RJ Reynolds and Camel Cigarettes: Trend Influence Marketing

CONFIDENTIAL Internal Report
Date: April 14, 1994

 
Summary of Image Text
Report Cover
Camel: Trend Influence Marketign Program
Prepared for RJ Reynolds Tobacco Co.
by KBA -- stamped CONFIDENTIAL
[click on image to enlarge to full size -- 16K]


 
Summary of Image Text
Page One
Saturday night scenario... Lisa is looking to bum a cigarette
She asks the bartender, he produces a Camel and a silver Zippo lighter
Lisa thanks the bartender and leaves a hefty tip. Everybody's happy...
[click on image to enlarge to full size -- 9K]


 
Summary of Image Text
Page Two
Trend Influence Marketing (TIM) defined
Shoving products in the face of the consumer is no longer the successful way to market
"Hipsters" ride the crest of cool
TIM is conducted underground
[click on image to enlarge to full size -- 20K]


 
Summary of Image Text
Page Three
To reach the "hipsters" we must "speak their language, dress their dress, and walk their walk."
We will recruit "our field marketing staff from the 'inside'"
All TIM efforts will be reinforced by savvy, localized alternative media campaigns
[click on image to enlarge to full size -- 13K]


 
Summary of Image Text
Page Four
Program defined
Program has been developed to be accepted freely by venues, management and employees with which we seek to align Camel
The objective is to have "hipsters" feel as though smoking Camel is their idea, that they started the trend
[click on image to enlarge to full size -- 19K]


 
Summary of Image Text
Page Five
The crux of Tier Two is "to convert the bar staff to Camel."
We will develop relationships with these employees, "always tip well at the bar (very important!) an occasionally schmooze the employees with other Camel gifts..."
[click on image to enlarge to full size -- 18K]


 
Summary of Image Text
Page Six
About Nightclub Promoters
"Where promoters are self-financed, our financial support in the form of printing reinbursements and premium giveaway packages will win their loyalty with relative ease."
[click on image to enlarge to full size -- 19K]


 
Summary of Image Text
Page Seven
About Cigarette Distribution
"Another form of in-club cigarette retailing is over-the-bar sales of cigarettes. Again, the human element comes into play when the smoker bartender, alrady predisposed to Camel through our field marketing efforts, sells cigarettes over-the-bar. In cities where cigarettes cannot be sold over-the-bar, we can distribute complimentary Camel samples."
[click on image to enlarge to full size -- 21K]


 
Summary of Image Text
Page Eight
About Fashion Boutiques
"The most exciting aspect of this retail channel is that it raises the perceived value of the premium merchandixe that we use in our Camel Club marketing. It will, in essence, make our premium giveaway items hot commodities to both the consumer as well as club personnel."
[click on image to enlarge to full size -- 25K]


 

Summary of Image Text
Page Nine
About Camel Club Print Media Campaign
"There are many local, national and international newspapers and magazines that hipsters read to follow the trends. These media vehicles are a critical part of the network to help the spread of trends.
"These free periodicals are distributed at most trendy nighclubs and are found in the stores and coffeehouses that the club crowd frequents."
"Aligning Camel with certain publications by way of advertising lends immediate hip credibility to the brand."
[click on image to enlarge to full size -- 22K]

 

Click here to view pages 10-22
Click here to view pages 23-33

BACKGROUND NOTE: Today's document reveals a new marketing approach by RJ Reynolds called Trend Influence Marketing (TIM). TIM abandoned standard advertising campaigns and instead jumped directly into the arena of trying to "become the trend-maker." Reading this may forever change your perception of where and how advertising exists in your world. To give you an idea how TIM works, here are some quotes:

Introduction

  * Trend Influence Marketing (T.I.M.)

In today's over-saturated advertising assualt on the mind and senses of a cigarette smoker, it's hard for anyone to make a conscious decision for any product, new or old, repackaged or classic. How do we reach the hardened, twenty-something market-wary consumer?

Shoving products in the face of the consumer is no longer the successful way to infiltrate this market. Today's 'Generation X' consumer is most influenced by what he or she sees in the hands of friends, not by some stiff riding a horse in a magazine advertisement.

Hence the introduction of Trend Influence Marketing.

  * Trend Setting

Where are some of the most important trends started and who are the people that launch them? The answer is simple: trendy nightclubs and restaurants, hip retail stores, coffee houses and cafe's and the hip patrons that frequent them.

These "hipsters" entire social lives revolve around nightclubs, cafes, fashion and music. Every day these trendsetters ride the wave on the crest of cool. These are the people who start the trends. Music and fashion, amongst other trends, are made or broken by these few select people. Camel's goal of Trend Influence Marketing is to attract and convert smokers in the trend-setting urban sceene.

Using TIM, the trend setters we convert to Camel will influence other smokers to try Camel and actually help to build the Camel brand into a lasting trend.

  * Entering the Trend Setting Market

Camel will be the first cigarette to be strategically introduced into the trend setting arena...Currently, there is no single cigarette brand that people would declare 'hip' or 'trendy.' Marlboro exists at the top in this market because no other brand has seriously tried to knock it off...

Many products have tried to be 'trendy'. One thing to know about trend setting: the minute someone blatantly pushes 'trendy,' it's not. Trend Influence Marketing is underground. For this program to be executed properly, we as a marketing company will appear almost invisible. Nothing that takes place can appear sales-oriented and everything we do will be perceived as cool.

  * Influencing the Trend Setter

In order to acquire an open ear and to gain the respect of these trend setters, we will speak their language, dress their dress, and walk their walk.... We will project the proper image and approach to influence them. Using our nightclub experience combined with our marketing savvy and our numerous nationwide 'trendy' contacts, we can reach this group with confidence.

  * Cool by Association

TIM involved sending trendily-dressed, good-looking models into nightclubs to smoke Camels and hand them out to other club patrons, giving bartenders embroidered leather jackets, paying the club owner to install low-key camel paraphernalia, etc.

This document was a trial exhibit in the Mangini case (Mangini v. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, Civil Case No. 939359). You can read the entire document on the University of San Francisco web site: http://galen.library.ucsf.edu/tobacco/mangini/html/i/082/


Title: Trend Marketing Influence Program
Corporate Author: KBA
Date: April 14, 1994
Type of Document: Report
UCSF Beginning Document No. I000658
UCSF Ending Document No. I000690
Plaintiff's Beginning Bates No. Mezzina 025273
Plaintiff's Ending Bates No. Mezzina 025305
Source: Mangini v. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, Civil Case No. 939359
URL: http://galen.library.ucsf.edu/tobacco/mangini/html/i/082/index.html


tobacco freedom logo
home | Attorneys General MSA index | CCAA | Issues | about US

For questions about this Website, contact CyberSmooth at InfoImagination ©1999