Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids Wins Silver Anthem Award for #SponsoredByBigTobacco Anti-Tobacco Social Media Campaign

Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids Wins Award for Exposing Tobacco Companies‘ Social Media Tactics

Washington, D.C. – The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids received a Silver Anthem Award for its #SponsoredByBigTobacco campaign. This initiative aims to raise awareness of how major tobacco companies target youth on social media. The campaign was chosen from over 2,000 entries from 30 countries, recognizing its impact in the Global Awareness Campaign category.

The #SponsoredByBigTobacco campaign was launched in December 2023 alongside a report revealing how Philip Morris International and British American Tobacco generate billions of views on ads promoting tobacco products on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, X, and TikTok. The report highlights that over 40% of those viewing these ads are under 25 years old.

Tobacco-Free Kids has previously exposed how tobacco companies use social media for advertising in more than 40 countries. Their efforts have led to policy changes by major social media platforms, government restrictions on online marketing, and fines against tobacco companies.

In February 2024, 183 countries adopted new guidelines under the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. These guidelines target tobacco advertising on social media, providing a framework for countries to protect youth.

“We are thrilled to receive this award,” said Yolonda C. Richardson, President and CEO of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. “Tobacco companies must be stopped from targeting kids on social media. This award helps amplify our message.”

Grassriots, a Canadian non-profit marketing agency, collaborated with Tobacco-Free Kids on this project. “We are proud to support this award-winning campaign, which highlights the need to confront the tobacco industry’s harmful marketing,” said Ryan Baillargeon, Founder and CEO of Grassriots.

The Anthem Awards, created by the Webby Awards, celebrate impactful work by organizations worldwide. For more information about the #SponsoredByBigTobacco campaign, visit Tobacco-Free Kids.