In the eyes of global consumers, Marlboro is undoubtedly one of the most famous and attractive international brands. In terms of sales volume, the average consumption of Marlboro cigarettes per minute in the world is as high as 654.38+0 million! Whether you smoke or not, Marlboro's world image and charm will leave a deep impression on you and make you unforgettable all your life.
Probably no one would have thought that Marlboro cigarettes, which were popular all over the world, started as a small shop in 1854, was officially registered in the United States in the form of Marlboro in 1908, and Philip Morris Company was established in 19 19, and it was declared bankrupt in the 1940s.
In the early days of Marlboro's business, Marlboro's positioning was women's cigarettes, and the vast majority of consumers were women. Its advertising slogan is: as mild as the weather in May. However, contrary to expectations, although the number of smokers in the United States is increasing every year, the sales of Marlboro cigarettes have been flat. Ladies complain that the white holders of cigarettes will get their bright red lipstick, which is very unsightly. So Morris changed the cigarette holder to red. But none of this can save the fate of Ms. Marlboro's cigarettes. Morris Company finally stopped producing Marlboro cigarettes in the early 1940s.
After World War II, the number of smokers in the United States continued to increase. Marlboro brought the latest filter cigarettes back to the women's cigarette market, and launched three series: paperback cigarettes, white and red filter cigarettes and cigarettes advertised as "matching your lips and fingertips". At that time, the annual consumption of cigarettes in the United States reached 382 billion cigarettes, with an average of 2,262 cigarettes per consumer. However, the sales of Marlboro are still very poor, few smokers smoke Marlboro, and even people who know the brand are extremely limited.
Surgeon: Leo Bona
1954, Morris Company found Leo Bona, a very famous marketing planner at that time, and gave him this topic: How to make more women buy and consume Marlboro cigarettes?
Dialectical thinking on limited tasks
As a project organizer, Leo Boehner is faced with such resources: established Marlboro cigarette products, packaging and so on. At the same time, we are also faced with the task of making more women familiar with and love Marlboro cigarettes. Leo Boehner must find a way to accomplish such a task with such resources. How to solve this problem?
If Leo Boehner (meaning "if" here) is completely confined to the tasks and established resources put forward by Morris Company and follows the idea of expanding the market share of female cigarettes, then Marlboro, which is popular all over the world, will not appear in this economic world. Fortunately, Leo Boehner was not limited by tasks and resources, but dialectically thought about the topic given by Morris Company.
Bold transformation to achieve Marlboro
After in-depth analysis and careful consideration of the cigarette market, Leo Bona completely broke through the tasks and resources limited by Morris Company, and carried out a brand-new "transsexual operation" on Marlboro. He boldly proposed to Morris Company that Marlboro cigarettes should be changed into men's cigarettes and light cigarettes should be changed into heavy cigarettes, so as to increase the flavor content and boldly transform the image of Marlboro: the packaging adopted the first flat-open cover technology at that time, with red as the main color of the outer box. The major change in advertising is that women are no longer the main target of Marlboro cigarette advertising, and the masculinity of Marlboro cigarettes is repeatedly emphasized in advertising, with the cowboy in the western United States emitting rough, heroic and heroic spirit as the brand image, attracting all consumers who love, appreciate and pursue this masculinity.
This is by far the most successful and greatest marketing plan. Because Leo Boehner boldly planned to break through resources and tasks, the fate of Morris Company was completely changed. Marlboro's brand, marketing and advertising strategies are consistent with Leo.
The following year (1955) after Bona's planning idea changed, Marlboro cigarettes jumped to the position of 10 among American cigarette brands, and then soared all the way. Now Marlboro has become the second largest brand in the world after Coca-Cola, with a brand value as high as $50 billion.