FOREWORD
Background
It has been a number of years since any intensive
research has been
undertaken on the menthol market. Activity in
other segments of the
cigarette market has meant, in effect, that the 2
Cameo entries have
been largely ignored and virtually unsupported.
Perhaps partly because
of this, the menthol sector is experiencing
marginal declines annually,
and certainly (at less than 7% of the market) has
not enjoyed the rapid
growth experienced by U.S. menthols (now
approaching a share of 30%).
Cameo and Cameo Extra Mild neglect the lower end
of the T & N scale.
At 17 and 11 milligrams of tar respectively, they
have nothing to offer
the 3 to 4 to 5 milligram menthol smoker or,
indeed, the regular 3 to 5
milligram smoker to whom a menthol presents an
increasingly attractive
alternative.
Cameo could simply spawn a third entry in the
lighter sector. It could
be recognizably a Cameo, obviously flighter% with
the Cameo imprint
clearly in evidence and all that this
signals---both positive and negative.
It could elect to remain with 2 brands, but to
flighten' CEM both
technically and perceptually. It could "sponsor" a
totally new brand-
Brand X by Cameo, in effect. Or ITL could launch a
different light
menthol totally unrelated to Cameo.
A further dimension to the flavoured segment could
be added by intro-
ducing other flavour notes: spearmint, for
instance.
Before pursuing any of these avenues too far, it
was decided "to review
the entire menthol market in some detail. What ore
current perceptions
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and attitudes? From a consumer's point of view,
where are the 2 Cameos
today? How do they relate to competitive brands2
What is the wmeaningu
of menthol? What is its role?
This volume reviews the results of the first phase
of this undertaking.
Objectives
The essential objective is to investigate what
amounts to all aspects of
the menthol market-first on a qualitative basis,
later on a broader
quantitative basis. A detaiied listing of the
specific topics to be
addressed can be found in the several briefing and
review documents
put together by ITL as background for this
research. They will not
be repeated here. (A copy of the "Discussion
Outline" in the
Appendix itemizes these same topics and
questions.)
Methodology
In total, 7 group discussions were conducted-3 in
London, 4 in
Saskatoon. The groups were screened to m t the
criteria set out
below:
London
Monday, Males 18-34 years
June 21 6:00 p.m. Potential and occasional users
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Monday,
June 21 8: 00 P.M.
Tuesday,
June 22 9:30 a.m.
Mixed males/females
25-50 years
Over 11 mg. (12+) menthol smokers
Users
Females 25-50 years
Mixed T/N menthols smokers
- emphasis under 12 mg.
Users
Scskotoon
Wednesday,
June 23 6: 00 p.m.
Wednesday,
June 23 8 P.M.
Thursday,
June 24 9: 30 a. m.
Thursday,
June 24 1: 30 p.m.
Males I B-50
Mixed T/N smokers
Users
Females 25 & under
11 mg. menthol smokers only
Users
Females
Under 25 years
Potential and Occasional users
Females
25-50 years
Potential and occasional users
With some (inevitable) exceptions, the criteria
were met reasonably well.
Most groups consisted of 7 to 10 participants, but
one of the London
sessions, a morning one, proceeded with only 3
respondents. ' (Ironically,
it proved to be one of the more productive
discussions.)
As part of the procedure, respondents were given
the opportunity
toward the end of each discussion of smoking a
spearmint-flavoured
cigarette.
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19 April 1999


As mentioned earlier, a copy of the discussion
outline appears as an
Appendix to this report. Coloured photos of 2
prototype brands are
included as well (Cameo Super Ught and Cameo
Avanti).
The Findings
The findings are presented in the following pages
under two main
headings:
1. A Brief Overview
2. The Findings in Detail
The reader is reminded that 7 group discussions
does not constitute
a quantitative study. These findings should be
viewed as directional
only: essentially hypotheses or insights which
require validation in a
larger investigation.
July 12th, 1982 THE CREATIVE RESEARCH GROUP
Study No. 609-82Q Umited
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A BRIEF OVERVIEW
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A BRIEF OVERVIEW
Menthol
Conversion to menthol seems to be circumstantial
rather than
deliberate: borrowing a friend's menthol, trying a
package during
a cold and staying with it afterwards. Rarely do
people make a
specific 'a priori decision to switch to a menthol
cigarette.
Once having made the commitment, however, it seems
to be an
unusually strong one. -Even when they try, as they
sometimes do,
they typically are not oble to revert to a
non-menthol brand.
It is the cooling effect which constitutes the
major attraction, this
and the concomitant reduction in both harshness
and tobacco taste.
The actual menthol flavour, while pleasant, is not
itself a signifi-
cant reward.
At a deeper level of consciousness, there seems
little doubt that
smoking menthols functions also as a guilt-reducir
Since it successfully alters the total smoking
expi
its own kind of "filter', as it were, it manages i
measure to subtly disguise the sin.
Some smokers go further, ascribing medicinal p
mentholation.
Current menthol users are either happy with their
present levels
of mentholation, or would welcome a heightened
impact.
Non-menthol smokers express mild interest in a
very lightly
mentholated product. C:>
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BATCo document for Province of British Columbia 19
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A BRIEF OVERVIEW
Menthol
Conversion to menthol seems to be circumstantial
rather than
deliberate: borrowing a friend's menthol, trying a
package during
a cold and staying with it afterwards. Rarely do
people make a
specific "a priori decision to switch to a menthol
cigarette.
Once having made the commitment, however, it seems
to be an
unusually strong one. 'Even when they try, as they
sometimes do,
they typically are not obie to revert to a
non-menthol brand.
It is the cooling effect which constitutes the
major attraction, this
and the concomitant reduction in both harshness
and tobacco taste.
The actual menthol flavour, while pleasant, is not
itself a signifi-
cant reward.
At a deeper level of consciousness, there seems
little doubt that
smoking menthols functions also as a
guilt-reducing mechanism.
Since it successfully alters the total smoking
experience, providing
its own kind of "filter", as it were, it manages
in some small
measure to subtly disguise the sin.
Some smokers go further, ascribing medicinal
properties to the
mentholation.
Current menthol users are either happy with their
present levels
of mentholation, or would welcome a heightened
impact.
Non-menthol smokers express mild interest in a
very lightly
mentholated product.
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The Cameo Family
This research confirms that Cameo and CEM.
whatever their former
merits, are currently perceived as part of the
uestablishmentu-
behind the times, that is. This image is generated
largely by 'the
packaging, considered to be unimaginative, dull,
and old-fashioned.
It also makes a distinctly feminine statement.
Cameo itself is known to be a "strong" menthol
cigarette. But
because the segment is a whole tends to be
perceived as "milderu
(than regulars), Cameo is actually thought of a
lower in T & N
than is, in fact, the case. The same is true of
Cameo Extra Mild.
Thus, to introduce a new, still lighter Cameo
would seem im-
practical. And to further 'tighten" CEM would seem
risky.
Moreover, any new Cameo, or for that matter, any
Cameo-sponsored
brand is not an attractive prospect to the
non-Cameo smoker.
Cameo Avonti & Cameo Super Light
Both of these prototypes illustrate clearly the
constraining in-
fluence of the Cameo name t lease insofar as
broadening the
menthol market is concerned.
Cameo Avanti, however, provides useful insight
into what ran be
accomplished potentially'with a dramatically
different packag e.
Although this particular execution is not without
its problems, the
concept of a radical departure Is well worth
pursuing--but not with
a Cameo affiliation.
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Other Flavours
Flavours other than menthol generate polite
interest, in concept.
An actual spearmint product, however, achieves
wide support,
some of it quite enthusiastic.
Flavour alternatives, Including spearmint, should
be pursued
further.
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13 ATCO document for Province of British Columbia
19 April 1999