Creating the “desired mindset”: Tobacco Manufacturers' efforts to improve its corporate image among women

Background: Since the 1970s, American tobacco companies have used corporate contributions and event sponsorships to enlist women's organizations as allies to promote the tobacco industry's perspective to policymakers and the public. Recently, women have become a primary target audience of tobacco manufacturers' corporate social responsibility initiatives. This presentation explores why and how major tobacco manufacturers craft corporate social responsibility initiatives to appeal to women.

Methods: Review and analysis of publicly available internal tobacco industry documents and relevant secondary data.

Results: Tobacco manufacturers regarded women as an influential political group. To improve its image among women, while keeping tobacco off their organizational agendas, companys sponsored women's leadership groups and programs. They also sought to appeal to women it defined as “active moms” by advertising its commitment to domestic violence victims. It was more successful in securing women's organizations as allies than active moms. These organizations continue to de-prioritize smoking as a women's health issue.

Conclusions: Tobacco manufacturers' attempts to divert women's attention from tobacco by supporting domestic violence organizations may have only been possible because of the broader perception that tobacco is not a women's health issue. Raising tobacco's visibility as a global women's health issue should include problematizing tobacco companies' ties to influential women's groups.