What to Respect About Camel Cigarettes: Enhance and Expand Your Product Line
March 5, 2009
Camel, the cigarette maker, has been doing some interesting things with their product line lately. They are really pushing the envelope and, dare I say, innovating. Those not addicted to tobacco may not even have noticed but over the last year or so they’ve been shaking things up. Other cigarette makers seem content with the tried and true products – “ultra light,” “light,” “full flavor,” and maybe a “menthol” for variety. For an industry that generally seems content with kicking back and letting the money roll in, Camel is really standing out.
For instance, Camel has created a cigarette that, by squeezing on the filter, switches from a regular cigarette to a menthol. You literally decide at any moment you’d rather be smoking a menthol, and, with an audible “Snap!,” you get instant minty coolness.
Camel has also released a tobacco product that isn’t even a cigarette! Camel is leveraging their brand recognition and branching out into entirely new territory. They are now selling snus, a smokeless tobacco product that is popular in Europe that does not require spitting. Now, tobacco brands don’t do this. Skoal, Copehagen, etc. have their smokeless tobacco and Marlboro, Winston, etc. make their cigarettes. Camel is marketing snus as something to use when you can’t smoke. “Enjoy tobacco anytime.”
No matter how much you dislike the tobacco industry, there are quite a few things to respect in what Camel is doing in terms of their product line (please pay attention to that statement, I am not endorsing the products or company or giving my approval, simply noting that to learn from what they are doing and admire in how they are doing it…. in light of that fact that many companies fail to).
Courage
For one thing, it takes courage to branch out and begin making new products when for almost 100 years you’ve only sold one thing (since 1913 to be exact!). Many, many companies don’t have that audacity. Hell, most companies don’t even have the audacity to seriously consider such a drastic move. It helps that Camel has so much money to toy with… but still… there is something to admire there.
Attentiveness
It takes a high level of attentiveness to listen to your market and then develop a product that seems outlandish. Few companies have their ear low enough to the ground to listen to their market, let alone act on what they are asking for with an idea that seems to be walking a thin line between innovative and silly. A cigarette that changes flavors? Seems silly but some “regular” smokers do smoke the occasional menthol just for variety, or only when drinking, etc. I’m sure this isn’t an idea a high level executive had while puffing away on his yacht, this is something Camel would only learn about by keeping their ears open and really considering the feedback they were getting.
Creativity
They are showing creativity in how they are solving the problems of their market. A smoker not being able to smoke for hours is like having a slowly intensifying itch that you are unable to scratch. Now there is a product that scratches that itch indoors, on planes, at work, etc. Not only is there no smoke, but there is no gross spitting as is required with other smokeless tobacco products such as dip and chew. This is a textbook example of creating a product the market wants: “You have this problem, we have the solution.”
Intelligence
It is smart of them to leverage the brand recognition of one offering to enter new territory. Especially with tobacco, there is brand loyalty. You won’t find too many smokers who change brands willy nilly. Further, this is a smart thing to do during a recession – to offer more products and options, to push into new niches, and give customers solutions to real problems.
While other companies are hunkering down, reducing budgets, trimming fat, and all that other “prepare for the worst” recession knee jerking, Camel is leading an industry. No matter how corrupt and despicable that industry is, we need to give credit where credit is due and emulate them if we can… let’s just hope your product doesn’t kill millions of people.
What to Respect About Camel Cigarettes: Enhance and Expand Your Product Line
March 5, 2009
Camel, the cigarette maker, has been doing some interesting things with their product line lately. They are really pushing the envelope and, dare I say, innovating. Those not addicted to tobacco may not even have noticed but over the last year or so they’ve been shaking things up. Other cigarette makers seem content with the tried and true products – “ultra light,” “light,” “full flavor,” and maybe a “menthol” for variety. For an industry that generally seems content with kicking back and letting the money roll in, Camel is really standing out.
For instance, Camel has created a cigarette that, by squeezing on the filter, switches from a regular cigarette to a menthol. You literally decide at any moment you’d rather be smoking a menthol, and, with an audible “Snap!,” you get instant minty coolness.
Camel has also released a tobacco product that isn’t even a cigarette! Camel is leveraging their brand recognition and branching out into entirely new territory. They are now selling snus, a smokeless tobacco product that is popular in Europe that does not require spitting. Now, tobacco brands don’t do this. Skoal, Copehagen, etc. have their smokeless tobacco and Marlboro, Winston, etc. make their cigarettes. Camel is marketing snus as something to use when you can’t smoke. “Enjoy tobacco anytime.”
No matter how much you dislike the tobacco industry, there are quite a few things to respect in what Camel is doing in terms of their product line (please pay attention to that statement, I am not endorsing the products or company or giving my approval, simply noting that to learn from what they are doing and admire in how they are doing it…. in light of that fact that many companies fail to).
Courage
For one thing, it takes courage to branch out and begin making new products when for almost 100 years you’ve only sold one thing (since 1913 to be exact!). Many, many companies don’t have that audacity. Hell, most companies don’t even have the audacity to seriously consider such a drastic move. It helps that Camel has so much money to toy with… but still… there is something to admire there.
Attentiveness
It takes a high level of attentiveness to listen to your market and then develop a product that seems outlandish. Few companies have their ear low enough to the ground to listen to their market, let alone act on what they are asking for with an idea that seems to be walking a thin line between innovative and silly. A cigarette that changes flavors? Seems silly but some “regular” smokers do smoke the occasional menthol just for variety, or only when drinking, etc. I’m sure this isn’t an idea a high level executive had while puffing away on his yacht, this is something Camel would only learn about by keeping their ears open and really considering the feedback they were getting.
Creativity
They are showing creativity in how they are solving the problems of their market. A smoker not being able to smoke for hours is like having a slowly intensifying itch that you are unable to scratch. Now there is a product that scratches that itch indoors, on planes, at work, etc. Not only is there no smoke, but there is no gross spitting as is required with other smokeless tobacco products such as dip and chew. This is a textbook example of creating a product the market wants: “You have this problem, we have the solution.”
Intelligence
It is smart of them to leverage the brand recognition of one offering to enter new territory. Especially with tobacco, there is brand loyalty. You won’t find too many smokers who change brands willy nilly. Further, this is a smart thing to do during a recession – to offer more products and options, to push into new niches, and give customers solutions to real problems.
While other companies are hunkering down, reducing budgets, trimming fat, and all that other “prepare for the worst” recession knee jerking, Camel is leading an industry. No matter how corrupt and despicable that industry is, we need to give credit where credit is due and emulate them if we can… let’s just hope your product doesn’t kill millions of people.
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Tagged as: camel, cigarettes, courage, Marketing, product line