Cigarette makers switch to colors as new cigarette names

Published on November 30, 2009 8:53 AM

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If you are accustomed to selecting lighter cigarettes, according to the term “Lights” on the pack, you will be surprised to find out that the number of brands with such varieties dropped significantly. But, don’t think that these brands were phased out from production. No, just look more carefully, and you will find well-known blue packs of Pall Mall lights, but with new name – Pall Mall Blue. Other brands, subject to regrinding include Salem and Kool.

Making use of pastel colors that can be associated with lighter cigarettes, the major cigarette manufacturers, including Reynolds American have opted for well-known color-use marketing strategy, shortly after the landmark Tobacco Control Act had been adopted in July, banning such terms as “light” and “ultra-light”.

The color strategy is a long-known and easy as ABS technique of associating particular concepts with colors to provoke associative thinking in smokers when they correlate strength of cigarettes to a certain color.

But, the move couldn’t remain unnoticed by ubiquitous anti-smoking organizations, who opposed the switch to color and nicknames to denominate cigarettes, and said that by using such terms cigarette giants flout particular provisions of Tobacco Control Act which provided the Food and Drug Administration with the authority to regulate tobacco products, among which was the ban on marketing particular type of cigarettes as healthier ones. The ban becomes valid on June 22, 2010.

Reynolds American, second-largest tobacco company in the nation and manufacturer of Camel, Winston, Pall Mall, Salem, Kool and many other tobacco products, rejected the accusations in the infringement of the Tobacco Control Act and explained that modifications in the namings of their products raised from the necessity to help smokers find their favorite smokes among the large assortment presented in the stores.

Nevertheless, anti-smoking advocates claim they have already seen identical modifications in the countries where terms “light” and “ultra light” have already been banned. Surveys carried out in the United Kingdom and Canada, concluded that smokers related such names as “gold”, “blue”, “white” and other, to less strong cigarettes.

According to the FDA press-release, the agency is going to review the labeling regulations to in order to include the color use in the denominations of particular cigarettes in the ban when it comes into force next summer.

Reynolds American spokesman said that the FDA should provide the tobacco companies with an opportunity to give various names for their products, since those products differ between each other.

The Camel-maker marketing experts interviewed smokers to learn their preferences regarding the future names and exterior design for their brands. The new names were arranged according to the results of that survey, with modified packs of Salem and Pall Mall cigarettes already hitting shelves of the specialized stores and new packs of flagship Camel and Winston brands will be re-introduced to the market later in 2009.

Philip Morris USA, the leading tobacco company in the nation, admitted they would focus on changing the names of their products next year, but denied any details.