Endorsements

An organizational endorsement demonstrates to the movie industry that a network of state, local and national groups are concerned with on-screen tobacco promotion in youth-rated films and support the four solutions of the Screen Out! campaign.

Endorsements are a critical component of the Screen Out! campaign because

1. They provide education and information to the organizations that agree to support Screen Out!, and
2. They demonstrate to the movie industry that Screen Out! has a broad based national support network.

Step 1: Educate yourself, your Alliance and the community organizations you belong to on "Screen Out!"

• By educating yourself, you will become a resource on the issue of on-screen smoking and tobacco imagery not only for your community but for your local media as well. Here are some tips to make sure you are prepared:

• Review and be familiar with the Screen Out! fact sheet, which can be found in the Toolkit, and the Staggering Statistics facts. Make it easier on yourself and identify three to five facts that are most relevant to your Alliance and memorize them.

• Meet with your Alliance or community organization to brainstorm possible organizations and groups that would be interested in supporting the Screen Out! principles.

• Here are some organizations that might be interested in supporting the Screen Out! campaign:
  • Parent-Teacher Associations
  • Girl/Boy Scouts
  • Local health departments
  • Hospitals
  • Schools
  • Movie theaters
  • Retailers that sell DVDs
  • Churches
  • Day cares
  • State medical society
  • Universities

• Use the Action Strategy Chart to outline what steps you will take to garner an organizational endorsement

Step 3: Initiate Contact with Targeted Community Organizations

• Initiating contact with your targeted community organizations is the first step to getting their attention about this pressing children's health issue.

• Initiate contact by using this form to write a letter to your target organization(s) asking them to support Screen Out!'s four solutions

• After a week or two, follow up with a phone call to that organization to see if they have any questions regarding the letter that you sent and if you can set up a meeting to talk further about their official endorsement of the campaign.

Step 4: Make It Official!

• Make the endorsement official by having the organization officially sign an Endorsement Letter which states that they endorse the 4 Solutions to get smoking out of youth-rated films.

• Get some publicity for the organization by writing to your local newspaper or calling your local news station to promote the support of the 4 Solutions by your partnering organization.

• ALWAYS make sure to follow up with a thank-you letter to the endorser for being a part of this influential movement to protect children's health.

Step 5: Let Hollywood know how you feel.

• When the endorsement letter is officially signed by the endorsing organization, send the original letter to the MPAA. Be sure to send a copy of the letter to the national AMAA headquarters so we can add the organization to the growing list of partners who support this campaign.

Here are some additional worksheets that will help you gain a successful outcome for an organizational endorsement:
Endorsement To Do Checklist
Endorsement Fact Sheet