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Finding the Kool Mixx: how Brown & Williamson used music marketing to sell cigarettes

Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, USA

Correspondence to:
Pamela M Ling
MD, MPH, 530 Parnassus, Suite 366, Box 1390, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143-1390, USA; pling{at}medicine.ucsf.edu

Objective: To describe the history of Kool’s music-themed promotions and analyse the role that music played in the promotion of the brand.

Methods: Analysis of previously secret tobacco industry documents, legal documents, and promotional materials.

Results: Brown & Williamson started Kool sponsorship of musical events in 1975 with Kool Jazz concerts. Music was considered to be an effective marketing tool because: (1) music helped consumers make emotional connections with the brand; (2) music concerts were effective for targeted marketing; (3) music tied together an integrated marketing campaign; and (4) music had potential to appeal widely to a young audience. Brown & Williamson’s first music campaigns successfully targeted young African-American male audiences. Subsequent campaigns were less effective, exploring different types of music to achieve a broader young adult appeal.

Conclusions: This case study suggests Brown & Williamson used music most successfully for targeted marketing, but they failed to develop a wider audience using music because their attempts lacked consistency with the Kool brand’s established identity. The 2004 "Kool Mixx" campaign both returned to Brown & Williamson’s historic practice targeting young African-American males, and also exploited a musical genre with much more potential to bring Kool more universal appeal, as hip-hop music is increasingly popular among diverse audiences. Tobacco control efforts led by African-American community activists to oppose these marketing strategies should continue; expanding these coalitions to include the hip-hop community may further increase their effectiveness.

Abbreviations: B&W, Brown & Williamson; KMDP, Kool Market Development Program; MSA, Master Settlement Agreement; NAATPN, National African American Tobacco Prevention Network

Keywords: tobacco; advertising; music; young adult; corporate documents

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