Friday 13 April 2012

Week 4: Documents of the Week

During the examination of Anthony Kalhok, who was vice-president of marketing for Imperial Tobacco in the 1970s, the following sets of documents were introduced as evidence.

Consumer Research on Canadian Smokers

Exhibit 145 
May 7, 1971
Fall 1970 - 8M French Quebec vs. rest of Canada
Results of the regular survey conducted by Canadian Facts on behalf of Imperial Tobacco reporting on the greater likelihood of Quebecers to smoke, and the different patterns of smoking according to education, sex and age between Quebec and elsewhere in Canada.

Exhibit 144:
Date: August 26, 1971
CMA - August Highlights
The polling study looked at public awareness of the brand association of Impeiral brands with sonsored activitie (ballet, golf and autoracing).

Exhibit 139A
Date: August 1975
Exact age started smoking on a regular basis.  CMA
Results of Imperial Tobacco's first analysis of youth smoking behaviours.

Exhibit 139
Date: September 1975
Smokers' starting ageMemo describing results of Exhibit 139A data.

Exhibit 127
March 1977
1977 - transparencies
Polling data showing trends since 1971 on smokers' beliefs about harms of smoking, intentions to quit and successful quitting.

Exhibit 130
June 1977
1977 Segmentation of the French and English Speaking Canadian cigarette markets.
A 161 page report on a study conducted by Market Facts by Imperial Tobacco that used psychographics to identify potential market opportunities for new brands.

Exhibit 142
September 1977
Project 16
Proposal by Kwechansky for focus group study on 16 and 17 year olds to understand their smoking behaviour.

Exhibit 142b
October 1977
Project 16 - English Youth111 page report on results of focus group studies on youth smoking behaviour conducted by Kwechansky Research.

Exhibit 143
April 1978
Smoking and Health. Low and high health concerned smokers.
Further analysis of the data from Exhibit 130, looking at the differences between smokers on the basis of their health concerns.

Product Development


Exhibit 136
Date: June 1972
Project "Gatwick"

Exhibit 138
Date: September 1972
Project Gatwick

A report on the development of a new Players brand that would respond to concerns about smoking and health by introducing a lower T&N cigarette which maintains "smoking satisfaction".  Extensive discussion about the constraints on marketing a "safer" cigarette.

Corporate Policy


Exhibit 113
March 1976
The effect of restrictions on current marketing and marketing in the futureA long analysis prepared by Tony Kalhok and PL Short for consideration at a top-level global meeting of BAT directors looking at the need to refocus marketing communication to provide a more supportive social atmosphere for smokers.

Exhibit 115
May 1976
A memo from PL Short proposing new lines of research and communications activities based on Exhibit 113.

Exhibit 116
May 1976
Minutes at an ITL meeting (among marketing, research, and public relations personnel) at which it was agreed to set up a task force to deal with a change in company policies in communicating smoking and health and adopting measures to increase social acceptability of smoking.

Exhibit 117
May 1976
Minutes of a meeting at ITL where it the paepr (Exhibit 113) was discussed and a number of factors describing the smoking environment agreed to. Recommendations agreed to included to "plan and implement a concerted program to counter adverse publicity."

Exhibit 118
May 1976
Smoking and Health - Some probable questions and possible answers
Talking points on questions involving health consequences of smoking.

Exhibit 120
July 1976
Visit to Southampton R&D by Messrs. Kalhok and ClarkTrip notes from a visit by ITL marketers to BAT's research unit, during which studies smoker behaviour were reveiwed, including compensation behaviours and  ways of designing cigarettes to give more nicotine.

Exhibit 121
July 1976
Cigarettes of the FutureMemo from ITL's director of research to Mr. Kalhok to which a scientific report (by MAH Russell) on smoker compensation was attached.

Exhibit 123
August 1976
Marketing in the 80's: A review of strategies related to smoking and health
Planning notes for a marketing meeting (at Chelwood) which followed on from the meeting at which Exhibit 113 was discussed and agreed to

Exhibit 122
October 1976
Additional notes at Chelwood
Report on the meeting at Chelwood, noting conclusions on smoker compensation ("they puff harder, longer or more frequently"), smokers' need for nicotine, nicotine dependence and "addictive smokers".

Exhibit 124A
October 1976
Minutes concerning trip to Chelwood.
Report on decisions taken and recommendations made by marketers at the Chelwood 197 conference, with a focus on increased communications on smoking and health. These included recommendations to "identify the benefits fo smokign and to exploit these, both as a counter to anti-smoking influences and specifically as an aid in promoting smoking, if possible."

Exhibit 125A
February 1977
Smoking & Health: The Position of Imperial Tobacco
(Proosed) policy guidelines for ITL communications.

Exhibit 125B
February 1977
Position of Imperial Tobacco - An ExplanationAnnotation and explanation of policy guidelines in Exhibit 125A

Exhibit 125
March 1977
S&H - ITL Position Paper February (5R).
Letter from ITL scientist RM Gibb to colleague recommending a change in the position of the company outlinehd in Exhibit 125A in order to "have credibility in the eyes of reasonable, informed people."

Exhibit 128
March 1977
Initiating a proposed action plan (ITL S&H Position)Proposal that work to "counter anti-smoking activities" be conducted in-house at ITL, instead of delegated to the CTMC, including a detailed action plan.

Exhibit 133
April 1978
Smoking and Health - basic assumptionsAnthony Kalhok's opinion on the assumptions posited by BAT that, in his view, were most significant from a business perspective. "We will have to find ways and means to stall the implementaiton of the above or counteract their effects."


To access trial documents linked to this site:

The documents are on the web-site maintained by the Plaintiff's lawyers. To access them, it is necessary to gain entry to the web-site. Fortunately, this is easy to do.

Step 1: Click on: https://tobacco.asp.visard.ca

Step 2: Click on the blue bar on the splash-page "Acces direct a l'information/direct access to information" You will then be taken to the document data base.

Step 3: Return to this blog - and click on any links.