Philip Morris piloted its new Marlboro Mild menthol brand in two test cities in 1999 year with two different scenarios. In Pittsburgh, a city that has a Black population of approximately 26%, the focus was on the general population with a skew toward the college-aged, trendy set. In Atlanta, unlike Pittsburgh, the marketing of Marlboro Mild was clearly oriented toward the Black community, but also with a skew toward the college-aged, trendy set.

Concerned citizens in both cities organized into grassroots groups to protest the test-marketing by Philip Morris of its new mentholated cigarette brand—Marlboro Milds.

NAAAPI and The Onyx Group provided support in coalition-building efforts designed to recruit African Americans into tobacco prevention and control activities, using the threat of Marlboro Mild as the focal point. > MORE