A non-smoking future?

Sammanfattning

Tobacco companies have long been subject to criticism for their production and marketing of tobacco products. However, in recent times tobacco companies themselves champion a "smoke-free" future, a change of narrative that is thought to be driven by the shift in products they are selling. This thesis aims to analyse how tobacco companies have changed their communications towards stakeholders by conducting a qualitative study. Impression management theory is used as a way of interpreting and analysing annual and CSR reports. Our analysis confirms that these companies have changed their communications and shifted their focus towards non-smoking products. They employ strategic communication to legitimise and project an appealing image of themselves.