Tobacco-free social ideal: California launches $6 million bid

Through a seven-figure tender, published on June 23, the California Department of Public Health is providing the means to boost the denormalization of tobacco throughout the state.

Objective: denormalization of tobacco use, on a large scale

In an effort to effectively propel the denormalization of tobacco in California, the Department of Public Health has decided to invest $6 million in a public relations campaign related to tobacco prevention.[1].

California being one of the most cosmopolitan states in the United States[2], the Department made it a point to ensure that the awareness campaign targeted audiences as diverse as the state's population. This included Hispanic and African-American communities, rural communities, and LGBT communities.[3] will be at the heart of the actions deployed over 4 years by the selected company.

Provider: a selection process attentive to both content and form

The agency that will be responsible for conceptualizing, developing, implementing, supervising and evaluating the anti-tobacco public relations campaign for 4 years, starting on October 15, must have submitted its application by July 16, 2020.

To be considered, the company will have to prove that it has had a service based in California since at least 2015 and that it has had gross annual revenue of $2 million for two of the three years preceding 2020.

Even more essential to successfully carry out this large-scale project, the company must have no conflicts of interest with the tobacco, e-cigarette and cannabis industries.

The Department of Public Health will make its decision in August 2020.