Buying Loyalty With Tobacco Industry Sponsorships and Donations

Audience: Public health professionals and tobacco control advocates who are working at all levels in tobacco control.

Key Points: Every nonprofits needs funding to do good work. Tobacco companines target contributions to organizations that traditionally receive less support such as GLBTQ community, veterans, women, low income, people of color, and youth.

Tobacco compainies use donations and sponsorships to create an appearance of corporate responsibility and concern for the cummunity.

Donations and sponsorships grant access to youth, build trust with parents, educators, and key community leaders.

Donations and sponsorships are used to silence the community and marginalize tobacco control efforts by makin ganti-tobacco activist appear out of touch with the community.

Ultimately, the donations and sponsorships are used to build brand awareness and loyalty.

An organization can adopt a tobacco-free funding policy to protect their image and the people they serve from tobacco industry tactics.

Educational Experience: Through powerpoint and handouts the presenter will provide tips, tools, lessons for the community. The presenter will tell the story of convincing the Cinco De Mayo organizers to turn down a $9000 donation from the tobacco insustry and how youth, community leaders, and non-traditional partners can be your strongest messengers.

Benefits: Attendees will learn how they counter the industry tactices with written tobacco-free funding policies.