sample="quota" bates="2047422826" isource="pm" decade="1980" class="ui" date="19850618" PHILIP MORRIS U.S.A. MARKETING RESEARCH DEPARTMENT REPORT MRD # 85023 DATED: June 18, 1985 WRITTEN BY: Jerry Isaacs SUBJECT: HTI Test of Production Rio 85mm Menthol (Cork Filter) Versus Production Salem 85mm (White Filter) (Project #5540/10090) OVERVIEW The Salem King smokers in this test significantly preferred their own brand - Salem King (white filter) (57%) to production Rio King (cork filter) (43%). Qualitatively, Salem was perceived to have "more taste" "better taste", "better aftertaste", "a better menthol taste", and to be "cooler smoking". Distribution W. I. Campbell F. Daylor (Richmond) R. Filzmaurice T. Goodale N. Hausermann (Richmond) C. Levy (Richmond L. Meyer (Richmond) K. Miller F. Resnik R. Seligman (Richmond) M. Serrano J. Spector M. Suter J. Zoler FILE: RIO HTI TEST OF PRODUCTION RIO 85mm MENTHOL (Cork Filter) VERSUS PRODUCTION SLAME 85mm (White Filter) BACKGROUND The objective of this test was to determine consumer acceptability of Production Rio 85mm Menthol (cork filter) relative to Salem 85mm (white filter). This study was conducted in conjunction with HTI 5541/10091, Rio 85mm with a white filter vs Salem 85mm (white filter). The two cigarettes differed as shown on the attached analytical sheet (Appendix A). This test was conducted via mall placement/telephone questionnaire among Salem 85mm smokers. All of these smokers were pre-screened before the test. All products were tested "blind" in plain white, coded packages (Appendix B). A scalar paired comparison ballot was used for this test (Appendix C). All results were balanced for order of trial. FINDINGS Salem 85mm Smokers 1. The Salem King smokers in this test significantly preferred (at the 95% level) their own brand - Salem (white-filter) (57%) to Production Rio (cork-filter) (43%). This preference is traceable to women smokers who significantly preferred the white tipped Salem. (See Table 1) 2. The average overall ratings assigned by these smokers on a "1" (worst) to "7" (best) scale are consistent with the overall preference vote in that Salem (White) (4.30) was rated significantly (at the 95% level) higher than the Rio (Cork) (3.84). (See Table 1) 3. A review of the remaining qualitative information (Average Ratings - Table 2; Reasons For Preference - Table 3; Dislikes - Table 4; and Likes - Table 5) indicates that these Salem King smokers perceived their own brand to have more taste, better taste, better aftertaste, a better menthol taste, and to be cooler smoking.