Abstract
These are notes of a "Problem Laboratory" brainstorming session held in April of 1976, attended by Lorillard Tobacco Company advertising department employees. The group was encouraged to present goals and wishes in the form of "How To" and "I wish" statements. Participants were instructed tom come up all kinds of ideas, even ones that were non-feasible, illegal or immoral.
That is what makes this document so fascincating and insightful. With all need to appear decent and moral taken away, these cigarette company employees were able to expres their most true, sincere and ambitious wishes and desires for their products.
In Session #1 participants were asked to identify ways to give smokers more perceived value in their cigarettes. Ideas expressed by the group included #38: "How to have a cigarette with MJ [marijuana] added to it", #50: "How to make it so addictive: one cigarette and you've got him for life," #51: "How to have a cigarette specifically for children (sparkler additive candy)."
In Session #2, participants were asked to make a wish list for ways to convey more economic value to cigarettes. Responses for this included #1: "How to make butts a collector's item," #12: "Put a flower seed in each butt," #17: "How to get an AMA [American Medical Association] endorsement," #48: "How to provide timed release nicotine," and #53: "How to put something in filter that would be perceived as being physically healthful (e.g. baking soda - reduce odor of stale butts)."
The question posed in Session 3A was "How to get longer lasting satisfaction [from a cigarette]?" Responses included a "wish" for long-acting nicotine. Under that is a question about how to "prevent overdosing options." Responses included "Depend on getting sick to prevent O.D." and "Sell by presicription only."
Later wish-list items included "How to make cigarettes more like Linus' blanket," and "How to get physical characteristic that would make you feel it [smoking] was more a part of you and you, it." (Page 39), "How to dull the cough centers," "How to inhibit the formation of plaque," "How to make cigarette make everything taste rotten (appetite depressant),"How to [use cigarettes to]deliver arthritic medicine," "How deliver birth control (for men)," "How to prevent pimples," "How to deliver a laxative," and, after all this, "How to get credible 3rd part endorsement." (pp42-43).
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REPORT
SYN~CTICS PROBLEM LABORATORY
• APRIL. 21, 22> 2B, 1~6
LORILLARD
Submitted by:
Symeatics, Inc.
26 Church Street
Cambridge, Mas~.
02138
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CONTENTS
Ik'TRODUCTI ON
A. Purpose and Scope
Participants
C. General Procedures
RECORD, OF TU LABORATORY SESSIONS,
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INTRODUCTION
Ao
Purpose and SCope
The purpose of ~he Problem Laboratory was to exert
our bess efforts to develop ideas to gives smokers
more perceived economic value in their cigarettes,
and~ second[[y to develop ideas~ that will g~ves smokers
an additional benefit chat ±s~ different from and
compatible with. traditional cigarette benefits.
B. Participants
LORILLLARD
John Andes - Advertising
Jon Greenleaf - Advertising
Claude Levis
Harry Minnemeyer
John Mueller
Mel Reach
Fred Schultz
Dick Smith - Clien~
Charlie Tucker
Ben Vile -
Larry Washburn - 5~A
Charlie Welborn
SY~,U~CTICS~ !~:C.
Caves Gobhai
Frances Ju~kins
George M. Prince
Kate Reilly
C. The Problem Laboratory was held at the offices
of Sy~ec~ics, Inc., of Cambridge, April 21~ 22,
23~d, ~976.
~he group began, by developing an underst~ding of
meeting dyuamics and the basis for S.ynectics
procedures by participating in a learning exercise
the evening of the first day.
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NOTE
This report consists almos~ so3ely of a re-artiiculazion of the 'instant'~
minutes" of the meeting. It is prepareD', for the use of TU ~abora~ory
participants in post-lab work.
It does not represent, in our view, a complete presentation for persons
who were no~ ~in the Lab. Add~.tional reinforcement of background, con-
text, and recommendations is almost always requiredl Typos have been
corrected, material has been chronol~gically assembled, some additional
words added for clarification and an ~ntroduction of the process elements
has been placed up fron~t.
if we can be of any further help, please let us know..
The Synectics Sta.ff
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The group then embarked on problem solution, working at times
as one g=oup~, and at other tames ~n £wo sub-groups~. Each group
wDrked in a structured Synectics "session" led by a. Synectics
staff member.
The structure used in the sessions ~nvolves techniques that are
a~imed at two areas that significantl~ affect a, working, group's
effectiveness. One area is concerned with behaviors that affect
the group's~ productivity. Techniques that fall within, this a~ea
are a~med at redirecting the group's competitive energy toward
solving the problem ~ather than using it on each other, and at
making~ optimum use of information, and ~deas. The secend important
area is concerned with the g~oup~'s ability to speculate usefully.
The group's ability to speculate has been found to have a direc£
correlation with the inventiveness: or creative quality of the
group's output.
detailed record of each of the sessions is i~cluded in the body
of this report.
The material generated in the prob~em-sol~ng session has been
sepa~ate~i out into one of three major categories. These are:
POSSIBLEIS~LUTION$
A Possible Solution~ is defined as an idea or concept that mee~s
the follow~ng criteria. ~ne, it conta&ns an element of newness
for the members of the group. And~ two, it must contain enough.
feasibility to suggest specific next steps that an expert in the
group can take toward! implementing or further ~nves%igating its~
va~idity is meeting project objectives.
A Possible Solu,tion may. speak to one or more aspects of a problem.
In some instances, it is necessary to combine several Possible
Solutions i~ order tostructure a basis for further action.
H~g'TO'~/GOALS/WISHES
How. To's are defined as statements of the problem er solut~en
as seen by each individua{ in the group. How To's do not have
to meet the criteria of feasibili£y. Rather, group members are
encouraged to be wishful in, their How To statements, sometimes
to, the point of suggesting absurd, immoral, or illegal ideas

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which might initiate novel approaches to the problem. Group
members are also encouraged to. express ~heir d~fferences abou~
the definition of the paroblem or ob3ec~ives in ~he form of
How To's.. How To's~ thus represen~ diverse persDna! views of
the problem and often appear to be in opposition to other How
To"s~ or the initial statement of the problem. (The Problem As
Given, or PAG.)
How To's are useful in uncovering hidden, aspects of the problem.
in addition, they act as triggers. ~or Possible Solutions.
A post-Lab comparison of How To"s. against starting c2~ent's
obj'ectives ~s often usefu~ in enlarging perceived, areas of need
or even rethinking original objectives ~n~ ~he light or previously
"hidden"~ aspects of the problem.
EXCURSION
An~ Excursion ~s a deliberate step away from the problem~ I£s
purpose is to. take the group on a brief, disciplined "~acatiom"
from the problem - a "walk ±n the woods" as it were - d~ring which
the group '"forgets" about the prob{em os the conscious ~evel. At
other levels, however, contact is still maintained, with the
problem -. the Excursion aims at bringing ou~ non-rational responses
to the problem~at hand ("How would it feel if you were a new pro-
duct s~tting on a supermarket shelf?")i The Excursion may last
anywhere from f~ve to fifteen minutes. The group, is then brought
back, consciously, to the problem and asked to uncover or "~orze"
the connections between, the "vacat&on'" material and~ the problem.
at hand. These "~orce ~it" connections then serves~ a~ triggers
to suggest new Possible Solutions andl How To's.

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RECORD OF PROBLE~I LABORAI~DRY SESSIONS
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~ORILLARD PROBLEM LABORATORY A_WRIL 12~ i'976
.
CAVAS LEADING DICK CLIENT 12:00 - l:00
SESSION #i
PAG
Identify 3 different and specific ways to give smokers more perceived economic
value in their cigarette. For each, of these define:
- physical configuration
- other product attributes
- probable problem areas (include technical and consumer) with, s~ggestions for
solutions
- la~d out steps to re~ch test market by Jan. 7~
1. Hew to have qu%ck reaction time.
How to.have a c~garette that only burns when you puff it
B. ~ wish we could give a days supply in one package
How to be able to purchase cigarettes loosely
5. Hew to be ~ble to make cigarettes yourself
6. How to have a slow buurning cigarette
7- How to have a longer cigarette (full diameter)
8. Now to have a triplet cigarette (smoke as a whole or take it apart.)
9- New to have a relightable cigarette
lO. Hew to have a section cigarette (one section stop.)
ii. I wish I could sell a package containing fewer cigarettes (taxes)
12. I wish we could cause t~x dilution
13. I wish we knew what consumer really perceives as ~alue
How to have longer lasting satisfaction ~so fewer cigarettes)
15. ~ow ~o have a stretchable cigarette.
16. How to have an ash_less cigarette (not w~sted)
17. I..wish we could have some thought~ on bulk packages. (30 per pack)
18. How to get. consumer to purchase by weight or bulk
19. How ~o "brown bag" (,factory reject)~
I wish we could sell own reclaimed c~garettes at a discount, (.seconds)
21. I wish we could find something constructive to do with the remains (fertilizer
in house, plant)
22. How to get. remains back into production process
23. How to have a reusable container
2h. How to reuse filters (cleanse andi use 9or water fi2ters)
25. How to have permanent filter (~0 mm weight consumer producing fiiter)~
26. How to have cigarettes with a common part (e.g. one filter two cigarettes)
(pack with~ own fillor)~
Now to have a 5-pack carton and 20 pack carton
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
3h.
35-
36.
37.
38.
39.
hO.
How to
Hew to
How to
Hew to
How to
How to
Hew to
Ho~ to
Ho~ ~o
Hew to
How to
How to
have an adjustable filter ~e..g. paparosi)
market in a new shape
have a chewable filter (latex gum)
get 5 minutes of intense cooling flavor prior_toigni~ion
have a cigarette as acarrier
use a chewable filter to clean or sweeten breath
have a self-starting cigarette (no other utemsils)
have a no smoke cigarette ~flavored oral~ o~factory)
have acigarette tha~ doesn't commit itself (like chewing tobacco)
get. ~ multiple cigarette
have a cigarette with ~,~ added ~o i%
sell on a dmferred~ paym..~en~ plan, (qike credi~ cards)
have an aerosol can or inhaler as a substitute

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~0.
58-
59a
59b
60.
61.
How
How
the
How
How
How to
How to
How to
~birth
How to
How to
How to
How to
How to
How to
How to
How to
to have a semi permanent gadget (sniffers)
to have a cigarette with a filter that will increase
t~icity ]~evel of nicotime to a non-measurable point
to have a cigarette withou~ tobacco. ~uaxes)~
to have a pill you, take in the morning
to have a cigarette with a filter you can, chew on (without lighting)
sponsor an industry wide agreement to on/y advertise new brands
have a p~in killer for rthriti~s
have an, ~phrodisiac
control)
incorporate a(milk pharmecological agent )
make it so addictive: one cigarette and you,"ve got~ him for life
have a cigarette specifically for children. (sparkler ~dditive candy),
have a completely synthetic cigarette
have a cigarette made e~tirely of imported leaf
cut the cost of goods in half (sel~ plant and'~ lease back)
grind up e~er~thing and: extrude it ou~ in a rod -
have. luxury premium priced product that projects more v.a1~ue than cost
How to get a (scr~.~ce) contract with ~ ~noker to supply him cigarette
for "one year at a savings"
Subscription~
Di~ec~ mai~ (mail from N.C. for low t~x)
Goesto warehouse distribution
How to smuggle openly
How to have cigarette that would stay indefinately in a freezer or cold storage
(no stales.)
Freeze dr~ed~
Instant added~ water
(build on contract) Home d~livery as added convenience(like Jewel Tea man)
How to sell only in State stores

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LORILLARD PROBLEM LABOPATORY
KATE. LEADING DICK CLIENT
SESSZON~ #2
,APRIL 21~ 1976
2:b5 - 3:35
Wazs Manufacturers COnvey Economic V~lue
3.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
i0.
ii.
12.
13.
i~.
15.
16.
17-
18.
19-
20.
22.
Lower cost(~rivate label br~uds)
More product at the same price)(Bonus packs)
Lower unit cost (smaller sizes
Effective longer (new Mobil Synthetic oil)
Greater mileage - wears down ~ess fast (Palmolive)
Superior size impression (Rain Barrel)
Re-usable package (jelly glassesJ
Greater reliability (brandi same antibiotics)
More uses per package (considered' softeners)
Superior performance in key benefit area (Crest)
SuPerior. status
Provides important additional benefit (Downy)
More convenient packaging/dispensing
Less waste/better position control
More protective of the. appliance in whdch i% is used,
More protective of thema~erial on ~hich it is used.
More visible benefit (flouresence)
Grea~r disposability/convenience (diapers)
Requires lower consumption of energy/more efficien~ operation
Can defer payment 6credit purchases)
Exclusivity/rarity~uniqueness
Of£ers premium (Breeze:, Duz) incentive
Goals/Wishes
1. How ~o make b~tts a collector's item
2. How to make the package a co~lector's item,
3. How to produce cigarettes in differen~ colored vrappimgs - make: each ome a
collector's item
4. How to unbundle our added ~a~ue
5- How to let the: customer choose his cost benefit ~rade off.
6. How to bypass the filter and let me hmve s~eet smelling smoke%r~thout
inhalimg that.
7-, How to m~nafactum, e and advertize a cigarette and get every chain to mam, ket
it for ~S (advertised private label)
8. HOW
9.How
i0. I~d
ll.
12. HOw
13- HO~
14. H~w
15. How
16. How
17. How
18. How
19. How
20. How
21.. How
22. How
23.
to develop a profit sharing brand~.
to put f~ower see~s in label.
like a cigarette that wou~d perform a function in the tray (e.g. air freshene
a flower seed in each but$,
to make smok~ess smoke - a smoke intensifier
to identify and reward only our best consumers.
to market a cigarette that would~ have reduced; price at high quanti~ies.
to return cash. $ a~ poin~ of sale.
to give greater reliability to a manafacturer or brand group.
to get an AMA endorsement
to develop good corporate image
to do an ~,~C number (~.merican Motors)
to develop a "Buyer Protection, Plan" for Lorillard
to develop consumer t~st.
~o buy large and use small
~o~ to develop convenient packaging - not stick out in shirt, pocket, even
flexible.
