Next Chapter Begins As Tobacco Control Leader Becomes Truth Initiative

Nationally recognized public health organization unveils new name and new website.

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Sep 08, 2015, 12:00 ET

WASHINGTON, Sept. 8, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Legacy Foundation has delivered creative and effective public education messages to youth and young adults through its truth^® campaign for 15 years. Today, it announced that it will continue that mission under a new name, Truth Initiative, and with a new tagline, Inspiring Tobacco-Free Lives. It also unveiled a new website built for the new brand: truthinitiative.org.

As Truth Initiative, the organization is making clear that truth is part of a robust public health organization that speaks, seeks and spreads the truth about tobacco through education for youth and young adults, tobacco control research and policy study, and community activism and engagement.

"Our organization will always be the legacy of the states and territories that waged a bold and contentious legal battle with Big Tobacco," said Robin Koval, CEO and president of the public health organization since 2013. "We chose Truth Initiative because it connects us to our proven-effective social change campaign while telling a broader story about our work inspiring tobacco-free lives. The tobacco epidemic is not over, and our new identity reflects the urgency and relevance of the work being done at Truth Initiative."

Youth and young adult cigarette use has reached historic lows, which is a major victory, but tobacco remains the leading preventable cause of death in the U.S. According to the U.S. Surgeon General 5.6 million Americans under the age of 18 today are at risk of tobacco-related disease and premature death. The new name is part of the organization's push to make today's youth a tobacco-free generation.

"To achieve a tobacco-free future, we need thought leaders and policy makers across all sectors and we need the public we serve — smokers and nonsmokers alike – to understand who we are, what we do, and how we can work together," said Tom Miller, attorney general of Iowa and chairman of Truth Initiative's independent board of directors. "Truth Initiative tells everyone we are extending the legacy of the truth campaign and points to all that we are doing to end the tobacco epidemic."

Truth Initiative partnered with design consultancy Siegel+Gale to develop a new name, logo and tagline over the course of a year of research and planning. The new website, truthinitiative.org, was designed by the New York-based web strategy and design firm Code and Theory.

"Our new brand and website connect truth and the tobacco-control research and health equity interventions that are all part of how we speak, seek and spread the truth about tobacco," said Koval.

The name change comes one year after the organization re-launched the truth campaign with Finish It – a multi-year creative push to engage members of Generation Z to use their creativity and social influence to end tobacco use. The latest ads, released in August, speak the truth about the dangers of social smoking and alternative tobacco products such as hookah and little cigars and cigarillos.

About Truth Initiative

Truth Initiative is a national public health organization that is inspiring tobacco-free lives and building a culture where all youth and young adults reject tobacco. The truth about tobacco and the tobacco industry are at the heart of our proven-effective and nationally recognized truth^® public education campaign, our rigorous and scientific research and policy studies, and our innovative community and youth engagement programs supporting populations at high risk of using tobacco. The Washington D.C.-based organization, formerly known as Legacy, was established and funded through the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement between attorneys general from 46 states, five U.S. territories and the tobacco industry. To learn more about our work speaking, seeking and spreading the truth about tobacco, visit truthinitiative.org.

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SOURCE Truth Initiative