Cigarette Market Structure and Brand Leverage Study Management Presentation

Cigarette Market Structure and Brand Leverage Study Management Presentation

This 1985 marketing document prepared for Philip Morris International (PMI) reports on the results of interviews with West German smokers. It frequently employs the phrase "young adults," but respondents to the interviews were as young as 16 years old. The document discusses the need to create "youthful" brands for "entry level smokers" in Germany. Pg. 247 (Bates No. 2501027765) says the "current positioning of Marlboro Lights/Lights 100s is somewhat disturbing" because it appeals to "feminine" and "health conscious smokers." It laments that this positioning could "potentially weaken the masculine image of Marlboro," and discusses re-positioning the brand for "health conscious/sports conscious smokers, i.e, promoted by tennis players, hikers, etc."

Page 249 (Bates No. 2501027767) highlights the importance of vending machines as a source of cigarettes for young smokers, saying "Vending machines are a very important sales outlet, particularly for young smokers." It further suggests that "Marlboro should therefore keep flexibility in pricing and number of sticks offered in order to continue to compete effectively in the vending machine for the younger market..."

A section titled "A Younger Cigarette Brand" (Page 250, Bates No. 2501027768) also worries about the erosion of Marlboro's appeal to "very young smokers" and proposes a remedy for the problem:

"There is some evidence that as the Marlboro franchise grows...its specific appeal to very young smokers may lessen. There could be a significant opportunity for a new young masculine full flavor cigarette that provides an image of easy carefree living."

Organizational Author: Norsearch, International Date: 	19850700 (July, 1985) Type: 	Market Research Report containing tables, charts and graphs Bates No. 2501027519/7770 URL: http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/nxj49e00