Altria's development of an integrated marketing campaign for Black & Mild

Audience: Tobacco control researchers, local and national tobacco control advocates, and others interested in tobacco industry marketing practices. Key Points: - The use of little cigars and cigarillos (narrow, mid-size cigars) is a growing public health concern, especially as many have fruit and candy flavors that appeal to youth. From 1995 to 2008, sales of cigarillos increased by 255% (to 3.8 billion units). - In November, 2007, Altria Group purchased John Middleton, Inc. for $2.9 billion, acquiring the valuable Black & Mild cigarillo brand. - The case-study of Black & Mild is useful in understanding how Altria creates a state-of-the-art integrated marketing campaign for a newly-acquired tobacco product line. - Prior to 2007, marketing for Black & Mild cigarillos was primarily limited to simple point-of-purchase promotions. The brand had no Internet presence. - Since 2007, our analysis of print, media, and trade materials shows dramatic and broad marketing changes and expansions including: creation of a highly-interactive and social-community-based website, new cigarillo flavors, product diversification to compete with the niche markets of competitors, package and logo re-designs, new in-store signage, and new contests and pricing promotions. Educational Experience: The presentation will use visual examples of marketing materials, graphic analytical information, and written conclusions. Benefits: This case study shows the ways in which a major tobacco company expands marketing and grows a brand for a newly-acquired product line. Advocates can use these findings to push for increasing marketing restrictions on cigarillo products, especially a ban on fruit and candy flavors.