Product Design
Re: Harshness Workshop
Abstract
Reports on a "harshness workshop" conducted to address the historical perception of RJR products as harsher than Philip Morris counterparts. States that corporate emphasis on younger adults mandates improvements in harshness ratings in Winston and Camel products to appeal to this population. Presents a synopsis of brainstorming sessions identifying solvents, leaf/blends, tobacco processing, cigarette construction and consumer language/testing as key areas of interest. Opines that there may be some overlap with harshness, tobacco taste and strength. Recommends defining language with consumers to explore this overlap.
User-Contributed Notes
Fields
- Author
- Mccarthy, R.F.
- Recipient
- Willard, Ron L. (RJR New Business Development VP, 1994)Defense
Design changes affecting youth smoking or encouraging young adults to become regular smokers.
Targeting of smokers through changes in sensory characteristics
Technologies used to measure, control, or alter sensory effects
Method for manufacturing @filter_ventilation to alter @air_dilution
Cigarette manufacturer (Camel, Winston, Doral brands)
Philip Morris & Co. Ltd.., was incorporated in New York in April of 1902; half the shares were held by the parent company in London, and the balance by its U.S. distributor and his American associate. Its overall sales in 1903, its first full year of U.S. operation, were a modest seven million cigarettes. Among the brand offered, besides Philip Morris, were Blues, Cambridge, Derby, and a ladies favorite name for the London street where the home companies factory was located - Marlborough.
reduces the harshness of cigarettes
Document Images
RJR INTER-OFFICE MEMORANDUM
December 10, 1985
TO: Mr. R. L. Willard
Brand R&D
611-12/309
RE: Harshness Workshop
Historically, RJR products have been perceived and rated as
being harsher than their respective Phillip Morris counterparts.
Currently, brands making up approximately 24% of the Company's
volume are deficient to competition on this key consumer
attribute. Given the corporate emphasis placed on competitive
younger adults as being a source of new and future business, it
has been recognized and agreed upon that significant improvements
in the harshness ratings of WINSTON King, WINSTON Lights, CAMEL
Filter, and CAMEL Lights must be realized in order to increase
acceptance among the aforementioned smoker group.
As a means of accelerating the process for making
improvements in this area, an all day "Harshness Workshop" was
conducted November 4,1985. Representatives from Cigarette Brands
R&D, PT&D, Blend Technology R&D, MDD, Quality Assurance and
Manufacturing were in attendance. The purpose of the workshop
was :
To solicit ideas regarding cigarette
construction, leaf, tobacco processing, and
other areas of concern as it all relates to
generating a focus for addressing the
harshness problem.
The participants were divided into four discussion groups to
facilitate idea generation and brainstorming.
The following report is a synopsis of the ideas and the
recommended direction for addressing the harshness problem
resulting from this workshop.
There was general consensus across the four discussion groups
that the following areas should be thoroughly investigated via
formal action programs with the specific purposes of identifying
the source/s of the harshness problem as well as identifying the
necessary action which may need to be taken to correct the
problem. The key areas which were identified are as follows:
Solvents
Leaf/Blends
Tobacco Processing
Cigarette Construction
Consumer Language/Testing
Solvents
Within the past year certain packaging solvents have been
identified as possible sources of off taste and harshness in
RITZ. Recognizing the negative effects that these materials can
potentially have on product, it was felt that the identification
and establishment of specified limits for suspect solvents should
be vigorously pursued. Additionally,'workshop participants
suggested that the above approach be expanded to encompass not
only packaging solvents, but all solvents which are used in
materials that are needed to make the Company's products. It was
further suggested that adhesives, cleaning solutions, lubricants,
and other materials that are used in Manufacturing be evaluated
with regard to the potential for product contamination and
subsequent taste and harshness problems.
Leaf/Blends
Consistency in terms of leaf chemistry and sensory properties
was identified as being key regarding harshness and taste. The
group indicated that classification of leaf by stalk position
only, may not necessarily result in defined grades which have
similar smoking properties and chemistry. It was also felt that
the establishment of R&D specifications/quality standards for
leaf buying may offer some potential for eliminating or reducing
harshness through focused purchasing of grades and tobacco types
which have desired smoking properties.
In terms of blends, it was suggested that harshness indices
for each blend component be determined and then be used to
construct blends according to the level of harshness associated
with each component. This approach would also lend itself to the
establishment of meaningful blend component limits.
Casing was also viewed as an area that should be investigated
in conjunction with leaf and blends. Recognizing that casing
functions as a leveling agent, programs could be established to
evaluate the type of casing components which are currently being
used as well as new components, the amount applied, and the
ratios of individual components within given casing formulations.
Some determination of the amount of casing which is applied and
retained versus specifications would be useful in terms of using
casing as a tool for combating harshness and irritation.
Tobacco Processing
It was generally agreed that processing offers the greatest
potential for effectively reducing or eliminating the
harshness/irritation problem. Key in this area is the
determination of process capability with the concomitant
establishment of targets and control limits for key process and
intermediate product parameters. Through the identification of
process capability, the group felt that the process could
potentially be manipulated or adjusted in a manner which would
allow for greater flexibility in being able to adjust the process
for desired smoking characteristics. Additionally, it was also
sighted that new processes and processing approaches may be
needed to achieve the desired level of specificity in terms of
targeting products for specific attributes as well as eliminating
irritation.
At present comprehensive action plans and programs are being
formulated to address these and other process related issues.
Cigarette Construction
In the area of cigarette construction, the group emphasized
the need to continue and to expand programs investigating the
effects of perforation type (EP, Micro-mechanical, etc.) and
location as it relates to the harshness problems. In conjunction
with this work, it was suggested that the delivery and effects of
gas phase components be thoroughly investigated to determine how
these components impact irritation. Additionally, new filter
materials, cigarette paper, as wellas modifications in the
burning characteristics of the tobacco column could serve to
reduce the level of harshness which is currently perceived in RJR
products.
Consumer Lan uage/Testing
There was unanimous agreement that a clear and concise
definition of harshness as it is perceived by the consumer is key
to any and all programs that are tailored to addressing the
harshness issue. Specifically, it is important to know and
understand where the consumer experiences the greatest degree of
irritation (nose, throat, mouth). Additionally, consumer data
suggests that there is an inter-relationship between harshness,
strength and tobacco taste. More importantly, these terms via
consumer data seem to be used interchangeably to describe certain
sensations and tastes experienced during the smoking experience.
Given this, it may be necessary to develop and define new
consumer language to circumvent the above problem of attribute
overlap.
Key to all work in this area is the establishment of a
definitive link between external (NFO) and internal (SED) panels
given the manner and flow regarding how these panels are used in
the development and identification of viable prototypes.
Additionally, issues such as cork vs. white (WINSTON Lts.,
CAMELS Lts., vs. Marlboro Lts.) must be recognized and understood
in terms of the role that cork plays in setting up psychological
perceptions of harshness and strength in blind consumer testing
among white tipped smokers.
Sumr.ary
The harshness problem which effects 24% of the Company's
product volume can be addressed from many different perspectives
and approaches. The five areas sighted in this report are the
areas that the participants felt where improvements could be made
and realized.
By far, processing seems to be the most viable area for
realizing long term and real improvement in moving the Company's
products toward a smoother and less irritating delivery.
Recognizing that there may be some overlap and inter-
relationship between harshness, tobacco taste, and strength, it
will be necessary to definitively determine this relationship via
the consumer. Equally important to this process will be the
esta.blishment of a language link between the SED panels and the
MDD consumer panels.
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ROBERT . MeCARTHY
RFM/cac
cc: Dr. G. R. DiMarco
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