Abstract
This marketing research report prepared for British American Tobacco (BAT) explores what visual cigarette design cues mean to smokers. For example, the report states that "longer [filter] tips are associated with lower tar, milder cigarettes" and are seen as being for the "more health conscious." Shorter, thicker cigarettes are associated with cheaper, harsher brands; paler paper suggests mildness; and darker tobacco indicates strength.
The report also discusses various types of smokers, starting with
1. ADDICT [handwritten in "hard smoker"]
Total dependence, physical and mental.
40+ a day, smoked evenly throughout the day.
Cigarette for breakfast, even in the bath/bed.
Always have a pack handy.
Generally brand loyal but will smoke anything if desperate.
The "habitual smoker" is described as "more self-controlled than addict" (and at this point, the word "addict" is crossed out and the words "hard smoker" are handwritten in.).
While not written directly by a tobacco company, this document the acknowledges the existence of such classifications as "addicted smokers" and "reluctant smokers" without acknowledging the detriment these situations have on their consumers. Quite the opposite, the document classifies consumers this way for purposes of further marketing to them and profiting from their addiction and inability to quit. The report also recognizes that "health conscious" smokers are basing their choice of cigarette brands on nebulous assumptions and beliefs about visual characteristics of cigarettes rather than any factual information about how cigarettes really affect their health.
Fields
- Notes
Selected on visit 2 (Oct 1999)
- Quotes
[From Page 6]:
Smoker Types
1. ADDICT [handwritten note: Hard smoker]
Total dependence, physical and mental.
40+ a day, smoked evenly throughout the day.
Cigarette for breakfast, even in the bath/bed.
Always have a pack handy.
Generally brand loyal but will smoke anything if desperate.
Mid-high tar.
2. Habitual smoker
Smokes regularly throughout day and evening but more self controlled than addict [the word "addict" is lined out and "hard smoker" handwritten in].
More likely to impose restrictions on self, i.e. no more than 20, never before breakfast, not in the bedroom, etc.
Cigarettes may be used to measure the day, e.g. tea break, after lunch, when I get home, etc.
Very brand loyal.
3. Social Smoker
Strongly linked to social situations, especially drinking and eating.
Unlikely to smoke during the day, at work, at home.
Need stimulus, other smokers, social environment to prompt smoking. --Perceive themselves as less dependent, usually <20 per day.
Less brand loyal - share cigarette with friends.
4. Occasional smoker
Intermittent smoking patterns.
May not smoke for days/weeks, then smoke a whole pack.
Need to smoke dependent upon mood, feelings, situation, usually extremes of commiserations or celebration or stress.
Probably have favourite brand, but may be chosen to suit occasion.
5. Reluctant smoker.
Always on the verge of giving up.
More worried about health, social stigma.
Rigid and rule orientated, try to impose limits, not always stuck to.
More likely to smoke low tar brands.
[From Page 15]:
BRAND IMAGES
Silk Cut
Smaller and MILD.
Low tar. --Ladylike, elegant, feminine.
For "healthier" smokers - those cutting down, trying to give up.
Mid market, middle class.
Joan Collins, Liz Taylor, Princess Diana, Gold Blend Lady, Jane Fonda, Joanna Lumley.
Sophisticated, glamorous.
Witty (pseudo intellectual?)
Modern - not trendy.
- Company
- British American Tobacco Company (BATCo)
- Author
- Marketing Improvements Research Ltd.
- Recipient
- British American Tobacco Co., Ltd.
RegionUnited Kingdom
TypeReport
Operation/ProjectProject Feline
SubjectMarketing Research
Addiction
Document Images
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/2 ..~. ,~ ~PROJECT FELINE
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH PRESENTATION
Prepared for
BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO CO LTD
DATE: OCTOBER 1991
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RESEARCtl LTD
REF: MIRL:R293:OTC:bhm
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RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
THE OVERALL OBJECTIVE OF THE RESEARCH IS TO EXAMINE BOTH CONSUMER LANGUAGE WITH
REGARD TO CIGARETTE TIPPING IN ADDITION TO PRODUCT AND BRAND TERMINOLOGY, AND
PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE APPROPRIATENESS AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THE
METHODOLOGY FOR FURTHER STUDIES.
SPECIFICALLY THE RESEARCH EXAMINED:
ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIOUR WITH REGARD TO SMOKING,
KEY PRODUCT AND BRAND DIFFERENTIATORS.
• BRAND AWARENESS AND CHOICE.
BRAND IMAGERY,
CIGARETTE CHARACTERISTICS AND ASSOCIATIONS.
PERCEPTIONS AND ASSOCIATIONS OF CIGARETTE TIPPING.
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METHODOLOGY
FOUR GROUP DISCUSSIONS WERE HELD DURING W/C 21ST OCTOBER STRUCTURED AS
FOLLOWS:
AGE SEX SOCIAL CLASS
25 35 F ABC1
... I , .....
25 - 35 M ABC1
25 - 35 F C2D
25 - 35 M C2D
ALL RESPONDENTS:
• EXPERIENCED SMOKERS.
• SMOKERS OF MILD AND FULL FLAVOUR CIGARETTES.
• SMOKERS ACROSS A SPREAD OF BRANDS INCLUDING BENSON & HEDGES, JPS, SILK CUT,
MARLBORO, EMBASSY NO 1, BERKLEY, RAFFLES.
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STIMULUS MATERIAL
PACKS OF VARIOUS CIGARETTE BRANDS.
EXAMPLES OF MASKED CIGARETTE BRANDS.
MOCK UP CIGARETTES IN A RANGE OF TIPPING COLOURS AND STYLES.
WORD CARDS TO EXPLORE PRODUCT AND BRAND IMAGERY.
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ATTITUDES TO SMOKING
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ATTITUDES VARY DEPENDING UPON LENGTH OF TIME SMOKING AND PERCEIVED
DEPENDENCE.
ALL ACKNOWLEDGED THAT SOCIETAL ATTITUDES MAKING SMOKING LESS ACCEPTABLE,
PARTICULARLY FOR THEIR AGE GROUP:
LENGTH OF TIME SMOKING }
PRESENCE OF CHILDREN }
MAKE HEALTH MORE
TOP OF MIND
CURTAILMENTS OF SMOKING AT WORK AND SOCIALLY (RESTAURANTS, PUBLIC
TRANSPORT, CINEMAS ETC)
MAY HAVE TRIED TO GIVE UP GENERALLY WITHOUT MUCH SUCCESS.
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SMOKER TYPES
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A SPECTRUM OF ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIOUR:
ADDICT
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TOTAL DEPENDENCE, PHYSICAL AND MENTAL.
;40+ A DAY, SMOKED EVENLY THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
CIGARETTE FOR BREAKFAST, EVEN IN THE BATH/BED.
ALWAYS HAVE A PACK HANDY,
GENERALLY BRAND LOYAL BUT WILL SMOKE ANYTHING IF DESPERATE,
MID-HIGH TAR.
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SMOKER TYPES
HABITUAL SMOKER
SMOKES REGULARLY THROUGHOUT DAY AND EVENING BUT MORE SELF CONTROLLED
THAN ABBtGT. h~I,~, ct,~ev" •
MORE LIKELY TO IMPOSE RESTRICTIONS ON SELF IE. NO MORE THAN 20. NEVER
BEFORE BREAKFAST, NOT IN THE BEDROOM ETC.
CIGARETTES MAY BE USED TO MEASURE THE DAY EG. TEA BREAK. AFTER LUNCH,
WHEN I GET HOME ETC.
VERY BRAND LOYAL.
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SMOKER TYPES
SOCIAL SMOKER
STRONGLY LINKED TO SOCIAL SITUATIONS ESPECIALLY DRINKING AND EATING.
UNLIKELY TO SMOKE DURING THE DAY, AT WORK, AT HOME.
NEED STIMULUS, OTHER SMOKERS, SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT TO PROMPT SMOKING.
PERCEIVE THEMSELVES AS LESS DEPENDENT, USUALLY < 20 PER DAY.
LESS BRAND LOYAL - SHARE CIGARETTES WITH FRIENDS.
OCCASIONAL SMOKER
INTERMITTENT SMOKING PATTERNS.
MAY NOT SMOKE FOR DAYS/WEEKS THEN SMOKE A WHOLE PACK.
NEED TO SMOKE DEPENDENT UPON MOOD, FEELINGS, SITUATION, USUALLY
EXTREMES OF COMMISERATION OR CELEBRATION OR STRESS.
PROBABLY HAVE FAVOURITE BRAND, BUT MAY BE CHOSEN TO SUIT OCCASION.
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RELUCTANT SMOKER
ALWAYS ON THE VERGE OF GIVING UP.
MORE WORRIED ABOUT HEALTH, SOCIAL STIGMA.
RIE~ID AND RULE ORIENTATED, TRY TO IMPOSE LIMITS, NOT ALWAYS STUCK TO.
MORE LIKELY TO SMOKE LOW TAR BRANDS.
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REASONS FOR SMOKING
SMOKING FULFILS A VARIETY OF ROLES DEPENDING UPON INDIVIDUAL SITUATION AND
PERSONALITY:
AID TO CONCENTRATION AT WORK, DRIVING, HOUSEWORK ETC.
RELIEF FROM STRESS, TENSION.
MOMENT OF PEACE, REFLECTION, ESCAPISM - ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE WITH CHILDREN OR
BUSINESS PRESSURE.
A BREAK FROM WORK, RELAXATION, REWARD.
RELIEF FROM BOREDOM.
SOCIAL PROP, SOMETHING TO DO WITH HAND.
ADDED ENJOYMENT TO SOCIAL SITUATION - A DIGESTIVE AFTER A MEAL, PERFECT
COMPLIMENT TO A DRINK.
PACES DRINKING.
HABITUAL, RITUAL, PART OF LIFE.
INDIVIDUAL CHOICE, MY BRAND, MY TASTE, MY TREAT.
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