ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, April 4, 1997 TAG: 9704040059
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-4 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: THE BOSTON GLOBE
The report also notes the importance of young people aged 16 to 21 who are in ``the formative years - smoking starts and brand preferences are developed.''
Consultants urged the the makers of Chesterfield and L&M cigarettes to target blacks and Hispanics with a ``racial slant'' in marketing efforts, new industry documents show.
The consultants also helped the Liggett Group design cigarette packs so that consumers could enjoy the ``ritual'' of smoking and avoid panicking about running out, according to papers obtained by The Boston Globe.
Another goal, according to the documents: redesigning the L&M pack ``so as to have more appeal to youth.''
The documents, which are part of thousands of papers released by Liggett as part of its historic settlement with 22 attorneys general suing the tobacco industry, give further indication of how cigarette makers targeted ethnic groups and young people, and had extensive appreciation of the role human behavior played in the consumption of their products.
``The Jewish population ... moves quickly to reflect current style trends,'' a 1963 report on packaging by the consulting firm Arthur D. Little states. ``The Spanish and Negro groups like to purchase only the best of everything - they are not looking for bargains. They can be reached successfully only by promotion that they understand, i.e. Negro salesman and media (but not exclusively). Menthol cigarettes seem to be going very well in this market.
``In the case of the Spanish and Negro markets, there must be a racial slant in the marketing efforts directed towards them,'' the report says.
The report lays out the basic marketing objectives as reaching ``male smokers aged 25 to 38; to appeal to young adult women; (and) not to alienate older smokers, both male and female.''
But the report also notes the importance of young people aged ``16 to 21'' who are in ``the formative years - smoking starts and brand preferences are developed.''
The report urges Liggett to change the packaging of its pipe tobacco so that ''it will get more business from younger people.''
And in a separate, undated document, the ``photo packaging modification objectives'' of the L&M brand are outlined: to ``make L&M picture packaging more masculine'' and to ``modify picture packaging so as to have more appeal to youth.''
The tobacco industry has consistently denied it targets young people. In its settlement, Liggett admitted that young people were in fact targeted, so they developed brand loyalty from the beginning.
The Arthur D. Little report also gives some insight into how cigarette makers appreciated the habit-forming nature of smoking.
``Ritual is a very strong part of cigarette smoking enjoyment,'' the report says.
LENGTH: Medium: 60 linesby CNB