The Interference
Battle of Minds (BoM):
A BAT Bangladesh (BATB) Initiative
Targeting University Students
What is Battle of Minds (BoM) ?
• BoM is a so-called ‘talent hunt platform’ of BATB organized since 2004
• Only university student (Hons. Final students mostly) can participate in BoM.
• BAT defines it as a ‘global internship competition’.
• In 2016, BoM was organized in at least 40 countries.
What happens in BoM?
• The Competition is divided into three levels:
Local Level.
Regional Level : Asia Pacific,
Europe and Northern Africa,
Americas and Sub-Saharan Africa and
The United States.
Global Level: Hosted in BAT HQ in London.
The Impact: How BoM Benefits BAT
Display Large Banners
and Posters
at Universities.
Violate TAPS Ban in
Indirect Ways.
Arrange Open Grooming Sessions, Seminars, and Road
Shows at Campuses
Media Highlight and Networking
Whole Pages of Newspapers
Often Dedicated to BoM
Grand Finales are : Hosted in 5 Star Hotels.attended by influential
politicians, policymakers, govt. high officials, media personalities, and business leaders.
“the times they are a changing”
On-spot protest to stop BoM 2017
roadshow in BUET
Human Chain Protesting
BoM in 2015
Engagement with the Authorities
Meeting with vice-chancellor
of Dhaka University to
stop BoM Road Show in 2019.
Success Stories
• Prevented Dhaka City Mayor from attending BATB’s Battle of Minds 2017
Grand Finale.
• Successfully pursued University Grant Commission into issuing letter to
university authorities to stop all BAT Promotions in BoM Events
• Compelled BAT into issuing statements and remove all its logos and
company name from everything.
• Stopped road shows and seminars in many occasions.
• Stopped promotion of BoM on job portals.
Way Ahead
BoM is a global menace
that highlights
the importance of
Collaboration that transcends
borders.
BAT’s Battle of
Minds
Pakistan
Sri Lanka
Indonesia?
Vietnam?
Thailand?
India?
South Africa
Bangladesh
The Conrad Challenge
• Named after the astronaut Pete Conrad.
• A competition for children aged 13-18 years
• Claims of giving the participating students “the chance to become entrepreneurs and apply
innovation, science and technology to solve problems with global impact.”
• In 2019-2020 two new categories introduced in partnership with Foundation for a Smoke-
Free World (FSFW), funded by the tobacco giant Philip Morris International .
• Eliminating and reducing teen vaping
• Smoke Free World: Repurposed farmlands and tobacco Crops
The Challenge and Foundation for a Smoke Free World
• The Philip Morris’s FSFW’s branding
and name was displayed prominently
throughout the contest and on the
website .
• FSFW representatives were jury
members.
• They interacted closely with the
contestants and offered them career
advice or help on internships.
The Winners and Prizes• The Title of Pete Conrad Scholar and an all-expense paid trip to Washington, DC to meet
with the partner grantees that are members of FSFW
• Lucrative awards like a scholarship to a US college, an opportunity to go to Italy, or India
to meet with a grantee of the FSFW.
• Waivers of $300 for registration and other incentives for participation.
Classmate Spell Bee by ITC• Classmate Spellbee claims itself to be the largest
spelling competition of India,
• It is a competition for school children aged 10-16
studying in various schools of India.
• The competition receives wide publicity especially on
radio channels and social media.
• The finale is telecasted on television and is hosted by
movie actress Soha Ali Khan, sister of Bollywood
actor Saif Ali Khan (A heavy smoker accused of
promoting tobacco in his film Go Goa Gone)
Classmate Spell Bee by ITC• The title sponsors of the spell bee competition, is Classmate - a student stationery brand by
Indian tobacco company ITC Limited.
• It is an initiative by Radio Mirchi, an India wide network of private radio stations, owned by
the Entertainment Network India Ltd, one of the subsidiaries of The Times Group.
The Winners and PrizesThe Classmate Spellbee Competition tempts
students to “cast their magical spell” and win
the following big prizes
*A trip to White House
*Feature on National TV
*A cash prize of 200,000.
The Impact
Image promotion of tobacco manufacturers among youth
Indirect promotion of tobacco and nicotine products – violation of
FCTC Article 13
Image promotion of tobacco manufacturers among the public
Tobacco Industry in Afghanistan
Domestic :-
There are local home based Naswar (Snuff) Factories.
Other players in the tobacco industry include Amal Trading, Asia Middle
East Co., Nasib Aria Co. Ltd, Sarco Abad, Tamana Ltd.
There is no domestic cigarette production at present.
Tobacco Industry in Afghanistan
International:
• KT&G global expansion included Middle East markets.
• Alokozay Group is a Dubai-based distributor that provides KT&G
products throughout the Region.
• Pine is the cheapest brand of cigarettes; Marlboro, Dunhill and Camel
are also available in the market.
Mr. Chhimi DorjiDeputy Chief Program Officer, Tobacco Control Office, Bhutan Narcotics Control Authority
Smokeless Tobacco Industry targeting Youth
PAKISTAN
Muhammad Faisal
FFO
(Presented by: Ms. Chinthika Perera, CCT)
Smokeless Tobacco (SLT)
“products containing tobacco, which are consumedwithout burning through the mouth or nose”
High Affordability
• Naswar, Nass, Nasway – sun-dried powdered tobacco mixed with lime, ash + flavouring (cardamom), indigo – most commonly used product
• Placed between lip/cheek and gum
• The sachet of Naswar is available at only Rs. 10/-
High Availability
• Smokeless tobacco/ Naswar is available at almost all General Stores, Tobacco shops and
even available at shoe makers/ cobbler Kiosk.
Promotion
• No standardised packaging or packaging with health warnings
• No regulations of contents
• Newer “stronger, cheaper” products introduced to the market
• On-site promotion – placed at eye-level of children or near candy/sweets
The Impact
5.3% (4.2 million) of the country’s youth are current SLT users and another 4.7% were past users (2016 Global Youth Tobacco Survey – GYTS 2016)
Oral cancer is the second most common cancer and Pakistan is one of the countries that report highest global prevalence rates
How shisha industry targets youth
• Attractive advertisements
• With other activities activities (eg: footballl, music shows)
• With tourism
• As a tourist activity
• The flavors are named as fruits and desserts
• It is advertised as a healthy product
• By making it look “cool”
The Impact
• Shisha has become a culture here in Maldives
• Number of restaurants/cafes serving shisha has increased
• Shisha is being promoted as a tourist activity (in resorts and at local tourist facilities)
• Tobacco use has increased vastly over the last few years
• Use of tobacco among females have increased
• More younger age groups are getting into the habit
CSR activities targeting kids/youthNepal
Bhisha KafleSecretary -Health Journalist Forum
Acting Editor- Healthaawaj.com
Tobacco Uses of Youth in Nepal
• 2.8million - 17.1 % of adults are smokers
•28 % of Men | 7.5% of women
•3 million - 18.3% of adults are Smokeless tobacco users
•33.3% of men | 4.9% of women
• 20.9% of adults were exposed to tobacco advertising and promotion in any
form of media
•11.2% of adults noticed on-site promotion of cigarettes in sales outlets
Tobacco Industry Manipulating Youth In Nepal
• Surya Nepal, the Nepal tobacco company jointly owned by ITC Limited and
British American Tobacco PLC conducts different CSR programmes targeting
youth
SNPL Asha (Young Women)
• A programme targeting young women by Surya Nepal
• Directly engaged more then 3000 young women
SNPL Prakriti (Nature)
• SNPL tree plantation Programme in Birjung that involved youth and school
children.
SNPL Suswasthya (Health)
•Provide primary health services to the low-income groups
•Awareness camps on health and hygiene, family planning,
HIV/AIDS, women and child health care
Social Media Promotion Targeting Youth
Sri Lanka
Hiruni Wijesuriya
Centre for Combating Tobacco(CCT), Sri Lanka
What is a Tobacco Advertisement?
According to the NATA Act,
a tobacco advertisement “means any writing, still or moving picture, sign, symbol or distinctive colors or other visual image or any audible message or any combination of the aforesaid that promotes or is intended to promote:
smokingpurchase or use of a tobacco producta trade mark of a tobacco product or articles that include tobacco productsa brand name associated with a tobacco productthe name of the manufacturer of a tobacco product.
Impacts
Forming a positive image on cigarettes & smoking
Peer-pressureInfluencing initiation and sustenance of
smoking behaviors
Normalisation of smoking
Trying to symbolize smoking as a feature of adolescence
Glamourisation and making smoking more attractive !
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