Abstract
his Brown & Williamson document from 1987 discusses creating a new menthol product that will attract beginning smokers, or "starters." It shows that tobacco companies add a low level of menthol flavor to cigarettes to cover up some of the tobacco taste and make smoke less harsh, making cigarettes more palatable to beginning smokers. The author, D.V. Cantrell of B&W's Research, Development and Engineering Department writes,
"First, let's consider which smoking attributes are important to a beginning smoker. Based on my own initial smoking experiences and comments from other smokers about their early smoking experiences, the attributes are: 2. low tobacco taste (this is an acquired taste with use), low impact and irritation (a strong smoke is intolerable), low tobacco aftertaste (heavy, dirty taste is intolerable), and 4. if it's a menthol product, it should have a low amount. ... Menthol brands have been said to be good starter products because new smokers appear to know that menthol covers up some of the tobacco taste and they already know what menthol tastes like, vis-a-vis candy. The level of menthol is the product is, however, critical. A product having a moderate to high menthol taste will usually be rejected by starters, while the same level will be quite acceptable to established menthol smokers."
User-Contributed Notes
-
p. 1
Fields
- Notes
Kreslake JM, Wayne GF, Alpert HR, Koh HK, Connolly GN. Tobacco industry control of menthol in cigarettes and targeting of adolescents and young adults. American Journal of Public Health 2008.
http://www.ajph.org/cgi/content/abstract/AJPH.2007.125542v1.
- Quotes
This memo addresses the fact that KOOL is no longer attracting new smokers (further referred to as "starters"), a product-related reason which possibly explains this position, and suggestions to correct this problem. Switching data (waves 32-40, attached) clearly show that KOOL KS and 100 are not attracting their fair share of starters. Newport, on the other hand, is performing above its fair share. Besides the differences in packaging and marketing between KOOL and Newport, one basic product difference exists which can possibly explain part of the reason for KOOL's disparity among starters. Basically, it is that KOOL's menthol level is too high for starters...rom a product recipe standpoint, I can understand why possibly KOOL KS and 100s are no longer considered to be acceptable starter products. First, let's consider which smoking attributes are important to a beginning smoker. Based on my own initial smoking experiences and comments from other smokers about their early smoking experiences, the attributes are: 2. low tobacco taste (this is an acquired taste with use), low impact and irritation (a strong smoke is intolerable), low tobacco aftertaste (heavy, dirty taste is intolerable), and 4. if it's a menthol product, it should have a low amount. Menthol brands have been said to be good starter products because new smokers appear to know that menthol covers up some of the tobacco taste and they already know what menthol tastes like, vis-a-vis candy. The level of menthol in the product is, however, critical. A product having a moderate to high menthol taste will usually be rejected by starters, while the same level will be quite acceptable to established menthol smokers. Indeed, this is the dilemma which KOOL KS and 100s face today.
- Company
- Brown & Williamson
- Author
- Cantrell-D
- Brown & Williamson
- Recipient
- Macdonald-I
- Brown & Williamson
- Region
- United States
- Litigation
- 10004026
- Type
- Memo
- Correspondence
- Subject
- Menthol
- Menthol
- youth initiation
Document Images
Page 1: 0001448163
BROWN & WILLIAMSON TOBACCO CORPORATION
RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT & ENGINEERING
INTERNAL CORRESPONDENCE
TO: I.D. Macdonald
CC: T.E. Whitehair
E. E. Kohnhorst
M. L. Reynolds
T. F. Riehl
FROM: D.V. Cantrell
DATE: February 17, 1987
SUBJECT: KOOL ISN'T GETTING THE STARTERS/236
J. Hendricks
J. Tharaldson
R. Stowe
C. N. Kounnas
This memo addresses the fact that KOOL is no longer attracting new
smokers (further referred to as "starters"), a product-related reason
which possibly explains this position, and suggestions to correct this
problem.
Switching data (waves 32-40, attached) clearly show that KOOL KS
and i00 are not attracting their fair share of starters. Newport,
on the other hand, is performing above its fair share. Besides the
differences in packaging and marketing between KOOL and Newport, one
basic product difference exists which can possibly explain part of the
reason for KOOL's disparity among starters. Basically, it is that
KOOL's menthol level is too high for starters. For a more in-depth
discussion about this fact, see Appendix A.
The dilemma is that KOOL can't satisfy the needs of both starters and
current franchise. Franchise smokers prefer a product providing
greater menthol taste than do starters. This paradox isn't easily
corrected by just changing KOOL's menthol level, due to the
significant risk of losing franchise smokers. Thus, a more logical
approach is to:
i. promote KOOL MILDS as the starter brand,
2.
line extend the KOOL family with a product having -12-14 mg
tar with a lower menthol loading, eg., -0.32% menthol,
specifically to attract new smokers, or
.
introduce a free standing new product having the same product
description as in (2) above.
Page 2: 0001448163
In sulmnary, we can't reduce the menthol level of KOOL KS/100 to an
acceptable level for starters without risking a catastrophic loss
among our franchise. Thus, to regain starters, we must establish
another product source.
DVC/vr
0509h
Attachments
- 2 -
G20307N2G
L
Page 3: 0001448163
APPENDIX A
PRODUCT REASON FOR KOOL'S DECLINE IN ATTRACTING STARTERS
From a product recipe standpoint, I can understand why possibly
KOOL KS and 100s are no longer considered to be acceptable starter
products. First, let's consider which smoking attributes are
important to a beginning smoker. Based on my own initial smoking
experiences and comments from other smokers about their early smoking
experiences, the attributes are:
2.
low tobacco taste (this is an acquired taste with use),
low impact and irritation (a strong smoke is intolerable),
.
low tobacco aftertaste (heavy, dirty taste is intolerable),
and
4. if it's a menthol product, it should have a low amount.
Menthol brands have been said to be good starter products because
new smokers appear to know that menthol covers up some of the tobacco
taste and they already know what menthol tastes like, vis-a-vis
candy. The level of menthol in the product is, however, critical.
A product having a moderate to high menthol taste will usually be
rejected by starters, while the same level will be quite acceptable
to established menthol smokers. Indeed, this is the dilemma which
KOOL KS and 100s face today.
$
In August 1985, we inadvertently made the situation even worse for
starters by increasing the menthol level of KOOL KS and 100s, see
chart below. This change was adopted based upon CPT results showing
a superior preference for the current recipe (having 0.40 and 0.45%
menthol for KS and 100's, respectively).
Newport, having a lower menthol level, 0.32%, is better positioned for
starters than is current KOOL.
Table I
% Menthol Loading
Year KOOL KS KOOL i00
77 .36
78 .36
79 .36
80 .36
81 .36
82 .34
83 .34
84 .34
85 .34, .40 (8185)
86 .40
.38
.38, .45 (8185)
.45
In '82, the filter plasticizer on KOOL KS was changed to one which allowed
a greater menthol delivery. To maintain previous deliveries, the loading
was decreased by 0.02%.
6 0307 2'?
0509h
Page 4: 0001448163
STARTER OESIGNATION BY 8RANO FAMILY/STYLE
i
~wltchlnq Study WaYes (32-33)
Total Smokers 28,474
Total Starters 1,051
(M/F, 2l+ years of age)
KOOL Family - Total Starters
% of Total Starters
KOOL Kinq - Total Starters
% of Total Starters
KDOL 100s - Total Starters
% of Total Starters
(FAIR (FAIR (FAIR
SHARE SHARE SHARE
(34-35) (36-37)
28,206 27,189
1,001 933
51 37 34
4.B5% (80) 3.70% (63) 3,64%
26 16 16
2.47% (76) 1.60% (56) 1.72%
8 5 6
• 76% (80) .50% (47) .64%
Newport Family - Total Starters 46
% of Total Starters 4.38%
3g 36
(223) 3,90% (189) 3.86%
93 86
(IZ7) 9,29% (102) 9.23%
- Total Starters 126
% of Total Starters 11,99%
(68)
(68)
(56)
(167)
(104)
t
(38-39)
26,755
911
41
4.50%
15
1.65%
2
,22%
43
4.92%
77
8.45%
(FAIR
SHARE
INDEX)
(88)
(68)
(25)
(196)
(92)
(40)
12,680
324
5
I. 54%
3
.93%
2
.62%
9
2.78%
37
11.42%
(FAIR
SHARE
INOEX}
(32)
(42)
(67)
(124)
(123)
~g
.}
9D
IFalr Share Index of > I00 : Growth, attractlng more than brand's share of smokers.
Fair Share Index of I00 = Parity, attractlng equal to brand's share of smokers.
Fair Share Index of < I00 : Loss, attracting less than brand's share of smokers.
0509h
Page 5: 0001448163
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