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Grassroots Outreach 41

Cinema
Going to the movies continues to be a popular form of entertainment for
teenagers. Beginning in 2007, truth® advertising began playing in movie
theaters as commercials before movies—another effective way in which to
reach the teen audience. In 2008, The “Sunny Side of truth®” campaign was
seen in more than 1,500 Screenvision theaters on nearly 10,000 screens in 48
states.

G R A S S ROOT S OUTRE A CH

Summer tours across the country allow
teens to engage firsthand with the cam-
paign. Signature orange truth® “trucks”
rigged with DJ decks and video monitors al-
low teens to speak and interact firsthand
with truth® “crew members” at popular
events and music festivals where teens
gather. At each tour stop, crew members
hold fashion shows, dance contests, freestyle
rap “battles,” and DJ lessons. The fun and
®
engaging atmosphere makes it easier for FIGURE 2-2 truth Tour Truck
truth® crew members to discuss tobacco is- Courtesy of the American Legacy
sues in a non-preachy manner. Teens also Foundation
walk away from these interactions with
truth® “gear” items like T-shirts, bags, hats,
and wallets. The gear subtly reinforces facts
about tobacco and incorporates cool graph-
ics and designs, creating sought-after items
that teens are proud to wear.
In addition, the tour is heavily featured
on thetruth.com Web site throughout the
summer, allowing teens to meet truth®
crew members and read the crew members’
blogs, view updates from tour stops, and
get free tickets. The latest tour, in 2008, FIGURE 2-3 Summer Tours Engage
reached more than 500,000 teens in more Teens Firsthand with the Campaign
than 30 cities across the country (see
Courtesy of Joshua Cogan and the American
Figures 2-2 and 2-3). Legacy Foundation