I mentioned some possibilities in
THIS post. I think running a single System Wide Announcement is feeble. IB/FT need to promote individuals forums, regardless of when they were created, on a regular schedule through the multiple channels mentioned in my other post, and if IB has unsold advertising slots on FT that would also be a good use.
Not only did the new smoking forum actually receive coverage in the TalkMail newsletter — it was the top story, in fact — as soon as possible after it was launched; but
it also received coverage in the issue immediately prior to the official vote on whether or not that forum should be created.