sample="quota" bates="2022196159" isource="pm" decade="1980" class="ni" date="19860307" THIS REPORT IS CONFIDENTIAL TO THE BUSINESS OF THE COMPANY: IT SHOULD BE CAREFULLY HANDLED, IS NOT TRANSFERABLE TO ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL, AND IS NOT TO BE PHOTOCOPIED. If the report has served its purpose and is no longer needed, please return it immediately to the Central File at the Research Center for record keeping purposes and destruction Accession Number: 86-076 Copy Number: Issued To: PHILIP MORRIS U.S.A. RESEARCH CENTER RICHMOND, VIRGINIA CHARGE NO. & TITLE: PROJECT 4015 - NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT TYPE REPORT: ANNUAL SEMIANNUAL COMPLETION SPECIAL DATE: MARCH 7, 1986 PERIOD COVERED: OCTOBER 1985 - JANUARY 1986 REPORT TITLE: 1985 FILTER FLARE-UP SURVEY BY BARBARA K. MULHERIN SUPERVISED BY WILLIE G. HOUCK, JR. APPROVED BY RICHARD P. HERETICK DISTRIBUTION L. R. Brown K. S. Burns R. D. Carpenter J. L. Charles W. E. Claflin A. H. Confer R. H. Cox F. L. Daylor W. L. Dunn R. N. Ferguson E. B. Fischer P. N. Gauvin W. A. Geiszler W. P. Hempfling R. P. Heretick K. S. Houghton S. A. Hutcheson R. M. Ikeda R. W. Jenkins J. A. Jones A. G. Kallianos A. J. Kassman G. D. Keritsis D. B. Knudson W. F. Kuhn C. R. Lambert, Jr. B. C. LaRoy A. C. Lilly K. M. Maloney M. A. Manzelli P. Martin H. M. Maxwell H. B. Merritt L. F. Meyer C. H. Rowe E. B. Sanders J. F. Sherwood R. G. Snow H. L. Spielberg J. N. Smith A. E. Stagg R. N. Thomson R. M. Waugh J. F. Whidby J. E. Wickham KEYWORDS: FILTER FLARE-UP, PM BRANDS, COMPETITIVE BRANDS, CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS FILTER FLARE-UP SURVEY ABSTRACT Results of the 1985 Filter Flare-up Survey are presented along with a historical overview of results from surveys conducted from 1982 through 1984. Customer complaints due to filter flare-up are reviewed for Philip Morris brands. I. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to survey Philip Morris brands and competitive brands for filter flare-up; and to present a historical overview of the results from the 1985 survey along with surveys conducted in 1982-1984. II. INTRODUCTION Filter flare-up surveys were initiated in 1982 following the introduction of B&H Deluxe Ultra Lights and the subsequent number of filter flare-up complaints by customers for this brand. A total of fifty brands were surveyed, followed by surveys in 1983 and 1984 of sixty-three and sixty-four brands, respectively. Due to the introduction of new brands and the interest in value entry/generic brands, the scope of the 1985 filter flare-up survey was expanded over previous surveys. III. FILTER FLARE-UP SURVEY - 1985 A total of eighty-four brands were tested for filter flare-up in the 1985 survey. The survey represents brands from the six major manufacturers of cigarettes; brands were obtained by Cigarette Testing as part of the normal CI pick-up. The distribution of brands by supplier is summarized in Table 1. TABLE 1 Flare-Up Survey - 1985 Manufacturer No. of Brands R. J. Reynolds 28 Philip Morris 24 Brown & Williamson 12 Lorillard 11 American 6 Liggett Group 3 IV. HISTORICAL OVERVIEW A. Philip Morris Brands Seventeen of twenty-four Philip Morris brands tested in 1985 had zero percent flare-up rates. Of those seventeen brands, six brands were new products or line extensions scheduled for test market during 1985 or early 1986. Four new brands which had filter flare-up rates over zero percent were Concord 85mm, nonmenthol/rich setting (1%), Players Lights 85mm, nonmenthol (1%), Cambridge Lights 85mm, nonmenthol (6%), and Cambridge Lights 100mm, nonmenthol (9%). In 1984, eight of the fourteen Philip Morris brands tested had zero percent flare-up. Of these same brands tested in 1985, Merit 85mm and 100mm and Marlboro Lights 85mm had flare-up rates of 2%, 1%, and 9%, respectively. Brands which entered the zero percent flare-up bracket in 1985 were Merit Ultra Lights 85mm (5%, 1984), Marlboro Lights Box (1%, 1984), and Merit Ultra Lights 85mm menthol (2%, 1984). The decrease in filter flare-up rates for most Philip Morris brands is a reflection of conversion and qualification of brands from GSR-156 tipping base sheet to Ecusta 30436 base sheet. Marlboro Lights 100mm was fully converted to Ecusta 30436 during the fourth quarter of 1985. Conversion of Marlboro Lights 85mm by all factories is scheduled for completion by the end of the first quarter of 1986. Following the conversion of Marlboro Lights 85mm, efforts will be directed at the conversion of cork-on-white brands (Cambridge Lights 85mm and 100mm - non-menthol, Merit Ultra Lights 85mm and 100mm - menthol and nonmenthol, and Merit 85mm and 100mm - menthol and nonmenthol). The zero percent flare-up rate seen in the 1985 survey for Merit Ultra Lights 85mm is not representative for a cork-on-white brand in comparison to earlier surveys. The lower rate may be due to tighter quality control of the tipping paper composition by the paper supplier. B. Competitive Brands Results from surveys for 1982 through 1985 are presented by manufacturer in Table 3 (R.J. Reynolds), Table 4 (Brown & Williamson), Table 5 (Lorillard), and Table 6 (American and Ligget Group). In the 1985 survey thirteen of the seventeen brands with filter flare-up rates greater than two percent were competitive brands. Six brands were from Brown & Williamson (Viceroy 85mm and 100mm, Raleigh 85mm and 100mm, Richland 85mm, and Kool 100mm), four brands from R. J. Reynolds (Vantage 85mm and 100mm, Salem Lights 100mm, and Salem Ultra Lights 100mm), two from the Liggett Group (L&M 85mm and 100mm), and one brand from American (Pall Mall 100mm). Lorillard did not have any brands with flare-up rates over two percent; and except for Richland 85mm, which had not been tested previously, all of the mentioned brands had historically high flare-up rates. Brands which historically have gone from a flare-up rate greater than two percent to a zero percent flare-up rate are listed in Table 7. R. J. Reynolds and Lorillard have six brands each; American, two brands; and Brown & Williamson and Liggett Group, one each. Seven of these brands achieved zero percent flare-up between 1983 and 1984; eight achieved zero percent flare-up between 1984 and 1985. TABLE 7 Historical Overview of 0% Filter Flare-Up Competitive Brands Time Period Brand (Manufacturer) 1982 - 1983 Salem 85mm (RJR) 1983 - 1984 Vantage Ultra Lights 85mm (RJR) Now 100mm (RJR) Kent III 85mm (LOR) Kent Golden Lights 85mm (LOR) True 100mm (LOR) Carlton 100mm (AM) Lark 100mm (LG) 1984 - 1985 Bright 85mm (RJR) Vantage Ultra Lights 100mm (RJR) Camel Lights 100mm (RJR) Newport Lights 85mm (LOR) Kent III 100mm (LOR) Kent 100mm (LOR) Tareyton 100mm (AM) Belair 100mm (B&W) It appears that Lorillard and R. J. Reynolds are aware of filter flare-up and have made changes in their brands accordingly. Brown & Williamson, with the exception of Belair 100mm, does not appear to be responding to filter flare-up. During the time period 1983 to 1984, both Viceroy 85mm and Viceroy 100mm went from zero percent flare-up to flare-up rates ranging from sixteen to thirty-five percent. In 1985, Viceroy 85mm and 100mm, Raleigh 85mm and 100mm, Richland 85mm, and Kool 100mm represented six of seventeen brands with high flare-up rates. All of these brands use cork tipping. The composition of this tipping may be higher in iron oxide or other components which would contribute to larger amounts of acid insoluble ash. It is believed that larger amounts of acid insoluble ash enhance the frequency of filter flare-up via changes in coal porosity. Philip Morris brands use a cork tipping based on calcium carbonate which does not contribute to acid insoluble ash, and filter flare-up has not been a serious problem. Philip Morris formerly used cork tipping formulated with iron oxide but converted to the current formula along with electrostatic perforation. VI. CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS - PHILIP MORRIS The impact of filter flare-up on customer complaints for Philip Morris brands is shown in Table 8. In 1982 total customer complaints numbered 81.3 per billion sales units (CC/B). Filter flare-up complaints for 1982 were 1.08 per billion sales units (FF/B). By 1985, CC/B had decreased to 51.6 and FF/B had decreased to 0.16. Filter flare-up accounted for customer complaints of 1.33% in 1982 and 0.32% in 1985. Therefore, the impact of filter flare-up on total customer complaints has decreased at a greater rate than the decrease in total customer complaints. Philip Morris brands which had the greatest impact on filter flare-up were primarily B&H Deluxe Ultra Lights, Marlboro Lights, and Merit. As these brands are converted to tipping paper with a reduced flare-up rate the number of filter flare-up complaints should drop still lower. V. PLANS A 1986 filter flare-up survey is recommended. This survey should continue to emphasize testing of new brands, value entry brands, generic brands, and those brands which have a historically high rate of filter flare-up. The qualification and conversion of Philip Morris brands will be continued during 1986-1987, with the strongest emphasis being placed on the cork-on-white brands (Cambridge Lights, Merit, and Merit Ultra Lights). REFERENCES 1. Barbara Mulherin, memo to Ms. Judy Smith, 1985 Screening of Brands for Filter Flare-up, August 20, 1985. 2. B. K. Mulherin, memo to Mr. W. G. Houck, Filter Flare-up Testing - Concord, August 20, 1985. 3. Barabara Mulherin, memo to Mr. Willie Houck, Cambridge Lights Filter Flare-up Testing, January 9, 1986. 4. Kathleen W. Gunst, memo to Dr. Willard A. Geiszler, 1984 Screening of Brands for Filter Flare-up, June 7, 1984. 5. Kathleen Gunst and Barbara Mulherin, memo to Mr. Leo Myer, Filter Flare-up Complaints, June 4, 1985. 6. J. K. Brand and B. L. Shanks, memo to Ms. B. K. Mulherin, Filter Plug, Tipping, and Flare-up Complaints, January 6, 1986. 7. J. K. Brand, memo to Distribution, Consumer Complaint Analysis - Year of 1985, January 30, 1986. 8. Notebook 7927, Michael Mullins. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS A special acknowledgement goes to Mike Mullins who conducted flare-up testing on the brands survey in 1985. Liz Chambers and Ace Walker also helped by coordinating the selection of cigarettes for testing. Thanks also to Bill Greiszler who provided advice and technical guidance. 147.2/R1/2 -14-