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PERSONAL & CONFIDENTIAL r1i Ln G Submitted to: -~ - ~ A PROPOSAL FOR'QUALITATIVE RESEARCH TO DEVELOP A LEXICON'OF JAPANESE CONSUMER LANGUAGE RELATED TO SMOKING - ~ oa Philip Morris Asia Inc. - - - ~o C Date: REC~~Y~~D-- March 3, 1983 File to: /MZ- ASI MARKET RESEARCH (aAPAN), INC.

INTRODUCTION As part of its continuing effort to obtain a fuller understanding of Japanese smokers:' mentality, PHILIP MORRIS has commissioned ASI MARKET RESEARCH to prepare a lexicon of Japanese'consumer language related to smoking. The results of_this project will be used to incorporate appropriate consumer language into the quantitative questionnaires .used for the benchmark survey, taste tests and pack tests. Also the 11 consumer language obtained should prove quite heTpful in_ developing .advertising copy. The specific objectives of the study are to ascertain the following. The different attributes (desirable and undesirable) which smokers perceive in cigarettes, and the words and phrases they themselves use to describe these attributes. (ii) The differences between these various types of cigarettes, as seen by smokers, e.g., domestic, imported, regular, menthol, : etc. What competes with.what, for which purposes, in what respects? (iii) The smokTng`situations for cigarettes -- more especially the types of ctgarettes considered appropriate for the occasion, the mode and amount of use, etc. (iv) What is the likely importance of the_'pack. -- what does it/ should it convey about the characteristics and quality of the product?

(v) Consumer language in regard to the taste, strength, aroma smoothness, etc. (vi) Consumer language relevant to the enjoyment of cigarettes . -- i.e., intangible aspects. The details of the proposal are set out in the.pages.that follow. 2.

3. M.ETHOOOLOGY It is recommended that the following sample composition of focus group discussions be used in generating'tlie lexicon. No: of groups i) Males; 20-mid 30's heavy smokers „ , 1 ~ (2 packs and over per day) ii) Males, 40-late 50's, heavy smokers 1 (2 packs and over per day) iii) Males, 20-mi.d 30's, light smoke.rs 1 (up to one pack per day) iv), males, 40-late 50's, light smokers 1 (up to one pack per day) v).femaies, 20-early 30.'s, light/medium smokers 1 vi) one group of male smokers who are 'wordsmiths' i.e. their work is intimately involved with the use of Japanese language, eg, authors, 1 editors, teachers of Japanese language to Japanese in high schools,..universities, etc. 6 The types of consumer language we will be identifying can be broadly divided into two categories - image related language and taste/tactile related language. There is of course overlap between the two, but initially two separate discussion flows will be used. As some of the definitions become clearer,parts of the discussion flows may be merged.

Because of the difficulty- of describing certain words such as flavor, aroma, etc, we will also be making use of color association techniques in the group sessions. As will be seen on the following pages, there is quite a lot of ground to cover in the study, and it may not be possible to complete all of the objectives with one project. We would therefore request that PHILIP MORRIS executives select those words/attributes in particular that they wlsh to have thoroughly covered in this initial„s.tudy. 4.

TOPICS TO BE COVERED Given below is a suggested list of topics to be covered in the focus group sessions. The final.list of topics to be covered will be con- firmed after discussions between PM and AS'I executives. I. Image Oriented Groups Brand of cigarette 'smoked regularly. Why do you smoke that brand (unaided)? Anything else? What attributes are you looking for in a cigarette - in your own words,-how-would you define. • - a good cigarette - a poor cigarette , What differences do you see between different cigarettes types/brands? In your own words, how do.you classify different types/brands of cigarettes. Which types/brands tend to go together as a .category/group. How would-you define that group (unaided). On what occasions/times of day do you smoke cigarettes? Are there some occasions/times of day when you smoke more than at other times. or when you smoke different brands? Does what you are looking . for in a cigarette vary depending upon the situation. -What brands/types fit what occasions/times of day. How? why?, in what way? ~ (unaided)

6. And what about packaging. Do you distinguish between-brands/types on the basis of packaging. How, in what way. What does the pack say about the characteristics/quality of the product? - do different pack colors have different connotations e.g. for taste, quality, price, status. = what is an attractive pack or alternatively an unattractive pack. - hard pack (flip top box) vs soft pack.' which is-preferred? why? what are the perceived advantages/disadvantages of each. ~ (If not already mentioned), what differences do they see between the following attributes, and how they describe the differences. Which brands/types fall into each attribute. - filter vs non filter - foreign vs domestic - expensive,ys inexpensive - for-younger people vs for older people . - for men vs for women - for people who live in the city vs for people who live in the country - for modern~people vs for traditional people - low tar and nicotine vs high tar and nicotine. - brand which is suitable.to gi.ve as a-gift vs brand which is not suitable to give as a gift V ~ ~ ~ - regula.rr vs.menthol C .~ - charcoal fliter vs non-charcoal filter CO ~ -.~ - Japanese flavor-vs American flavor ~ little harm-to health vs considerable harm to health

7. II. Taste Oriented Groups Brand off cigarettes smoke regularly. Why do you smoke that brand. Anything else? Which other brands have you smoked in the past 12 months. Why haven't you continued to smoke these other brands? What was the ini.tial reason/trigger why you tried your regular/these other brands? What attributes are you looking for in a cigarette - in your own words, how would you difine. - a good cigarette - a poor cigarette I now want to discuss different taste related attributes. 'For each attribute I want to talk general ly -about it first and then I want you to smoke a couple of different cigarettes and while smoking them dis- cuss each of the attributes as they relate to these.cigarettes. 'Good taste' First of all, when you think of 'good taste' what sort of words/associations come to mind. Any others. what words do you consider to be synomyns for 'good.taste'. How, why? what words do you consider to be the opposite of 'good taste'. How, why? what other words, if any, would you use to describe the 'taste' of the cigarette you are now smoking.

8. 'Mi ld' - what sort of words/associations come.to mind with 'mild' - what words are synonymous/similar to 'mild' - what is the difference, if any, between 'mild' and 'light' - what is the antonyms/opposite of 'mild' - what other words/associations would you use to describe -the 'mildness' of this cigarette (For some groups 'light' would be mentioned before 'mild' to avoid order bias). 'Poor Flavor' - what sort of words/a5sociati'ons come to-mind with 'poor flavor' - what words are synonymous/similar to 'poor-flavor' - what is the difference b.etween 'poor flavor' and 'poor aroma' - what are the antonyms/opposite of 'poor.-flavor' - what other words would-you use to describe the 'flavor' of this cigarette (For some groups; 'aroma' would be mentioned before 'flayor' to avoid order bias). , Repeat above process for following words/associations (if not al- ready mentioned). - richness - sweetness - feeling of smoke in.the mouth after inhaling (e.g. smoke 'hot', 'cooi', etc) " - have a.1ot of taste - feeling of dryness in mouth and throat after smoking

9. - soothing feeling when you smoke - smoothness of taste - effecti.ve filter - speed of burning of the cigarette - degree of firmness of packing of the tabacco - draw of the cigarette . - the smoke on each puff (e.g. light and airy, rich full) - the affect of smell of the smoke on other people ~

TO. TIMING The groups will be held from 8-15 March, with a final report available on 9•May. The results of the groups,,however, will be incorporated into the GCS.survey.in April. -COSTS The cost for the..study as outlined in the proposal is ~3,360,000. Terms are 50% upon approval and 50% upon submission of the final English language report. Four copies of the final•repo,rt will be provided, with additional * O Ln ~ copies avai.la e at cost. bl '~ ~ ~ ~ OD