Airing Out Big Tobacco's "Dirty Laundry"
Expose tobacco industry lies and slick marketing tricks with a powerful visual display.
You’ll Need
- Laundry items (such as old shirts, socks, sheets, and pants)
- Markers
- A clothes line and something to string it from
- Clothes pins
- Tobacco company quotes on marketing to kids
Instructions
Before the Activity:
- Begin collecting donations of light-colored secondhand clothing for your display. Engage other clubs and organizations in your Take Down Tobacco project by having them help collect articles of clothing! Having trouble collecting enough clothing? Cut t-shirts and pant shapes out of colored paper and hang those up.
- Identify a high traffic location to set up your display, like the cafeteria or your local mall. Get the proper permission in advance!
- Create a short one-page sheet of quotes and facts for your volunteers to use – choose quotes and facts that are short and to the point. Check out some quotes here.
- Contact the media and make sure they know what you are doing, where you will be, and what time you will be there.
During the Activity:
- Make a sign that says: We’re Airing Out Big Tobacco’s "Dirty Laundry."
- Write quotes from the tobacco industry on the articles of clothing to expose what the industry has said historically about marketing tobacco products to young adults.
- Create your display by hanging up the decorated clothing on a clothesline.
- Set up a table or booth manned by your group members to share additional information on fighting Big Tobacco on hand.
- Upload photos and videos to social media with the hashtag #TakeDownTobacco
After the Activity:
- Contact the media again! Be sure to send a press release and photos to any media outlets who didn’t show up.