Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #118138

Robbin Derry, PhD, Kellogg School - Ford Center for Global Citizenship, Northwestern University, 2001 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60208, 847-491-4976, r-derry@kellogg.northwestern.edu

The groups that public health organizations see as vulnerable populations, consumer products companies often see as potential markets. The Bottom of the Pyramid (BOP) marketing concept is a rapidly growing strategy which encourages the distribution of inexpensive retail products to the poorest peoples in the world, in recognition of the potential volume of sales. E.g., laundry soap, food and bottled beverages are now being distributed and sold for pennies in areas previously overlooked by multinational corporations as too poor to be worthwhile markets. The explicit goal is to teach these people to become consumers and build early brand loyalty. For the tobacco industry, these people live in the areas with few regulations regarding tobacco marketing and sales, and have very little information about addiction and health effects of smoking. For these reasons they are among the most vulnerable to the harms of tobacco, while at the same time creating the most desirable markets for tobacco industry expansion.

This presentation will make the argument that the BOP markets are ethically inappropriate targets for the tobacco companies based in developed countries, despite a regulatory condition which would enable the development of a large customer base. The pros and cons of open international markets within the tobacco industry will be considered in terms of their effects on public health. In conclusion we will argue that the BOP concept can be effectively used as a public health communications strategy to empower people to resist the marketing of harmful products.

Learning Objectives: At the end of this session, the participants will be able to

• Define the bottom of the pyramid strategy and how it is currently being used to develop new retail markets.
• Recognize how the bottom of the pyramid marketing of cigarettes will effect the economic and health development of the countries where it is practiced.
• Articulate how the bottom of the pyramid concept can be used more ethically to enable vulnerable populations to resist the introduction of harmful products.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.