Speak Truth to Power!


Question of the Month

April 2002

On April 25th Philip Morris will officially change its name to "Altria" and Louis Camilleri will take over Geoffrey Bible's job as Chief Executive Officer of the company. Many U.S.-based GPTC participants plan to travel to Richmond, VA to be present at this historic event. Our objective: to draw attention to the corporation's global trail of death and deceit -- that a new nice-sounding name can never hide.

We want to represent the voices of people around the world. To do so, we need your assistance!

Question: What do you want to say to PM shareholders and the media covering the shareholders' meeting?

More specifically:

  • What do you think about Philip Morris changing its name to Altria?
  • How would you like to bid outgoing CEO Geoffrey Bible farewell?
  • What would you like to say to incoming CEO Louis Camilleri?
  • What is your opinion of Philip Morris's activities in your community, country, and around the world?
  • How do you feel about Philip Morris' role behind the U.S. delegation's continued efforts to sabotage the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control?

In particular, we are looking for responses that fit into the following categories:

  • statements that can be shared with the media -- especially short (50 word) statements about Philip Morris changing its name!
  • quotes for press releases
  • chants for the demonstration outside
  • slogans to go on posters and banners

As well as:

  • specific examples of Philip Morris thwarting legislation or breaking the law
  • outrageous examples of Philip Morris advertisements and promotions
  • ideas for visuals, e.g. creative costumes and props
  • any other ideas you have for exposing Philip Morris' global misdeeds and underlining international solidarity around the issue

Any and all ideas that you have would be greatly appreciated. We will try to use as many as possible.

We encourage those of you who are unable to join us in Richmond to organize solidarity demonstrations in front of PM facilities near you and/or to issue press releases to coincide with the meeting. We will send you a sample press release later this month.

Below please find the latest figures on Philip Morris' international sales volumes, as well as some background on incoming CEO Louis Camilleri and links to photos from last year's Philip Morris shareholders' meeting.

Responses - Thoughts on Altria, Messages to Camilleri, Chants

Report on 2002 Philip Morris Annual Meeting of Stockholders


PHILIP MORRIS PROFIT & SALES - 2001

As Philip Morris reported glowingly at the end of January, the killing is just going up, up, up around the world:

Philip Morris' profit and sales, domestic and global
(domestic volume declined while international volume grew 3.5 percent)

Philip Morris International results for 2001
(In Asia, volume was up 6.1%, and in Eastern Europe, a whopping 14.3%!!!)


ABOUT THE NEW PHILIP MORRIS CEO

Reuters reported that Louis Camilleri, set to replace Geoffrey Bible as CEO of Philip Morris, "served a stint in eastern Europe, where he led significant expansion of Philip Morris' reach in the former Communist region and sometimes forcefully campaigned against antismoking legislation in Poland and elsewhere." The story also notes that Camilleri also serves on the board of ERGE-EI Foundation "that supports PhD economics studies in Communist eastern Europe through Czech universities." Camilleri is not a naturalized U.S. citizen. For more information: NEWSMAKER-Camilleri is the new top Marlboro Man


PHOTOS FROM THE 2001 PHILIP MORRIS SHAREHOLDERS' MEETING

Last year GPTC participants Christine Kuck and Olivia Osborne of Taking ACTION (USA - ID) and Essential Action attended the meeting. Here are some images that show how they represented the voices of GPTC participants from around the world:

Christine and Olivia tell Philip Morris that Idaho and Moldova give the Marlboro Man "the boot"

Olivia in front of Philip Morris' towering monument to its successful cigarette brands (before PM security threatened to confiscate poster and camera)

Olivia with sign "PM & Kraft = Blood money"

Christine with sign "Philip Morris - selling the USA, tobacco, and death in Georgia"

Posters with messages from GPTC participants in Vietnam & Cameroon