Dr. Bernd Schweitzer
Vorsitzender des Vorstandes der B -A-T
Cigarettenfabriken GrrLbH. 6A~
~AT
2 ;- g 35
Mr. U. Herter, B-A-T Industries p.l.c.
Mr. D.P. Allvey, B-A-T Industries p.l.c.
Mr. R.J. Pritchard, Brown Williamson Tobacco Corp.
Mr. T.E. Sandefur, Brown Williamson Tobacco Corp.
Mr. B.D. Bramley, British-American Tobacco Co.Ltd.
Mr. A.M. de Castro, Souza Cruz
Mr. D. Brown, Imperial Tobacco Ltd. IREC
18 th September 1992
-A.
Dear David,
WT-BORO Pan-EtiroDean Studv
Please find enclosed the report on MARLBORO as
discussed
in the TSG's in February and September 1992.
This report is an executive summary only. More
details
for the countries mentioned in the report are
available
in the market research departments of BATCF or
BATCO upon
request.
With best regards,
Yours sincerely,
Dr. Bernd Schweitzer
Encl.
BODM32
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TSG REPORT
HARLBORO PAN-EUROPEAN STUDY
August 1992
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1. OBJECTIVE
Assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of
Marlborc
KE with specific reference to izs advertising and
the
rcle of the cowboy as a central motif.
2. bMTHOD
1 C. countries were-included in t-*-e study and a
common
methodology was applied in each case. Countries
investigated were: France, Germany, Greece,
Holland,
I:aly, Spain, Switzerland, Hungary, Poland, Russia
010scow).
I= each country six extended qualitative group
discussions were held (average duration 2 %
hours).
The constitution of the groups was designed to
allow
ccatrast and comparison of
a) regular smokers of Marlboro versus smokers of
alternate International FF Brands and
b) younger versus older smokers US-24 / 25-30
years).
The fieldwork was conducted in june and July 1992.
A!-' locations were invigilated by Rob Ferris (BAT
Co.)
and Rainer Wernitz (B-A-T CF).
3. ?--ORTING
Fu:ly detailed reports to a com=cn format are
available for each country involved in the study.
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4. SUMMARY STRENGTVS / WEAKNESSES ANALYSIS
Strengths
Marlboro is the international
brand, big and ubiquitous. It is
the most American of the inter-
national brands
Weaknesses
iThe monolithic nature of the bran--'
brings associated fears of aggressi7e
cultural chauvinism and "the big
American capitalist machine". There
is a fear of national values be-'.-.g
debased by American values.
social assurance comes from be- A mass brand is
seen as contrary t:;
longing to the smoking nejority the spirit of
individualism. It can
be seen as mindless and stereotypical
Quality assurance comes from the
idea that "so many people can'
be wrong" and is supported by
actual perception of good quality
Primary theme,of freedom, inde-
pendence and male competance is
still contemporary, its consis-
tency is reassuring in a
changing world
While the theme is powerful, the
execution is becoming vulnerable.
The cowboy is increasingly anachro-
nistic. the rigid consistency of
images is boring and there is growing
disillusionment with the American
dream.
The advertising evokes direct Notwithstanding the
power of direct
emotion and vicarious sensory emotional appeal,
the contemporary
pleasure. It engages the gut trend in ad
preference is toward
more than the mind additional elements of
humour,irony
and intelligence, which are notably
absent in Marlboro ads
The advertising has motivational While these
motives are powerful the
sophistication, it focuses on vehicle is
vulnerable. The cowboy is
reward upon completion of a task an unrealistic
clich6 (like a male
and the experience of partici- model). His heroic
aspect is often
pating in a group with a common undermined by the
perception that he
aim is a solitary rural worker
The craftmanship of ad execution
is universally admired
The cowboy and F1 sponsorship
synergise on the theme of power
and vitality. Fl contemporises
Marlboro and defers the clear
need to update the cowboys'
historic/mythical status
The synergy of cowboy and F1 themes
is typically not perceived by females.
F1 can only temporarily defer the
accelerating perception that the
cowboy is anachronistic and displays
exaggerated machismo
In the East, Marlboro is the At a latent level,
the capitalistic
symbol of all that is good in values represented
by Marlboro create
the West. Its perception is ambivalence. This is
exascerbated by
money and prestige (rather than the association of
the brand with
advertising) driven opportunistic black-marketeers
011
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3
5. TOPLINE FINDINGS
a) General issues
Marlboro has become the archetvPal symbol of the
International c4-crarette cc.-nmodit.1
Characteristicall'y Marlboro is referred to in
terms
of a small clique of similarly dominant brands of
their class e.g. Coca Cola, Ray Bans and Levi's.
In some cases consumers use the word Marlboro
as a slang for a cigarette. The brand is typically
taken to be a yard stick against which other FF
brands are compared (irrespective of whether this
comparison is positive or negative). Marlboro
segregates from other International brands by
being the most overtly American.
The ubicuitous Presence of Marlboro relieves the
consumer of the uncertainties of brand choice and
Provides social and aualitv reassurance
The practical fact that Marlboro is more readily
available wherever you are, makes it a convenient
brand.By the same token the continued
reinforcement
of its social presence reassures the smoker of its
broad acceptance. The fact and perception that
ON
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4
Marlboro is the number one selling brand implies
an inbuilt guarantee z.iaz the product is of
highest
people can't be wrong").
quality ("So many
?erceived product performance in fact appears to
support this.
Consistency of the Marlboro Theme is Dositivelv
endorsed. Consistency of execution is showina
clear evidence of wear out
The underlying themes represented by Marlboro
(e.g. - freedom, independence, open spaces)
create a general empathy which still strikes
a note in the modern world. Marlboro's consistant
projection of such values is a great strength,
however, the vehicle through which this is done is
beginning to lack a contemporary relevance.
The cowboy is a summarisincT motif of "American
values"
He is a concentrated symbol out of which people
can immediately unpack a complex set of
associations. By using him, Marlboro capitalises
on
the historical investment in selling the American
dream of freedom and independence via Western
(cowboy)-films. This investment appears to be
reaching the end of its life cycle as Europeans
begin to adopt a more realistic perception of
contemporary America.
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5
For the younger generation the cowboy is becoming
an anachronism, increasingly isolated, not adapted
to todays society, incapable of change and
potentially-a target for ridicule.
Marlboro nroduces ambivalent consumer reaction on
the issue of conformity versus individuality
By definition, to smoke Marlboro is an act of
conformity. It reduces the scope for expression
of individuality and differentiation from others
(in fact competing International brands find
success in their promotion of individuality e.g.
Camel). Nevertheless, conformity in relation to
Marlboro is still positively interpreted in terms
of the common sense in going with the biggest and
the best.
Even thoucrh the advertisinq is universally
verceived as a clich6, consumers do not readily
imacrine alternate avvroaches and acceDt the
continuation of the clich6 as sulDnortina the key
brand motif of continuity, tradition, securitv
and authenticity
The paradox for Marlboro is that consumers
typically consider the cowboy to be boring, worn
out, outdated and going nowhere. But at the same
time there is an acknowledgement that to change
will undermine the very theme that he stands for
(e.g. stability in a changing world).
r1 Q
Url
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6
- Marlboro advertisinc with the cowbov is
beainninc
tD show a mismatch with contemporarr e=ectations
of advertisina
Marlboro is firmly locked into the gravitational
force of the cowboy which is its traditional
strength. There is clear evidence in Europe of the
emergence of a consumer trend desiring advertising
of a more intelligent, humorous, ironic and
playful
style. This was evident in references to other
commodity advertising and also, in relation to
cigarettes, the Silk Cut and Lucky Strike (sonst
nichts) campaigns.
IrresDective of brand lovalty, consumers can
universallv acknowledae the comretence of imaqe
craftsmanshiv renresented bv Marlboro ads
The outstanding aesthetics and filming execution
together with the music in Marlboro films and ads
receives a general approval and promotes vicarious
pleasure, irrespective of whether the viewer
identifies with the brand. Consumer reactions
indicate that these ads convey a strong mood/
emotion in addition to the rational message.
C-D
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Marlboro advertisina involves the consumer at the
direct behavioural level and not sinolv in ter-is
of rational appeal
The advertising is motivationally sophisticated,
it links smoking to a reward on completing a task,
to participating in a group which has a common
aim and a hedonic world populated by rich flavours
and textures which the brand seeks to own.
Top of mind associations with Marlboro are
aenerallv Positive, but in-depth Probina does
reveal a neaative undercurrent
At the subconscious level, Marlboro has a dark
side
represented by fears of American Imperialism,
erosion of national values, aggressive capitalism,
male dominance and extreme right wing values. Even
the cowboy can be associated with the idea of
suppression of nature and the native American
Indian. The brand is sometimes associated at
rumour
level with KU KLUX KLAN affiliation.
b) Specific results from subarouiDs
- Countries
The countries in the study fell naturally into a
Western/Eastern division in terms of sharply
contrasted perspectives of Marlboro. In the East
(Hungary, Poland, Russia) Marlboro enjoys the
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8
the possession of money, notably in Moscow, is as
likely to be associated with illegitimate sources
(black marketeers) as it is with legitimate
businessmen, b) the cowboy can contradict the
status of high prestige, guaranteed Western-style
quality and the association with businessmen and
other influential parties. This is specifically
money-driven given the significant price
differential of the brand. The potential role of
advertising (which has relatively good awareness)
is insignificant compared to the power of this
variable.
The downside of Marlboro in the East is a) that
prestige image through beeing seen as an
incongruous rural worker and c) the Americanism of
the brand can invite local ambivalence regarding
the negative features of capitalism which is still
a residual concern in these markets.
Within the Western markets, attitudes reflect
material economic development. The trend is from
less developed markets (Greece, Italy) where the
perception of Marlboro is accepting, uncritical
and highly aspirational, to the more developed
markets (Germany, Switzerland, Holland) where the
brand get its strength from being perceived as the
brand for everyone (the contrary of exclusivity).
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9
T-n these latter markets however, considerably
more
cynicism applies to the core values represented
(A.mericanism, capitalism, materialism).
Gender
Given the apparent.dynamism, aggression and
machismo
of Marlboro it is perhaps surprising to note the
substantial representation of female franchise.
The study reveals two bases of explanation a)
females are passive in early brand choice,
typically
sharing the brand of their partners/social peers
b) the ubiquity and normality of Marlboro is
appealing because it does not provoke strong
differentiation from the group and females in
general favour social conformity.
Ace
The relatively younger consumers are clearly more
advertising literate and accordingly influenced.
While the older smokers effectively dismiss the
advertising as irrelevant to a habit
which is by now seen as rational/taste quality
driven, the younger smokers are still inclined to
be
aware and critical of the growing anachronistic
nature of Marlboro advertising. There is an
opportunity with these smokers to promote the more
contemporary advertising lexicon of intelligence,
irony and humour.
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10
- Smokers and non-smokers of Marlboro
Quite simply, Marlboro smokers of whatever age
behave as per the description of the older smokers
in the foregoing section. Marlboro smokers
typically
rationalize their brand choice in terms of taste
quality and convenient availability. Their
attitudes
to Marlboro advertising are not significantly more
positive than the Non-Marlboro smokers.
c) Supplementary issue
Sponsorship
in the eyes of the consumer, Marlboro sponsorship
(notally Fl) is a compensating function bringing
some of the brand values into the contemporary
arena. We know that the cowboy draws strength from
his mystical symbolic status as an archetype of a
free, independent and powerful culture, but this
archetype is beginning to lose relevance and
appears to be incapable of contemporising without
loss of credibility. The significance of Fl is
that it allows the cowboy to remain untampered and
seperately brings in up to date images of power,
success and dynamism. At the same time, Fl diverts
the clear Americanism of the cowboy to a more
truly international theme and from a historical
mysticism theme to a more realistic representation
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of todays values. :n essence the Fl-sponsarship
has a strong synergistic relationship to the
cowboy.
This was very well felt and understood by male
respondents,-females in contrast have problems
perceiving this linkage. In the less economically
developed markets Fl is apparently more
influential, possibly related to the history of
low level above line advertising in such markets.
6. CONCLUDING COMENT
The themes represented by Marlboro retain popular
relevance, but the execution is in trouble. Having
ridden to glory on the back of the cowboy (a ready
made American Myth), Marlboro is now saddled with
a
stubborn anachronistic clich6. As with all Western
films the cowboy cannot don a business suit and go
to
the city, he has to stay as he is, an increasing
loner.
The cowboy is further trapped by the changes in ad
preference toward desire for intelligence, humour
and
irony, all of which are directly contrary to his
basic, serious and heroic nature. The abortive
"Red
is Marlboro and Marlboro is Red" and the temporary
fix
of Fl sponsorship indicate that Philip Morris
recognize this dilemma. Marlboro smokers and non-
smokers alike increasingly see the cowboy as a
boring
clich6.
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Mr. Dr. Schweitzer
--------------------
~P-4JV--E7U.Ra~P-E'AJV .57W.D-Y
on the basis of discussions with Mr. Harter the
following
allocation of costs has been agreed:
COUNTRY COST COST
(DM) ALLOCATION
Germany 41.400,- B-A-T CF
Italy 27.783,-
Greece 19.0001-
Moscow 30.400,-
Poland 29.200,-
147.783,-
Switzerland 54.929,15 BAT CO
Holland 35.235,32
Hungary 17.400,-
Spain 32.050,53
139.615,-
France 22.864,- B&W
25.292,45
48.156,45
Total 335.554,45
This breakdown will be provided to Financial
Department
in order to recover costs accordingly.
M-, 27/08/92
W/Za
cc
"BAT Industries document for Province of British
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