ONE of the world’s biggest tobacco firms privately explored ways of selling cigarettes to teenagers, despite its public opposition to under-age smoking, The Times has discovered.

Internal company documents made public for the first time reveal how British American Tobacco (BAT) executives discussed using popular live bands, DJs, toys and video games to target the youth market.

The company has attempted to win public confidence, projecting an image of “corporate social responsibility” by, for instance, lobbying internationally for a minimum age for tobacco sales to be raised to 18. But internal memos show BAT’s real aim was to promote smoking to young people. Documents show that the company’s youth smoking prevention campaign was part of a public relations exercise, the early success of which was not expected to be measured by any reduction in under-age smoking.

A memorandum in May 1999 to Tom Moser, head of global sponsorship at BAT, describes a proposal for distributing three million model cars with a Brazilian newspaper from August to October 1999.

A fax written in November 1998 to Tom Moser details a proposal to promote a member of British American Racing, a Formula 1 team owned by BAT: “We feel strongly (and have been advised by professional animators) that we should not follow the ‘cuddly/funny animal’ character concept as the NFL” (National Football League) “pre-game show, Disney theme parks or events like the World Cup. We feel this concept has run its course and is probably more popular with very young children rather than ‘kids’,” it read.

“Our direction will be computers. For example, a computer-rendered character, as in the characters from the PlayStation game Tomb Raider or Tekken.”

Documents outlining BAT’s proposed attack on South Africa’s youth market included a discussion about promoting Lucky Strike cigarettes at a series of parties, hosting the bands Bush and the Violent Femmes. Bush is described as “a cult band” with “a very strong attraction amongst the target audience”. The DJ Paul Oakenfold and a train ride to a party at a rave-style secret location would be used to heighten desirability of the events and the associated tobacco product. The marketing strategy involved keeping BAT’s involvement hidden in promotional material in order to sidestep tough South African tobacco advertising bans, but was introduced at the party and on the website.

David Betteridge, BAT’s spokesman, said that no one under 18 participated in the South African marketing events. “It is British American Tobacco’s policy worldwide only to promote, advertise or market to adult smokers. We strongly believe that children should not smoke.” He said that BAT has funded more than 120 youth anti-smoking programmes worldwide.

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