N

Many youth find it hard not to at least try smoking, and several factors influence
their desire to experiment, including peer pressure, older siblings and/or parents
smoking around them, stress, and natural curiosity.
Benefits they imagine or they may assume include looking older, looking
sexier, reducing stress, controlling weight, being independent, fitting in, being
respected, expressing themselves, and being a rebel or a risk taker.
The competition, of course, is the tobacco industry, and the billions of dol-
lars a year Big Tobacco spends to make its products accessible, visible, and seem-
ingly cool—especially to youth. Other anti-smoking messages in the past came
from the tobacco industry, and it was found that exposure was associated with
more positive attitudes toward the industry and increased intentions toward fu-
ture smoking.

P O S I TI O NIN G

In the end, campaign planners want youth to see that the Big Tobacco compa-
nies are trying to manipulate them. As described on truth®’s Web site, “We’re
not anti-smoker, or anti-smoking. We’re just anti-manipulations. With that in
mind, we try to ‘out’ Big Tobacco’s tactics so everyone knows what they’re up to.”
The campaign’s emphasis is on honest facts and information about tobacco
products and the tobacco industry and gives teens tools that enable them to take
control and make informed decisions about tobacco use. As also described on
the foundation’s Web site, “The power of our industry manipulation positioning
is not only positioning truth® as a value-based brand, but in repositioning Big
Tobacco. Our brand is the truth. Their brand lied.”

STR ATE G I E S

The truth® Campaign uses evidence-based research, research with teen audi-
ences, marketing and social science research, and lessons learned from the
most successful anti-tobacco campaigns to inform its strategies. In the fol-
lowing presentation of strategies, a few that were not a direct strategy of the
truth® Campaign are also mentioned. They are considered companion strate-
gies, because they also target the youth market with similar objectives and posi-
tioning. Several of those that are included are ones highlighted and
recommended by the Committee on Reducing Tobacco Use, helping to illustrate