Abstract
This marketing research report done for the Brown & Williamson Tobacco Company (B&W) in 1978 sought to explore the smokers' attitudes towards smoking filter cigarettes. It discusses the results of focus group sessions held among smokers in various cities in the U.S. in 1978.
The report made B&W aware that smoking frequently begins during youth, and how it comes about:
"By far the majority [of focus group participants] claimed the motivation for this initial step [beginning smoking] had been peer pressure while they were in school. Others spoke of boredom in the military service as a contributing factor, or rebellion against parental or educational authority, or the fact that smoking represented 'forbidden fruit.' Or they said that they had begun with cigarettes to try and become adults, to look tough, to impress girls, or to have something to do in secret with a good friend."
Despite the fact that the tobacco industry often claims smokers are well informed about all the dangers posed by cigarette smoking, this report showed that these smokers were quite ignorant and confused about such basics as the tar and nicotine in tobacco products:
"...Only a very few of the respondents appeared to have given any thought as to what tar and nicotine were...Others advanced all types of definitions, descriptions, and ideas about what tar and nicotine did and how they acted...It followed, not surprisingly, that there was a proportionate amount of confusion as to what were the actual nicotine levels of the brands that these people were now smoking. In many cases even the units of measurements were uncertain..."
Despite such findings, no concerted effort has ever been made by a major tobacco company to explain to smokers what these components are or how they affect smokers' bodies.
Fields
- Quotes
[From page 8, Bates No. 660044859]
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
The men and women of Phoenix all had vivid memories of how it was they they took up cigarettes. By far the majority claimed the motivation for this initial step had been peer pressure while they were in school. Others spoke of boredom in the military service as a contributing factor, or rebellion against parental or educational authority, or the fact that smoking represented "forbidden fruit." Or they said that they had begun with cigarettes to try and become adults, to look tough, to impress girls, or to have something to do in secret with a good friend.
That they continued to smoke was attributed to the enjoyment that they now--as opposed to perhaps an initial sick feeling--got from the activity and to what they termed a habit that had been well developed over the years and might now be considered almost an addiction...
[From Page 12, Bates No. 660044863]:
...Only a very few of the respondents appeared to have given any thought as to what tar and nicotine were. Some claimed not to care about these matters at all, maintaining that all they were interested in was a cigarette satisfaction quotient. Others advanced all types of definitions, descriptions, and ideas about what tar and nicotine did and how they acted. For the most part, however, it seemed there was more concern with the possible evil effect of tar than there was for what nicotine might do to the human system. It followed, not surprisingly, that there was a proportionate amount of confusion as to what were the actual nicotine levels of the brands that these people were now smoking. In many cases even the units of measurements were uncertain.
When it came to the question of gas, the respondents on the one hand expressed a good deal of concern, even to the point of claiming that gases from cigarettes might be even more dangerous than tar. On the other [hand], many said that recent warnings about gas were in the same category as all the other product scares that were emanating from Washington, and that as far as they were concerned these scares were just so much propaganda.
Still, new prohibitions against smoking in public and the actions of people--often friends--taken in their homes to discourage smoking had obviously had penetrating effects on this sampling of the smoking population. A few mildly asserted that they found no difficulty in respecting the wishes of the nonsmoking majority, but others said they resented the highhandedness and tone of moral superiority brandished by the cigaretteless. Some even went as far as saying they no longer visited the homes of friends where anti-smoking attitudes were enforced.
- Company
- Brown & Williamson
- Author
- Nicholas Research International
- Recipient
- Brown & Williamson Tobacco Co.
RegionUnited States
Litigation10004026
TypeMRPT, MARKETING REPORT
REPORT
Subjectaddiction
smoking initiation
Effects—Smoking Behavior (Effects)
Document Images
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BROWN & WILLI~SON TCBA~]CO CO.
December 221 1978
A QUALITATIVE S~UDY
PROJECT "G'~
- 9hoenix, Arizona
December 6, 7, & 8, 1978
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j NICHOLAS RESEARCH INTERNATrONAL, INC,
J '\\
535 C.ATHEOSAL pAR,~WAV NEW YORK GITY 10025 (212) 666-4289
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INTRODUCTION
TABLE OF C~NTENTS
E~rpose .................... i
Method ..................... 2
A Word of Caution ............... 3
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS .............
!c
MARKETING IMPLICATIONS. ,
DETAILED FINDinGS
.......... Ii
..... 17
CONCEPT STATEMENT .............. 58
DISCUSSION GUIDE
...... 59
I
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PURPOSE
The objective of the Phoenix Project "G" study was to ex-
amine the smoking habits and attitudes of users of filtered
cigarettesj to probe their thoughts about what brands were
availabl~ to them, about their futube as smokers: about tar
and nicotine and gas. in addition, a large part of the
survey aimed at disccvering feelings abo~t these people's
interaction w~th the non~ckJmg wc~id around them. Fi~a]ly~
infoz*matlon concerning reaction to a new type o{ low tar
nlgarette~ Straights, was to be monitored.
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METHOD
Six focus ~roup sessions were conducted in Phoenix, Arizena~
December 6, 7, and 8. Two of the groups were mnde up of
smokers of cigarettes wiLh in excess of 16 M~. tarI two of
users of cigarettes in the 10-15 Mg. tar range, and two of
consumers of eigareLtes in the 9 Mg.- and-under area. The
respondents were men and wc~en between the ages of 21 and 49~
who smoked at least one pack a day of non-menthol filtere~
cigaret=es, and who had been smoking at lesst one year.
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A WORD OF CA~ION
As with all qualitative research~ the indications are tc be viewed
as ~uggestivm, rather than defi~itlve. The e~phasi~ in this pro-
ject is primarily on the quality of what the rcspcndent~ say and
the implications of their feelings and emotions. The pertinence
and importance of any comment and finding develop as the polnL
comes u9 in various sessions, and are manifesEed in one way or an-
other by the respondents in tge different sessions.
Since we have tou uften be~n u*lwilling witnesses to the misuse of
Qualitative research in formulating marketing strategy, we feel
obligated to inject a note of caution for th~ reader of this re-
port. There are a numbe~ of clear-cut purposes served by qualit&-
rive research as well as a number ~f objeetbves that it cannot and
should not attempt to meet.
Qualitative research can:
- Develop hypotheses about the subject.
Obtain insights into the social processes of group
interactions as they relste to the subject, as well
as how they are discussed.
Qualitative research cai~Llot:
- Quantify any of the above so that a "repres~r~tatlve"
picture is obtained.
- Determine how the market will react behaviorally to
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a s~bject that group participants have discussed.
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S[W~/ARY OF FINDINCS
Th< m~'n and women of Phoenix all had vivid memories of how
it wa~ Lhat Lht'y took up cig.J~,'tt~'s. By far the majority
claimed the motivation for this inlt~al step had buen peer
prusfure while they were ~I ~ch~,,~,l. Others spoke of boredom
in th~ military service as a contributing factor, of rebel-
]ion against parental or educati.~al authority, or the [ac¢
that smoking represented "forbidden fruit." Or they said
than they had begun with cigarettes to try to become adults,
to loc~h tough, to impress girls, or to have something ~o do
h* ~t'tLet with a good fli~Jkd.
That they continued to ~moko was attributed to the enjoyment
they now--as opposed to perhaps an initial sioh feeling got
from thu activity ~id to what they termed a hagit that had
been well developed over th~ years and might nL)w hu uunsid~red
almost an addiuLiun. They said cigarettes were comforting~ a
f~iliar presence and companion, that they provided something
£o de with one's hands, sat{sf[ed an oral compulsion, relaxed
them, gave thou confident,', acted as a prep, calmed them down,
gave warmth, helped in a crisis, and helped when one was ill
at ease among strangers. Some more ~imply said they liked the
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taste; the taste that satislied. Sast~ and satlsf,~rL~on
wer~ the tw~ wards that also ultimately proved the mo~L im-
p~s~ible to define.
Th~ respondents pointed E~ m~riad rimes when Lh~y fav~,cd
indulging in cigarettes: aEter ~als~ with coffe~ afLer
~×, with liquor, at a party, ~hii~ driving, talki~ on th~
tulopl~one, playing cards, w,~bing the car, howling, w~c[~in~
tel~.viGion~ ~tudyJng~ playing th~ piano, taking ~ hat~ ~Ec
They ~Fpear~d to split the v~!u~ o~ smoking b~tw~ ~ctivi-
~ies LhaL Eh~ ~moki~ pro¢c~ w~ ~elt to ~nhance and tho~e
that it somehow offset, e.g.~ dLi~iug vers~ working,
Cuud cigarettes (or good smnging experiences) were said to be
smooth ai~d mild. They made you a little high, had ~ ileasant
tast~, a full rich taste~ we~u s~t, lJad density3 maybe were
jusL a little hitler or even bland buL hdd Llle ability tr re-
lax you. On the other h~nd, a bad smcking experlenc~ in-
volw, d cigarettes that were dubbed hea~~, very bitter, and
har~h~ without taste or just Lh~ tastc of hot ~ir, were bit-
ing, hit you in the lungs, m~d~ y~)~ gag ~nd cough, and conqd
not satisfy you.
With regard to filters, many s~id they wanted them to be as
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