Japan Tobacco International's Use of Swiss Media

A recent investigation by the media outlet "Medienwoche"[1] reveals how the cigarette company Japan Tobacco International (JTI) invested in numerous Swiss media outlets by sponsoring awards ceremonies, events or placing advertisements there. Tactics designed to establish contacts with journalists in the hope of benefiting from media coverage favorable to the interests of the cigarette company.

The Zurich Journalist Awards, designed to recognize journalistic work in German-speaking Switzerland, were held on September 8, 2020. Journalists Carole Koch and Boas Ruh were honored for their research In the network of climate deniers published in the newspaper NZZ Am Sonntag. The article describes, among other things, the strategies of climate sceptics and their lobbyists in attacking scientific facts.

The article even states, “Fossil fuel industry lobbyists are using the same strategies that tobacco companies once did,” a quote deemed so relevant that it was included as a tagline in the event brochure, alongside the logo of the event’s main sponsor: Japan Tobacco International. The manufacturer has been the largest sponsor of the award since 2017 and has even been called the Goldsponsor (Gold Sponsor). In response to some journalists' discomfort with JTI being associated with the award ceremony, Kevin Suter, Head of Communications at JTI Switzerland, said: It is our duty to bring our position to the discussion. ".

JTI's infiltration into the media ecosystem

Japan Tobacco International has been a major supporter of the Swiss Media Forum at the Kultur und Congress Center in Lucerne. The company sponsors the meeting of the network of young entrepreneurs under 30, which is held every two years, followed by the magazine Swiss Journalist. From 2013 to 2016, the tobacco manufacturer was the main sponsor of the Journalists of the Year awards of the same magazine. In October 2019, the media outlet, together with the Zurich University of the Arts and JTI Switzerland, organized the Network meeting for young journalists, the main theme of which was "The future of journalism: what is expected, what to expect". JTI also maintains close relations with the media outlet "Persoenlich.com" for policy makers, which is the official publication of the Society for Marketing (Gesellschaft für Marketing), of which the cigarette manufacturer is a member, as well as Philip Morris International. In 2020, JTI also offered a subscription to the magazine to all Swiss parliamentarians, an action praised by publisher and editor-in-chief Matthias Ackeret in the magazine's editorial.

Browsing the online media persoenlich.com, there are several articles concerning tobacco and nicotine products, JTI or even anti-smoking texts. In particular, there is an article dated August 12, 2020[2] detailing the results of an American study linking advertising and the consumption of vaping products among young people. The second paragraph of the article gives the floor to the cigarette manufacturer: "JTI puts the results into perspective." Its spokesperson, Kevin Suter, indicates that " Advertising is not a trigger for consumption among young people " In another article from 2019[3] On the initiative to ban tobacco advertising in Switzerland, the media denounces the "inefficiency" of the measure: "Advertising bans don't work. France has had a total ban on advertising for years. However, the smoking rate is significantly higher than in Switzerland." These terms correspond to the language elements from the Swiss Cigarette association of which JTI is a member alongside PMI and BAT and which were specifically disseminated to decision-makers.

Using third parties to advance tobacco interests and defeat potential regulations

Tobacco companies partner with journalists and media outlets to get their messages out because they know they are not credible when they deliver them directly. Investing in media is a relatively low-cost lobbying strategy for manufacturers with a high return on investment during times of legislative discussions that may affect their businesses.

JTI has understood that investing in gatekeepers information can play to its advantage since they control the information disseminated in the public space. During the summer session of 2021, the Council of States must decide on a counter-proposal to the popular initiative Yes to protecting children and young people from tobacco advertising which aims to prevent all advertising for tobacco products that exposes children and young people to these products. Voting for this proposal would mean de facto the end of tobacco advertising on the Internet, in newspapers and at events. The printed and online press receives substantial funding from cigarette manufacturers through their advertising inserts. Many of them therefore join forces with cigarette manufacturers to oppose changes in the legislation. The debate around the ban on tobacco advertising in Switzerland has been going on for years due to systematic opposition structured around parliamentarians[4][5][6].

The elimination of media advertising removes one of the main means used by tobacco companies to market their products, particularly to young people. It also has the indirect effect of improving media coverage of tobacco control, making it more objective, more present and of better quality. Indeed, according to the United States National Cancer Institute, " Research shows that on average, magazines that allow tobacco advertising tend to have less coverage of tobacco control and health [7].

Keywords: Switzerland, Interference, Tobacco industry, Japan Tobacco International, JTI, media, advertising

Photo credit: ©Public Eye ©Generation Without Tobacco

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[1] Benjamin von Wyl, JTI ❤️ Journalismus, Medienwoche, May 4, 2021, accessed May 7, 2021 [2] Werbung bringt Teens verstärkt zum Vapen, Persoenlich.com, August 12, 2020, accessed May 7, 2021 [3] Initiative gegen Tabakwerbung eingereicht, Persoenlich.com, September 12, 2019, accessed May 7, 2021 [4] Tobacco Free Generation, Switzerland: Restriction of tobacco advertising, December 8, 2020, accessed May 7, 2021 [5] Tobacco advertising and protection against passive smoking: tobacco lobby demands radical step back from the National Council, Swiss Association for the Prevention of Smoking, December 4, 2020, consulted on December 8, 2020 [6] Adam S. Tobacco control policy: strategy and tactics used by the tobacco industry in Switzerland. Graduate Institute of Public Administration. IDHEAP Working Paper 6/2020. March 5, 2021. https://serval.unil.ch/resource/serval:BIB_BA232CF38AEB.P001/REF [7] National Cancer Institute. The Role of the Media in Promoting and Reducing Tobacco Use. Tobacco Control Monograph No. 19. Bethesda, MD: US Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute. NIH Pub. No. 07-6242, June 2008. https://cancercontrol.cancer.gov/brp/tcrb/monographs/monograph-19 National Committee Against Smoking |