Are TargetMarket ads effective?

This research study examines this question in relation to middle school children, grades six to eight. You will get an in depth look at the research process, as well as the results drawn from the study.

What is TargetMarket?

TargetMarket is a grassroots, anti-tobacco organization that was created for the purpose of youth smoking prevention. TM is funded in whole by the $6.2 billion settlement that was reached in 1998 after the state of Minnesota, along with Blue Cross Blue Shield, sued four major tobacco companies:

• Phillip Morris
• Brown & Williamson
• RJ Reynolds Tobacco
• Lorillard Tobacco

Who they target

Big Tobacco, TM’s target, is defined by TM as “corporations who produce, distribute and market tobacco products. Big Tobacco is big bucks.” As a whole, Big Tobacco spends $8.2 billion every year on marketing efforts.

TargetMarket is known for their anti-Big Tobacco attitude and started the organization with an event called the Kick Ash Bash. Here, 400 teens from Minnesota discussed cigarette companies and their marketing efforts towards adolescents. The first TM antismoking advertisement was filmed at the event, featuring real Minnesotan teens sarcastically thanking Big Tobacco.

TM's beginnings

In May of 2000, TM launched a maiden ad campaign, unveiling the secrets of Big Tobacco, which were uncovered in 39,000 confidential documents. The subpoenaed papers were made public during the Minnesota litigation against the tobacco companies. The facts found in the documents have been the base of most TM advertisements. In addition to the television, radio and outdoor ads, the campaign introduced the TM website.

TargetMarket has also confronted Big Tobacco face to face. In December of 2000, TM and a group of Minnesotan teens visited Brown & Williamson in Kentucky. This tobacco giant is the third largest in the world and TM attempted to obtain answers from executives about youth marketing. The group was unsuccessful, but turned their experience into another TM advertisement.

Why Big Tobacco?

Kristin Lemke, the office manager at TargetMarket said that TM focuses their efforts solely on Big Tobacco because teens will listen. “Everyone knows the health risks, and kids just don’t care. We’re anti-Big Tobacco, not anti-smoking,” Lemke said.

The director of the California Health Departments antismoking media campaign, Colleen Stevens, was quoted in the Washington Post as saying “We’ve found when kids understand they’re being manipulated by the industry, it takes the desireablility of the rebellion away.”

Other anti-smoking efforts

Though Minnesota’s TargetMarket is unique, the organization is very similar to antismoking developments in other states. The Whole TRUTH in Florida and Unfiltered TV in Washington D.C. all have similar goals and structures. Like TM, they were formed with state settlement money.

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