RJ Reynolds
Philip Morris, Incorporated, -Vs- J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. The Deposition of John Howard Benson.
Fields
- Site
- Rjri
- Law
- Alias
- CN 74CIV2395
- Type
- DEPOSITION
- Date Loaded
- 27 Feb 1998
- Box
- Rjr4108
- Request
- 19970311
- Letter
- Minnesota
- Request
- Letter
- Author
- Benson, J.H.
- Unk
- UCSF Legacy ID
- dko78d00
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Examination. - By Mr. Boal
t+1ITNES S
JOHN HOWARD BENSON
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APPEARANCES;
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Mr, Anthony= L: -.gletcher~ : and .
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&++y.nr+rprl nn heh9.7 f nf the Plainta.ff 2
Mr, Timothy C. Quinn,* Jr, ~
(Co~ibojl;:` Be~itt, O'Brien
& Boardman)
20 Exehanae Plaza
New York, New York 10005

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(Witness duly sworn.)
JOHN HOWARD BENSOPi,
called as a witness hereino.having been first duly
sworn, was examined and testified as follows:
Q
Q
BOALs Would you,swear the witness, please?
.~:-- .
EXAMINATION
By hSr. Boal s
What is your name?
John Benson.
Is that your full name?
A Correct.
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Q
No middle name?
Howard, `;
Okay.' - What is your home address,
}4r. Benson?
A 774 Pleasant Avenue, Highland parkt
Illinois,
Q How Ylong have- you been working_ for Lea
Burnett?
A Twenty-one years.
Q Were you working for Leo Burnett before
Philip 'Morris became . a client?
A Correct.
Q Do you work on Philip Morris advertising
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Q
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That would have,been in 1955.
And what was the nature of that ad?
As I recall, it was a man in a tuxedo.
And how long was the man in-the tuxedo used
A Well, it was one of many. I t° was used f or
an insertion.
Q There were several different types of ads
used to broaden the appeal of Marlboro, is that
correct?
A Correct.
Q Could you name a few of the others?
A Amateur radio operator; a sports announcer
are two that come to mind,
Q Did there come a time when these other
vehicles -.- if I can use that term -- were dropped?
A Yes, in 1963.
Q What happened in 1963?
A The advertising was changed.
Q And what was it changed to?
A Changed to the exclusive use of cowboys.
Q And has that been true from that date to
today?
A Correct.
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Q Does any other.cigarette manufacturer use

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Correct; -.. : :.-:
-- for Philip Morris?
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Leo Lurnett did not promote the
sale of
any other Philip Morris brands at that time, did'
they?
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A Correct.
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Q. Was there ari effort to create a new image
for Marlbbro at that time -= which appears to be
1955?
There was an effort to broaden the appeal
of the brand.
Q Could you elaborate on that?
A The Marlboro brand on sale prior to our
getting the assignment was a very limited specialty
brand bein g sold, as I understood it, primarily
only in the East.
Q
Higher priced luxury cigarette?
Correct.
More appeal to females than males?
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Correc't. This advertising was designed --
to broaden the appeal to more smokers was the.reason
for this advertising. _
Q And more male smokers?
A
Not necessarily, but to appeal just to more w

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What were the meetings.about?
The meetings were about the launching of
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Marlboro hights,
Q Did you participate in any way in the
selection of "Marlboro Lights" as the designation for
this new product? A No, I didn't-participate, I participated
in meetings., but not in decision-making.
Q You participated in meetings in which dis-
cussion was had of Marlboro Lights as a possible
candidate for the brand designation?
A I tm trying to think.
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If I recall correctly, prior to my parti-
cipating in a meeting, I think the name had been
agreed upon. However, there might have been another
name under consideration.
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LTN"?
How about "Marlboro LTN"?
Correct. _
what was your attitude towards "Marlboro
A I didn 't have a point of view on it.
Q Did you have a point of view.on "Marlboro
Lights"?
A No, I did not.
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Correct, -,:.I think you have a thirty-second
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story board in there.
Q Thirty-second story board?
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A Yes, wasntt there?
Q A11 right, ;
I have here another group of ads whi.ch haa
been identified in Mr. Morgan's deposition
as
Exhibit 1, and ask you if you are familiar with that
advertising?
(Witness examining documents.)
THE WITNESS ; I'm only familiar with one of the
ads.
By Mr. Boal;
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Q
A This one (indicating).
Q Thatts 1C. Is that the advertising which
was used to promote Marlboro about the time that they
changed agencies?
A That I don't know.
Q But you do remember that ad?
A I have seen that one proof once before, I
don't know when"it rari,,
Q Okay. Is Exhibit 23 sheet one the first L,
print ad prepared by Leo Burnett --
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Which 'one is that? =
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..._I4arlboro. franchise to. low.tar.. and nicotine cigarettes?
Not that,I could specifically identify.
You hadn't run any studies on that?
No.
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Was there at that time increas-ed consumption
tar and nicotine cigarettes?'
Are you referring to 1971 1?
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Yes, I am.
A I cantt answer that question specifically.
I don't recall the status of the low tar market at
that time.
Q Do you recall any concern for possible
increase in taxation for cigarettes having higher
tar and nicotine- numbers?
A ' No, sir,
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Q You have no recollection?
A No, sir, Q Was that ever mentioned in any of.the
meetings that you attended?
A No,
Q Was there ever, prior to mid-1971, any
consideration in. coming out with a lowered tar and
J 23 1 nicotine version of Marlboro?
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A To my knowledge, no.
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smokers.
Q
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Was it successful?
Yes.
Do you recall any change in share of market
in Marlboro during that time, 1955?
A Tto, I don't specifically.
Q But it was_an increase?
A Yes.
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Q And what was the concept used to make the
broader appeal --- was
a broader appeal?
there a concept used to make
A Well, there wasn't a concept used. The
idea was to present the brand in such a manner as to
be more appealing to more people.
Q And how was that done?
A Well, one of the devices was the use of a
cowboy in the initial ad.
Q Has the use of a cowboy been continuous
ever since 1955?
A No.
Q Did there come a time that Philip Morris
stopped using a cowboy to promote 2iarlboro?.
A The second ad was not a cowboy.
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Q The second ad?. When was that?

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-Arid for"how long have you worked on it?
Twenty years,
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Okay. Have you worked on Philip.Morris
advertising from the inception of-the relationship
between Philip Morris and Leo Burnett?
A Correct.
Q We have here a group of advertisements
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that have been copied from an exhibit-in another
litigation matter which has been prepared by
Mr, Fletcher, and {t was previously identified in
the deposition of Mr. James Morgan as Defendants'
Morgan Exhibit Number 2. and I would ask you to look
at this collection of advertising. Can you identify
that advertising?
(Witness examining document.)
THE WITNESS: Yes, I could identify that.
By Mr. Boal:
Q Has a13l of this advertising been prepared
by Leo Burnett for Philip Morris Company?
A Correct,
Q And it was all placed in print advertising N
of various kinds? ~
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