Pack of cigarettes evolution. Part 1

December 20, 2010

Tobacco Companies experience more and more difficulties in cigarettes' advertising. They have to direct a lot of efforts on product's transformation.

Belgian Johan Vandermeulen came as trainee to British American Tobacco (BAT) office 18 years ago, right after Institute (according to first education he is an engineer, later he got education in marketing). Five years ago, while being global brand manager of Kent brand in London he has invented conception of Kent Nanotek cigarettes: black pack, almost twice thinner than usual, inside it cigarettes that have 7 mm in diameter instead of 5 mm. After successful launch of Kent Nanotek cigarettes, Johan's career went into overdrive. In position of executive director in Turkey he administrated integration process of state tobacco Company Tekel in BAT's business structure (Tekel acquisition cost BAT 1.72 billiard USD).

BAT is the second tobacco Company is the world, its turnover in 2009 was 16.2 billions USD. Like all other tobacco Companies, BAT lives in conditions of reducing marketing opportunities: cigarettes advertising is restricted in majority of countries. That is why for cigarettes' manufacturers new formats, flavors and technologies creation is almost the only way to attract attention on their products.

How to modify such standard product as cigarettes? Vandermeulen advises to look around more attentive. It has become his habit when visiting supermarket to study any novelties, trace change of demand in car industry, sale of expensive clothes and even jewellery. Idea of Kent Nanotek appeared in 2006 from analyses of consumers' behavior changes. One of tendencies is miniaturization: computers, telephones, data carriers became thinner and thinner. The second trend, as Johan says, is return to vogue for black color. It has been noticeable after sales of expensive cars, bank cards and club cards of airlines. In design of cigarettes black color wasn’t used almost at all.