Kelsey Fager

Dr. Fyke
Organizational Rhetoric
March 4, 2014
CVS Quits

The significant action we're taking today by removing tobacco products from our retail shelves further
distinguishes us in how we are serving our patients, clients and health care providers and better positions us
for continued growth in the evolving health care marketplace, CVS Caremark President and CEO Larry Merlo.
CVS Caremark released on February 5, 2014 that they would be stopping the sale of tobacco in all of their
stores across the United States. The United States smoking rate has declined since the 1980s but smoking is
still a cause for many premature diseases and deaths in America. They are the first nationwide pharmacy retail
store that decided to stop the sale of tobacco products. This paper covers CVS Caremarks press release and
two twitter picture tweets of how they use communication to reach and relate with their audience to stand
against the use of tobacco products.
This paper is mostly looking at the main artifact of CVS Caremarks press release. To support this press
release CVS Caremark also tweeted two visual pictures about stopping the sale of tobacco in their stores. The
first artifact, press release, was very basic and non-visual just explained the reasoning behind their decision
and backed it up with support of other leading health organizations that support the stop of tobacco sales in
pharmacies. CVS uses multiple quotes from their president why they decided to take a stand against tobacco
products because it is the right thing for them to do for their customers and their company. They give the facts
about how tobacco products affect an individuals health and how there is still great need for improvement.
CVS Caremark refers to the Journal of American Medical Association and other medical associations to support
their reasoning. The second two artifacts are info graph pictures CVS Caremark tweeted. Picture number one
is a red and white heart saying 16 million people already have at least one disease from smoking. It carries
emotion with showing just how many diseases could have been prevented. Sixteen million people could have
avoided a disease but instead got one because of tobacco products. The second picture is one of the United
States in red saying 480,000 individuals die each year because of tobacco products. Each year tobacco
products kill that many people in the United States and CVS has decided they do not want to be a part of
supporting that anymore. All three of these artifacts clearly communicate why this is a problem and why CVS
Caremark is making a decision to not sell tobacco products anymore even if it means a cut in their profits.
I. Goals
CVS Caremark is explaining to stakeholders why it is important for them to stop selling Tobacco
products in all of their different locations. In the second paragraph of the press release the CEO is
quoted saying that selling tobacco products is inconsistent with their purpose. They are a healthcare
provider with pharmacies and insurance divisions of their organization. They are calling readers to take
a stand against tobacco products.
II. Implied audience
It is the right thing for us to do for our customers and our company, said Larry J. Merlo,
President and CEO of CVS Caremark in the press releases second paragraph. CVS Caremark is trying to
reach their stakeholders who shop at CVS or may shop there in the future. They are also trying to reach
their financial supports and ask them to consider that CVS Caremark understands they are going to
face a drop in sales but overall they believe this is the right choice for their health care company. They
are trying to reach their audience who has tried and failed to quite smoking before. CVS Caremark is
trying to make cigarettes less available and wants people who are addicted to come into CVS Caremark
yet to visit their pharmacy, MinuteClinic or online resources on help with quitting the use of tobacco
products.
III. Ethos: Appeals to Organizational Credibility
CVS Caremark assumes that their audience will understand their reasoning behind their
decision. They backed up their reasoning with support of major health organizations such as American
Medical Association, American Hearth Association, American Cancer Society, American Lung
Association and American Pharmacists Associations. These associations are all opposed to tobacco
sales in pharmacy retail stores. CVS Caremark also groups themselves to the health care community by
saying that they are a leader in the industry. CVS Caremark has over 7,600 retail stores across the
United States so it is important for that this rhetoric uses words like we, us and our, that unite all the
different stores. Even their President made sure to use we, us and our in his statements that
contributed to the press release.
IV. Pathos: Appeals to Emotions
As a nation we are going through drastic changes to the health care industry and looking how to
improve health by preventing diseases. CVS Caremark wants to take part in that by putting an end to
smoking they are taking part in helping prevent premature diseases and death to continue being a
problem. Americans are putting more of a value on their health and wellness and smoking is something
CVS can help take a stand against by making tobacco less available. CVS Caremark Chief Medical Officer
Troyen A. Brennan, M.D., M.P.H. said in the press release, CVS Caremark is continually looking for
ways to promote health and reduce the burden of disease. CVS is following their value of promoting
health and reducing the burden of disease by stopping the sale of tobacco in their stores.
CVS Caremark press release and two infographic tweets create a unity with their readers to
stand against smoking. In their two-infographic tweets CVS calls to action their supporters to take a
stand against tobacco. They use the hashtag of cvsquits get their audience to participate in their
conversation. Taking a stand against smoking is an easy subject to get people behind to support them.
It was important for CVS Caremark to address it farther in their press release to also include
information and treatment in their stores along with online resources. CVS Caremark doesnt want to
distance themselves from smokers they want to help them quit. I think CVS Caremark is trying to not
only relate to people who want to put an end to smoking but also they still want support of smokers.
They are trying to make themselves accessible to smokers who know they need to make a change but
dont know how.
There are other associations that are mentioned and quoted in the article that support CVS
Caremarks reasoning to stop selling tobacco products. Using other references support CVS Caremarks
support for the assumption that the majority says this is a good move for CVS Caremark. They are
grouping together the supporters and distinguish the other group as tobacco makers and promoters.
This unifies CVS Caremark with other health groups and individuals who want to see smoking come to
an end. CVS Caremark also works to unite and strengthen with the use of we, us and our. CVS as a
team want to help, they use we are pledging, and we will undertake, when describing their plans
to help put an end to smoking.
V. Logos: Use of Claims and Evidence
The significant action were taking today by removing tobacco products from our retail shelves
further distinguishes us in how we are serving out patients, clients and health care providers and
better positions us for continued growth in the evolving health care marketplace, CVS Caremark is
stopping the sale of tobacco products in their retail stores. CVS Caremark states in the press release
that there are more than 480,000 deaths annually because of smoking. Though the prevalence of
smoking has gone down since the 1960s, still 18% of the population smokes cigarettes. According to
their press release, in this 18%, 7 out of 10 individuals want to quit or have tried to quit in the past. In
the first picture, CVS use the fact that 16 million people have at least one disease from smoking.
CVS Caremark uses the reasoning that they as a health care provider and insurer it makes the
most sense that they take a stand against smoking. CVS Caremark retail stores not only have a
pharmacy but many have a Minute Clinic. Pharmacists and doctors dont support smoking so it makes
sense for them to not be selling tobacco products. CVS Caremark also wants to make sure that their
pharmacists and doctors at their stores have all the resources they may need to help an individual quit
smoking. This is a smart for CVS Caremark when the health industry is going through some drastic
changes. There has become more of an emphasis on preventing rather than just treating different
diseases according to the Journal of American Medical Association quote in the press release. CVS
Caremark is following this new medical approach and putting it into effect in their business where they
can make the most difference. Another industry that CVS Caremark is apart of is providing insurance.
Stopping the sale of tobacco products and trying to help people quit is a benefit to their insurance part
of their company. Insurance is usually more expensive for individuals who smoke because of the
diseases it causes. Taking a stand against tobacco products hoping to lower the amount of smokers in
the United States is benefiting CVS Caremark in the long run by saving them money on insurance costs.
CVS Caremarks press release and picture tweets followed one major common theme, uniting
against the use of tobacco products. They made it clear they do not want to support a drug that causes
almost half a million deaths a year at 480,000 and has caused 16 million people to develop different
diseases from smoking cigarettes. Though CVS press release tried to stick to the facts and use other
medical associations for their reasoning, the fight against the use of tobacco products can be an
emotional subject. Behind any disease people get emotional when they see the amount of people who
die from different diseases. Tobacco use can be prevented. CVS Caremark is now realizing that they
shouldnt be supporting a product like this. Although some will argue that individuals can just go buy
tobacco products somewhere else, CVS Caremark is a leader in the health care industry and wants to
prevent diseases and deaths. That is something that with the information provided in the press release
people can support. I think CVS Caremark did a good use of relying more on uniting against tobacco
products because they could use facts and reasoning to back it up but in the end I could find an
emotional connection with them.
VI. Strategies for Organizing Appeals
The press release begins with a clear statement saying that CVS Caremark will stop selling
tobacco products in all of their stores by October 1, 2014. They follow this will a quote from their
president. This helps the audience to know that it is coming from the top of upper management and
gives the message more credibility right away. The president of CVS Caremark talks about how health
care is changing and as a leader in the health care industry they need to evolve with it and that
includes becoming more preventative and not just treating. This starts the reasoning as to why CVS has
decided to make this change. CVS starts out with the facts. They want to show just how many diseases
tobacco products are causing and just how many people die annually. CVS Caremark wants to grab
their audiences attention. The second point is from the Journal of American Medical Association. They
talk about how the health industry is changing and how pharmacists are having a more important role
each time a patient visits a pharmacy. This shows how CVSs audience is part of a changing culture that
is becoming more aware of their health and wants to prevent what they can. CVS Caremarks press
release also lists other health associations that this view is consistent with.
The third point is how CVS Caremark is going to help individuals quit smoking by taking an
active role in their health. CVS Caremarks doctors and pharmacists are now going to be provided with
more resources to help patients finally quit. They say this is needed because seven in ten smokers do
want to quit or have attempted. CVS believes that with the combination of resources and lack of
tobacco products in their stores they can help decrease the smoking population. They end their
different reasonings by saying that each day their consumers put their trust in CVS pharmacists and
nurse practitioners and it is CVS Caremarks responsibility to provide the best service and care the
patients health needs. This coincides with their mission of helping people on their path to a better
health. Ending the reasoning with an About CVS Caremark section proves how this change will help CVS
Caremark become a stronger brand centralized with helping individuals have better health.
Another important fact is that CVS Caremark also has a paragraph on forward-looking
statement. They realize that as a company they dont know what can happen tomorrow, a week down
the road or a few months. There are always uncertainties. While this is their plan for now certain
details may change but the mission they want to accomplish will stay the same. This helps end the
press release with the audience feeling like the message was credible and well thought out, but it could
also make some readers then doubt if they will be able to meet deadlines they set in this press release.

VII. Stylistic Strategies
The tone is a mix between factual reasoning and subtly drawing in readers emotions on the
subject. The press release assumed that with their facts their audience would be on board. They
provided different reasoning as to why they decided to take a stand against tobacco products. CVS
Caremark does not put fault at addicted smokers. This is important because they want their support
and to make sure smokers know CVS Caremark professionals want to help them quit. CVS Caremark
uses the significant action, when explaining that they are stopping the sale. CVS Caremark knows this
is a big change. They are also providing smokers with different programs to help them quit. CVS
Caremark uses their picture tweets to express just how large of an effect smoking has on a persons
health. These not only helped start up twitter conversation but showed CVS Caremark that they were
supported by many other individuals and groups. CVS Caremark is a health care company that wants to
help individuals on the path to a better health. Stopping the sale of tobacco and helping smokers quit
follows their brand. There are other items in the store that may be considered unhealthy but tobacco
products kill thousands and they are trying to help this issue.
VIII. Strategies for Delivering Appeals
The two forms of rhetoric I looked at were a press release and twitter picture tweets. The press
release was easily accessible for interested readers or parts of it were used in different news articles.
Twitter picture tweets helped encouraged conversation with CVS Caremarks supporters. CVS
Caremark used other delivery strategies but the press release the most informational information the
CVS Caremark released. They provided many different reasonings as to why they decided it was time
to stop selling tobacco products. The twitter pictures may lack reasoning, they start conversation and
readers are then inclined to look up more information about the subject. I think these were important
to understand how CVS Caremark does want to take a stand against tobacco products because of all
the death and diseases it causes.
References
CVS Caremark. (2014). CVS Caremark to Stop Selling Tobacco at all CVS/pharmacy Locations [Press
Release]. Retrieved from http://info.cvscaremark.com/newsroom/press-releases/cvs-caremark-
stop-selling-tobacco-all-cvspharmacy-locations
CVS Caremark. (2014). 16 million people have at least one chronic disease from smoking [Twitter
Picture]. Retrieved from https://twitter.com/CVS_Extra
CVS Caremark. (2014). Smoking kills more than 480,000 in the US each year [Twitter Picture]. Retrieved
from https://twitter.com/CVS_Extra