The Global Center for Good Governance in Tobacco Control (GGTC), a partner in STOP, a global tobacco industry watchdog, has announced the winners of the 2020 STOP Global Media Competition: “Expose Tobacco Industry Manipulation, Save the Next Generation.”
Entrants were asked to create posters, infographics and short videos calling out the harm caused by the tobacco industry and its profit-driven targeting of youth.
There were 12 global winners and eight (8) national-level special prize winners were selected from more than 450 entries from over 40 countries. Winners were selected based on a combination of judges’ scoring and online votes. Special prize winners were determined by GGTC’s country partners.
Participants from Nepal and the Philippines won the top prizes in the Simple Graphics Category, while finalists from El Salvador, Nepal, Indonesia, Lebanon, Philippines, and the United States won in the Complex Graphics Category.
Entries from Nepal and Indonesia received the Judges’ Choice Award. Special prizes were also awarded by partner organizations in Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Pakistan, the Philippines, Ukraine and Vietnam. All the winning entries can be viewed at exposetobacco.org/news/gmc-winners
We received an overwhelming response to this competition. More than 127,000 people reacted, commented and shared the posts on Facebook, and we reached an estimated 500,000 people on GGTC’s social media pages. The entries tell us that the tobacco industry’s targeting and manipulation of youth persists even during the COVID-19 pandemic, through cigarettes and new electronic products,” said Ms. Bungon Ritthiphakdee, executive director of GGTC, a partner in STOP, which organized the competition.
“They put a spotlight on the urgent need for action: Governments must act to stop the industry’s underhanded tactics, or the next generation will suffer the consequences,” Ritthiphakdee stressed.
About the 2020 STOP Global Media Competition
The competition ran from April 28 to May 31, 2020 and built on the theme of World No Tobacco Day 2020: “Protecting youth from industry manipulation and preventing them from tobacco and nicotine use.” Entrants were encouraged to use visual materials like memes, GIFs, digital stickers, posters, infographics, and short videos to expose tobacco industry tactics to manipulate youth.
The competition was organized by GGTC on behalf of STOP, in collaboration with global partners African Tobacco Control Alliance, Association of European Cancer Leagues, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Corporate Accountability, Framework Convention Alliance, International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations, and the Secretariat of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control; and country partners Coalition for Tobacco Control Pakistan/Society for Alternative Media and Research Pakistan, Health Bridge Vietnam, HealthJustice Philippines, Lentera Anak Indonesia, Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Studies India, National Commission for Tobacco Control Indonesia, NGO Advocacy Center “LIFE” Ukraine, PROGGA Knowledge for Progress Bangladesh, and Salud Justa Mexico.
About STOP (Stopping Tobacco Organizations and Products)
STOP is a global tobacco industry watchdog whose mission is to expose the tobacco industry strategies and tactics that undermine public health. STOP is funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies and is a partnership between The Tobacco Control Research Group at the University of Bath, The Global Center for Good Governance in Tobacco Control (GGTC), the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union) and Vital Strategies. For more information, visit exposetobacco.org.
*Banner photo is SMOKUFF — This entry by Shashank Timilsina, a 21-year-old student at the Asian Medical Students’ Association in Nepal, represents the manipulation the tobacco industry uses to shackle a person into addiction. Shashank views manipulation as a crime against persons, families and societies.