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Excerpt from Tobacco Co. Memo Revealed At Trial

By AVIVA L. BRANDT, Associated Press [10/30/98]

R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. was envious of Philip Morris' domination of the youth market and designed a marketing strategy in the mid-1970s to try to increase its share, according to a secret document.

A January 1975 R.J. Reynolds memorandum, stamped secret, described the goals of a recommendation to expand the company's "Meet the Turk" ad campaign to increase its share of the young adult market, which it defined as the 14 to 24 age group.

The document was revealed Thursday in the trial pitting Washington state against the tobacco industry. R.J. Reynolds' Camel Filter brand was smoked primarily by people over 35, the memo said, and increasing its popularity among young smokers was key because they "represent tomorrow's cigarette business."

"While 'Meet the Turk' is designed to shift the brand's age profile to the younger age group, this won't come overnight. Patience, persistence and consistency will be needed," the memo said.

The state's lawsuit accuses seven tobacco companies of conspiring to violate antitrust and consumer protection laws, suppressing health research and manipulating nicotine levels. The state is seeking as much as $2.2 billion to reimburse Medicaid and other insurance costs related to illnesses caused by smoking.

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