31 July 2024
For the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, France is welcoming no fewer than 10,500 athletes . Through an awareness campaign, ACT-Alliance contre le tabac has chosen to put the spotlight on a record-breaker who holds numerous medals yet remains largely unknown to the public : the tobacco industry.
Responsible each year for 8 million deaths worldwide, the exploitation of 1.3 million children in tobacco fields, the dissemination of 4,500 billion cigarette butts in nature, a social cost of 156 billion euros for France only, etc. this champion accumulates records each more disgraceful than the next.
In view of its harmful effects in all areas, the tobacco industry has no place in our world. To protect our children and our planet from this deadly business, ACT is calling for an end to the sales of tobacco and nicotine products, beginning in 2032, to protect future generations.
While the tobacco industry ranks as the deadliest, it unscrupulously climbs to the top of the podium in many other areas :
• In terms of public health, the tobacco industry is the leading cause of avoidable death in the world, causing more than 8 million deaths a year. Worldwide, 1.3 billion people are addicted to nicotine.
• Regarding human rights, cigarette manufacturers rely on children to sustain their profits. With half of their consumers dying from tobacco-related causes, these companies must continually replenish their customer base, employing marketing tactics to target younger audiences. In France, 200,000 minors take up smoking every year. Also, cigarette manufacturers exploit young people in the production process, with 1.3 million children working in tobacco fields worldwide.
• As far as the environmental impact is concerned, manufacturers are marketing ecotoxic bombs that are poisoning our planet for the long term. Every year, over 4,500 billion cigarette butts are discarded in nature, contaminating soil and water with more than 7,000 toxic chemicals. Cigarette manufacturers' carbon footprint extends beyond waste, since with the production of their products is causing deforestation, wasting water resources and requiring the use of pesticides.
• As far as our economy is concerned - and contrary to popular belief - tobacco does not benefit public finances. In France, while the State receives €16 billion in revenue every year, the social cost of tobacco amounts to €156 billion a year. This equates an annual cost of €2,300 per inhabitant , including smokers, non-smokers and infants.
Despite the heavy costs borne by society, the tobacco industry is prospering with annual profits of €51 billion, it spends millions on lobbying (€20 million in Europe) to hinder public health policies and measures against it.
To illustrate the disastrous consequences of the tobacco industry, ACT has chosen to personify it under a single persona: Nick O'Tine.
With more medals than Michel Phelps, Nick O'Tine is a disgraceful champion with a sinister record in health, the economy, social affairs and the environment. Throughout the Olympic and Paralympic Games, this persona will be a focal point in public discussions, media coverage, and social networks.
The campaign was launched during an exclusive live broadcast on journalist Samuel Etienne's Twitch channel on July 30th. It will then be expanded and amplified nationwide, running until the start of the 2024 Paralympic Games. The campaign will include a comprehensive 360° communications strategy, featuring Nick O'Tine's active presence on social media, a nationwide poster campaign, press insertions, and an influencer strategy. A case study compiling all elements of the campaign will also be produced and shared on social networks.
Through this cynical person, ACT aims to deliver a powerful message : the tobacco industry must not win on all fronts.
