Setting a new Standard for our kids

Cancer Research UK

Smoking rates are dropping as more tobacco control policies are implemented

e.g. Advertising ban in 2003, smoking ban in 2007, point of sale displays in 2012.... Standard packs is the next logical step

Why campaign?• 8 in 10 smokers start by

the age of 19

• 100,000 people die from smoking related disease in the UK each year

• Smoking kills one in two long-term users

‘The Answer is Plain’In March 2012, the campaign was officially launched along with a powerful, unscripted video that shows the appeal of glitzy tobacco packs to children.

It won’t stop everyone from smoking, but will give millions of children one less reason to start

Consultation (April 2012)

Consultation cont…Our Ambassadors: - petitioned their local communities (collecting around 5,500 hardcopy signatures)- got involved in the debate online to dispel tobacco industry myths about the evidence base of effectiveness of stripping branding form packaging- sent letters to local newspapers

We also launched an EN action to collect petition signatures and quotes of support from supporters. In total this action secured over 55,000 signatures – our highest number of online ‘actions’ ever. We also secured over 12,000 signatures from petitions in CR-UK shops.

Lobby/ Petition hand-in

On 27 June 2012, 67 Cancer Research UK Ambassadors took the campaign message to Westminster, meeting MPs and their researchers.

Lobby/ Petition hand-in cont…• Two of the charity’s ‘Little Stars’ who are survivors of childhood cancer met David Cameron and Ed Miliband• PR stunt - Ambassadors de-branded themselves in #packetracket brown paper bags• Our ‘Parliament Days’ always take a three pronged approach – supporter activity to directly engage MPs; high-levels meetings between senior staff and Ministers and a ‘Hearts and Minds’ event with a photocall that MPs can come along to• Also ran another EN action, where we tailored letters to MPs to include how many people had signed the petition in their constituency.

By the end of the ‘petitioning’ stage, we’d collected 79,000 signatures (and coalition partners had collected an additional 130,000)

Setting the Standard

Image attributed to OLGA LEDNICHENKO

In December 2012 Australia announced it would be the first country to bring in standard packs!

The opposition

The tobacco industry has spent a lot of time and money fighting standard packs

Erm…One thinks One’s Government might have forgotten something…

Image attributed to UK Parliament

11,000 supporters emailed their MPs through EN, tailoring the letters (parent, grandparent, smoker, ex-smoker, health professional or marketing professional).

And our Ambassadors wrote to their local media (using EN).

Momentum

Image attributed to Tom Collins

In July there was more delay - the UK Government announced that it would delay a decision on standard cigarette packs, until it sees more evidence of their impact in Australia.

Barnacles on the boat

Keeping up momentum

END THE#packetrack

et

Week of action: ‘protect children as they head back to school’ • 8,000 people emailed Cameron, copying in Jo Johnson in his role at the No. 10 Policy Unit. • Thunderclap: nearly 500 messages of support on Twitter and Facebook were sent• ‘Make tobacco marketing history’ Facebook gallery: over 4,500 likes and over 300 shares• Over 200 pieces of coverage in local and national press with our

Party conferences• Ambassadors wore giant standard pack outfits, handing out over 3,500 leaflets and stickering up 800 campaign supporters. • We spoke to at least 52 MPs outside the conferences• Over 2,000 people emailed their MP about the Cancer Research UK stand asking them to speak to our team inside the Labour and Conservative conference venues.

Behind the scenes, we also secured a cross-party, crossbench amendment on standard packs to the Children and Families Bill in the House of Lords. 80 of our Ambassador volunteers wrote handwritten letters to 240 Peers. Labour also tabled a supportive amendment, which meant standard packs were now firmly on the legislative agenda!

Scotland

Image attributed to The Telegraph

The Scottish Government announced it would go to alone if needed, and introduce legislation on standard packs in 2014-15. We set up a quick, short-term ‘thank your MSPs for this welcome announcement

• Campaign video (shorter version had 300,000 views by end of 2013)• Zeitgeist email to 1.8m CRUK supporters• Social and press campaign (we trended on Twitter!)

28 November: Great news! The Government sets out plans that could pave the way to bring in laws for standard cigarette packs.

Learning• Different targets to keep up momentum• Testing Cameron email address• Consistent messaging across teams• Maintaining good relationships with MPs/ MSPs even in disappointment

i.e. not burning bridges• More tailoring/ local stats … and the importance of polling / regional

breakdown for press• Visual assets e.g. infographics• Volunteers are your best advocates to defend campaign in social spaces• Tweeting MPs (especially from Ambassadors)• Handwritten letters to Peers from volunteers – they like mail!

• How to keep the action relevant and urgent over two years!