Socially acceptable cigarette projects
| Company | Project title | Product (if developed) | Dates | Benefit and product innovations | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RJ Reynolds | Project CC151,152 | None | 1980–83 | Less sidestream smoke; used magnesium hydroxide treated (Ecusta) paper | Discontinued after found weak market potential, later transferred into new products division |
| Project RP | Now CC | 1983 | Less visible smoke and low tar; improved magnesium hydroxide (Ecusta) paper, special filtration system, new (less dense) tobacco sblend | Considered as Now line extension; terminated 1983 | |
| Project VRP151 | Vantage Excel | 1985–89 | Vantage Excel test markets 1989; discontinued 1990 | ||
| Project SRP | Salem Excel | 1991 | Retested in Project QC 1991 - poor potential | ||
| Project QC124 | |||||
| Project SPA94,119,153 | Premier KS | 1981–89 | “Smokeless”; does not burn tobacco | Test markets 1988, pulled in 1989 | |
| Unique fuel source, porous alumina granules carry tobacco extract, new papers developed | |||||
| Project XA121,131,154 | Winston/Salem line extension | 1990–92 | Less sidestream. Dual wrap system: tobacco paper inner wrap with Ecusta or aluminium alginate treated outer wrap. Tried alternate fillers to replace some tobacco, carbon or coal filters | Apparently discontinued after 1992 consumer tests | |
| Project SA (social accept)93,155 | Chelsea | 1989–90 | Pleasant aroma cigarette for women | Test markets 1989; discontinued 1990 | |
| Project TF (total female) | Ethyl vanillin glucose (EVG) applied to cigarette paper, spearmint pellets added, low sidestream papers tested | ||||
| Project FAT (fresh after taste) | |||||
| Project SC (socially conscious) | |||||
| Project PA (pleasant aroma)93,119,155 | Horizon | 1990–92 | Pleasant aroma; appeal to broader market than just young women. Increased EVG level, woodpulp cigarette paper | Test markets 1990; discontinued 1992 | |
| Project SS101 | “Prism” used as test name | 1993–94 | 50% less sidestream smoke. Concept testing only; no product tested | Tested in 1993; unclear if product went to market | |
| SIMOS156–159 | Salem Pianissimo | 1995–present | Less sidestream; used new “carbon scrubbing” filter (designed to reduce carcinogens), new tobacco blend with no burley tobacco, considered adding EVG and LSS paper, reduced tar | Launched in Japan 1995; still on market | |
| PRISM I and PRISM II (Process Resulting In Successful Market share)160–164 | Eclipse | 1992–present | Less sidestream smoke, less odour, safer | First test markets in 1994; subsequent tests through 1998; national distribution 2003 | |
| New filters, tar modification, new tobacco blend with no burley tobacco, inert fillers. Eventually developed engineered product with heat source assembly, substrate, tobacco roll, new filters, papers | |||||
| Philip Morris | Project Laslo127,165–168 | Merit LS Ambassador | 1986, 1992–95 | Less sidestream: treated paper | Consumer testing 1986 never went to market. Tested again 1992–95; not launched |
| B&H Less Visible Smoke and Select Thins169–173 | Benson & Hedges LVS | 1986–1988 | Low sidestream; smaller circumference, low sidestream paper | Consumer and advertising tests; test market planned for October 1988. No subsequent documents | |
| Virginia Slims Superslims94,174 | Virginia Slims Superslims | 1989–present | 70% less sidestream; two ply cigarette paper using Kimberly Clark low sidestream paper with various additives, acid coating, modified inner liners, smaller circumference | Launched without test market 1989 | |
| Project Ambrosia I175–177 | Sienna | 1988–90 | Pleasant aroma; similar to VS Superslims added vanillin compounds (Aromatek 245, 100, others) to adhesive, paper coating | Tested as response to Chelsea; put on hold when Chelsea was discontinued | |
| Project Stealth (aka Ambrosia II)178–180 | Vista | 1990–92 | Pleasant aroma, low odour, low smoke. Added vanillin (Aromatek 245, CR 2858) compounds to new low sidestream paper | Tested as response to Horizon; never went to market. Horizon was discontinued 1992 | |
| Project Nectar (also part of Ambrosia II)181,182 | Monterey Vista | 1991–1992 | Pleasant aroma; added vanillin | Direct response to Horizon; Horizon discontinued 1992 | |
| Project Beta111,112,183–185 | Accord | 1992–present | Electric smoking device reducing sidestream, no ashes, less odour. | Testing reportedly started 1992; consumer tests announced publicly 1998. Test market September 1998. Available in limited markets | |
| Project Gamma115–117 | 1996–99 | Smoking device that burns tobacco slowly, later changed to cigarette sleeve (porous tube) to reduce smoke | Developed as a response to Eclipse 1996. Unable to find documents after 1999 | ||
| British American Tobacco | Project VISA97,186–191 | Visa/Capri | 1984–87 | Low smoke, for women. Smaller circumference; considered using low sidestream (coated) paper but taste unacceptable | Eventually chose to emphasise femininity and not low smoke, launched as Capri 1987 |
| 1987–89 | Project VISA revived in late 1987 after Passport failed; research done on low sidestream but no product went to market | ||||
| Project Trout/Eel192–194 | Trend/Breeze | 1982–86 | Low sidestream; cigarette paper treated to be slow burning, shorter rod length, magnesium oxide or chalk filler in Ecusta papers | Did not find enough consumer demand or acceptable product. Partially continued as part of project LESS | |
| Project Polka195,196 | Trend/Breeze | 1985 | Low sidestream; new cigarette paper “Du Maudit DAC” and different tobacco blend | Same as project Trout, but for Finland. Consumer testing disappointing; no product went to market | |
| Project Greendot197,198; also project NOVA | 1988–90 | Low tar, normal nicotine, less sidestream. Modified cigarette that still burned tobacco. Tried new tobacco blends, sheets containing tobacco, other materials. Added humectants, new filters, low sidestream papers. | Tar and nicotine was main focus. Project terminated; not innovative enough | ||
| Project Airbus197,198 | 1987–89 | “Smokeless” device similar to Premier that heated but did not burn tobacco. Explored “Ellis design”; series of concentric tubes and nicotine aerosol. Experiments with new flavours, heating devices, substrate materials | Answer to Premier; terminated after Premier failed | ||
| Project LESS199–201 | 1985–92 | Less sidestream – reduce circumference, reduce amount of tobacco (use fillers or dilute tobacco with inorganics), slow burning papers, add odour masking agents | Consumer and product tests completed; project transferred to Barclay (Project Nero) | ||
| Project Nero147,202–205 | Barclay Ultra, Barclay Vision | 1992–96 | Less sidestream; low tar cigarette with reduced weight tobacco rod, slow burning low sidestream paper, and new dual filter | Consumer tests in Finland and Switzerland completed; not currently on the market | |
| Rothmans | Passport94,119,151 | Passport | 1984 | Less sidestream; used Ecusta low sidestream paper | Test marketed in Ontario, Canada 1984. No repeat purchase; pulled |
| Claremont206,207 | Claremont | 1994–95 | Less sidestream; Ecusta low sidestream paper, flavour added, longer filter | Introduced in Switzerland; withdrawn | |
| Lorillard | NSS208–210 | 1980–81, 1988 | Less sidestream; double wrapped paper, Ecusta magnesium hydroxide papers. Later added glucosides to papers and charcoal Filtrona filters | Concept and focus group testing; no product went to market | |
| Advanced | Favor211–214 | Favor | 1985–86 | “Smokeless” ; did not burn or contain tobacco. Cork tipped polymer tube packed with nicotine soaked material, flavouring | Introduced in Austin, Texas, expanded to seven states, poor sales, withdrawn. FDA considered it a drug delivery device |