Daily Doc: RJR, 1983: RJR's Project YAX: Well-being in a Cigarette
Daily Doc: RJR's Project YAX: Well-being in a Cigarette
Title: RJR Project YAX Premise and Hypothesis Statements
RJR, 1983
Bates #: 502761709 -1714
January 4, 2000
This R.J. Reynolds document shows the psychological scrutiny that tobacco marketing departments give the psychological needs of young adults, and how these companies target a cigarette brand's imagery to the deep-seated psychological needs of that segment of the population. Note how RJR preys on young adults' emotional needs for belonging, closeness, financial security and well-being:
"A brand that stands for serenity via tranquil/majestic settings will be perceived by younger adult smokers as contributing to their sense of well-being....A brand that stands for the joy, closeness, and sense of belonging of male/female relationships via intimate and/or romantic situations will be perceived by younger adult smokers as contributing to their sense of well-being....A brand that stands for the openness and sense of belonging of friendships via close, interpersonal situations will be perceived by younger adult smokers as contributing to their sense of well-being...A brand that stands for financial security via achievable wealth-oriented imagery will be perceived by younger adults as contributing to their sense of well-being..."So we see that RJR strove to encourage young adults to derive a sense of well-being, joy, closeness and serenity...from cigarettes -- a product which would ultimately addict and kill them.
YAX is RJR's inside-term for "young adult smoker brand." YAX was the working name for a project to develop a new brand whose marketing was to rival Marlboro's popularity among the young. The new brand was to have extra sweetness and smoothness to make it attractive to YAX. At both Philip Morris and R.J. Reynolds, young adult male smokers are referred to as YAMS and young adult females are called YAFS. Apparently, in the cigarette world, YAMS + YAFS = YAX.
CITATION
Title: RJR Project YAX Premise and Hypothesis Statements
Type of Document: Report
Author: N/A
Recipient: N/A
Date: 19830000
Site: R.J. Reynolds Document Site http://www.rjrtdocs.com/
Page Count 6
Bates No. 502761709 -1714
URL: The RJR site does not support transfer of URL's. To find this document, go to the RJR site and enter as "Quick Search" criteria the phrase "YAX" (without quotation marks). Go to document # 25 on the search returned.
Litigation Usage: None yet
Found Using Search Criteria: "YAX" on the RJR site
QUOTES
PREMISE: A brand that helps provide the younger adult smoker with peace of mind and a sense of well-being by representing appealing forms of escape.
POSITIONING HYPOTHESIS: A brand that stands for serenity via tranquil/majestic settings will be perceived by younger adult smokers as contributing to their sense of well-being.
A brand that stands for the joy, closeness, and sense of belonging of male/female relationships via intimate and/or romantic situations will be perceived by younger adult smokers as contributing to their sense of well-being.
A brand that stands for the openness and sense of belonging of friendships via close, interpersonal situations will be perceived by younger adult smokers as contributing to their sense of well-being.
A brand that stands for financial security via achievable wealth-oriented imagery will be perceived by younger adults as contributing to their sense of well-being.
A brand that stands for good times and belonging via fun, group situations will be perceived by younger adult smokers as contributing to their sense of well-being.
...PROJECT YAX IDENTIFICATION REFLECTION
BENEFITS
Peace of mind
Fantasy pursuit
Dream of future
Analyze past
Problem solving
Why? What if? Who?
Self understanding
Thinks things through
Let mind wander
Mental preparedness
Quiet
Loneliness/Aloneness
Peace
Relaxation
Inner Strength, confidence, composure
Inner calm
POSITIONING HYPOTHESIS:
A brand that stands for mental preparedness and inner calm via scenes of goal-driven persons in solitary repose will be perceived by younger adult smokers as contributing to their sense of well-being.
BENEFITS
Thrills, risk, danger
Stimulation
Mental absorption/consumption
New Experiences
Challenges
Mindless/concentrating without thinking
Accomplishment
Escapism
Intoxication, high, adrenalin rush
Excitement
Freedom/Independence
Impetuous
Take it as it comes/planned
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