Stamford-Headquartered PMI Trumpets Economic Investment in Connecticut, America
/The headline atop the full-page ad, most visibly appearing in The Hartford Courant and Stamford Advocate this week, was nearly impossible to miss.
“Invested in Connecticut,” it read, going on to explain “It’s one think to do business in the U.S. It’s another to be invested in its future. That future starts in Stamford, Connecticut…”
It was a central element in Philip Morris International’s U.S. businesses (“PMI U.S.”) newly unveiled “Invested in America,” advertising campaign that the company explained “brings to life the company’s deep-rooted commitment and increased contributions to America and Americans.”
The campaign’s message is grounded in the role PMI U.S. is playing in powering job growth, revitalizing manufacturing, improving public health by offering adults 21+ who smoke better choices, and strengthening communities across the nation.
PMI, with “global and U.S. headquarters” in Stamford, with “hundreds of high-skilled jobs and a powerful commitment to the community,” spelled out in the ad that “we don’t seel traditional cigarettes in the U.S. Instead, we’re innovating better alternatives to offer legal-age adults who smoke a better path forward.
“Philip Morris International is invested in America’s future—and we have a proud story to tell,” said Stacey Kennedy, CEO of PMI U.S. in a news release accompanying the start of the new campaign. “From building our advanced manufacturing facilities to contributing to progress within communities nationwide, the people of PMI U.S. are helping to write America’s next chapter. Our story is part of the story of America, unfolding from our global headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut, to our operations across America’s heartland, where we will continue to create high-quality, high-paying jobs and invest in innovation for generations to come.”
A digital campaign is slated to follow the print advertisements, and together “ the ads will introduce PMI U.S.’s vision to decision-makers and opinion leaders across the business, policy, and civic spheres, inviting them to join a coalition of stakeholders dedicated to the country’s success,” the company explains. “It will also tell the PMI U.S. story to Americans, who want to see corporations step up to the challenges they see in their lives and communities.”
PMI U.S. points out that, as the ad stated, “Since 2022, via community and national partnerships, we’ve granted over $2 million to organizations supporting military veterans and their families, disaster relief, and economic empowerment. Including over $3.6 million to causes across Connecticut – from mental health resources to women-owned businesses and workforce development.”
Last month, PMR U.S.released the results of a survey of public opinion taken nationwide. The PMI U.S. Philanthropy 2025 Benchmark Survey, conducted in April among 1,000 U.S. adults aged 21+, offers “a portrait of a public that wants companies to go beyond business as usual. Companies are viewed as powerful and potentially better equipped than the government to drive change but only if CEO visibility and philanthropy are authentic and focused on genuine community betterment,” the news release highlighted.
The survey findings include these:
84% of Americans believe big companies have an ethical responsibility to support the communities where they operate.
78% say they’re more likely to buy from a brand that shares their values.
72% say corporations should help solve major systemic issues.
59% believe corporations may be better equipped than the government to tackle society’s most pressing problems.
According to the PMI website, in the first quarter of 2025:
42 percent of PMI’s total net revenues came from the company’s smoke-free business
38.6 million is the estimated total number of adult users of PMI’s smoke-free products
Smoke-free products were available in 95 markets
For nearly a decade, the company has been increasingly focused on “developing, scientifically substantiating and responsibly commercializing smoke-free products that are less harmful than smoking, with the aim of completely replacing cigarettes as soon as possible,” the PMI website explains. “Our smoke-free alternatives to cigarettes do not burn tobacco or create smoke, and therefore generate significantly lower levels of toxic substances.”
The “Invested in America” advertising campaign will highlight the four pillars of PMI U.S.’s American commitment, as outlined in the news release issued as the campaign gets underway this month:
America’s Manufacturing Comeback: With announced plans to invest over $800 million in new and expanded U.S. manufacturing facilities to produce smoke-free products, PMI U.S. isn’t just growing American manufacturing—it’s supporting a renaissance, creating high-skilled, high-paying jobs that contribute to thriving communities.
Advancing Public Health: PMI, which has never sold cigarettes in the U.S., is on a mission to help America’s ~30 million legal-age adults who smoke replace combustible cigarettes—by far the most harmful way to consume nicotine—with FDA-authorized, smoke-free alternatives that are scientifically substantiated to be a better choice for adults 21+ who would otherwise smoke.
Strengthening Communities: PMI U.S.’s approach to corporate citizenship involves strategic investment in communities where its employees and 21+ adult consumers live and work, focusing on sustainable impact rather than short-term interventions. It is committed to causes that matter to Americans, including supporting military veterans and their families, promoting economic empowerment, and responding to natural disasters.
Purpose-Driven Performance: With $14+ billion invested globally in smoke-free innovation since 2008, PMI is driving transformative solutions while delivering strong business results.
Headquartered in Stamford, Philip Morris International and PMI U.S. has multiple operations in Virginia, Colorado, North Carolina, and Kentucky. As it opens and expands facilities, the business is generating hundreds of high-quality jobs and millions of dollars in direct investment in communities around the country. In 2024—the first official year of its philanthropy program—PMI U.S. and its employees contributed more than $10 million to 327 nonprofits in 35 states, according to officials.
“This campaign embodies our innovation and determination to reshape an entire industry and strengthen America,” Kennedy added. “It also reflects our commitment to meaningful investments that create genuine value for our business, our workforce, and our communities. In every state where we operate, we’re not just doing business—we’re creating opportunities that will define the America of tomorrow.”
The full-page newspaper ad closes with this: “Because our investment in America starts at home – right here in Connecticut.”
