Problem/Objective: Tobacco industry sponsorship of concerts/events continues as a major strategy to target youth/young adults. When KOOL's New Jazz Philosophy Tour was set to occur at Club Fur in Washington, DC, an international delegation of youth organized a protest rally.

Methods: The DC event was advertised in a weekly entertainment newspaper four days before scheduled to take place. Youth identified allies in order to organize a rally aimed at event organizers, artists, and attendees. Contact was made with the National African American Tobacco Prevention Network to get their support and expertise in messaging and strategy. Those directly targeted by the event led the charge. Spokespeople were identified and trained. Allies took on tasks including creating and distributing a press release, creating effective visuals and chants, surveying the club location to work out logistics, checking into local laws related to rallying, and notifying the local police department and providing rally details.

Results: The rally was planned and implemented in 3 days time. More than 100 people participated. Media coverage included a spot on National Public Radio and coverage by Hollavision Channel 1 News. After the DC event, some rally participants returned home to find their city was included on the tour. Some groups organized community action/media attention while others attended the events to gain inside information.

Conclusions: Advocates must monitor industry marketing activity in order to organize swift and effective action in response. Youth/young adults have an important role in organizing against this type of sponsorship because they are the main target for this marketing.