From: anne@tobaccodocuments.org
Date: Thu, 07/17/08
Posting Date: July 17, 2008
Kool Isn't Getting the Starters/236.
Date: 17 Feb 1987
Length: 5 pages
Bates No. 620307825/7829
URL of this Posting: http://tobaccodocuments.org/landman/1448163.html
URL of Document: http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/wks03f00
This Brown & Williamson document from 1987 discusses creating a new
menthol product that will attract beginning smokers, or "starters."
It shows that tobacco companies add a low level of menthol flavor to
cigarettes to cover up some of the tobacco taste and make smoke less
harsh, which makes cigarettes more palatable to beginning smokers.
It also says new starters are already familiar with what menthol
tastes like, "vis-a-vis candy." The author, D.V. Cantrell of B&W's
Research, Development and Engineering Department writes,
"First, let's consider which smoking attributes are important to a
beginning smoker. Based on my own initial smoking experiences and
comments from other smokers about their early smoking experiences,
the attributes are: 2. low tobacco taste (this is an acquired taste
with use), low impact and irritation (a strong smoke is intolerable),
low tobacco aftertaste (heavy, dirty taste is intolerable), and 4. if
it's a menthol product, it should have a low amount. ... Menthol
brands have been said to be good starter products because new smokers
appear to know that menthol covers up some of the tobacco taste and
they already know what menthol tastes like, vis-a-vis candy. The
level of menthol is the product is, however, critical. A product
having a moderate to high menthol taste will usually be rejected by
starters, while the same level will be quite acceptable to
established menthol smokers."
Notes: Additional reading
Kreslake JM, Wayne GF, Alpert HR, Koh HK, Connolly GN. Tobacco
industry control of menthol in cigarettes and targeting of
adolescents and young adults. American Journal of Public Health 2008.
Further Quotes (for context)
This memo addresses the fact that KOOL is no longer attracting new
smokers (further referred to as "starters"), a product-related reason
which possibly explains this position, and suggestions to correct
this problem. Switching data (waves 32-40, attached) clearly show
that KOOL KS and 100 are not attracting their fair share of starters.
Newport, on the other hand, is performing above its fair share.
Besides the differences in packaging and marketing between KOOL and
Newport, one basic product difference exists which can possibly
explain part of the reason for KOOL's disparity among starters.
Basically, it is that KOOL's menthol level is too high for
starters...from a product recipe standpoint, I can understand why
possibly KOOL KS and 100s are no longer considered to be acceptable
starter products. First, let's consider which smoking attributes are
important to a beginning smoker. Based on my own initial smoking
experiences and comments from other smokers about their early smoking
experiences, the attributes are: 2. low tobacco taste (this is an
acquired taste with use), low impact and irritation (a strong smoke
is intolerable), low tobacco aftertaste (heavy, dirty taste is
intolerable), and 4. if it's a menthol product, it should have a low
amount. Menthol brands have been said to be good starter products
because new smokers appear to know that menthol covers up some of the
tobacco taste and they already know what menthol tastes like, vis-a-
vis candy. The level of menthol in the product is, however, critical.
A product having a moderate to high menthol taste will usually be
rejected by starters, while the same level will be quite acceptable
to established menthol smokers. Indeed, this is the dilemma which
KOOL KS and 100s face today.
Company
Brown & Williamson
Author
Cantrell-D
Brown & Williamson
Recipient
Macdonald-I
Brown & Williamson
Region
United States
Litigation
10004026
Type
Memo
Correspondence
Subject
Menthol
Menthol
youth initiation
----------------------------
Anne Landman
TobaccoWiki Editor
Center for Media and Democracy
anne@sourcewatch.org
(970) 216-9842 Cell
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