SnusCIA Brief: General Going After Camel Frost

FROM:  SnusCENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY               * Intelligence Briefing for 21 March 2009 *

CATEGORY: Unconfirmed Intel from credible source

General Snus to Target Camel Frost………

A credible source in Sweden who had done too many portions of Ekstra Sterk let slip to one of our sources that Swedish Match’s pilot program to destroy Camel Frost SNUS was so successful that they have authorized a new marketing program to directly compete against Camel SNUS; specifically Frost.

General Mini Mint, originally brought into the USA under the radar as a Catch product, will be renamed and re-branded with completely new packaging as General SNUS Ice Frost.  Clandestine consumer focus groups were launched across America 6 months ago, according to this source, and concluded that over 92% of current Camel Frost users would switch from Camel Frost to the current General Mini Mint based purely on taste and longevity.

Swedish Match plans to capitalize on the current Camel SNUS advertising and brand awareness by the repackage and renaming of Mini Mint to General SNUS Ice Frost.  Source could not give an exact release date but stated that graphics and package design had already been finalized.  The product could be introduced into the US market via current US distribution outlets including Red Man and Grizzly retail convenience stores plus internet sales by Swedish Match directly and their Authorized E-tailers as early as June 2009.

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CATEGORY: Rumor from credible source/Speculative analysis by SnusCIA Field Officer

JTI To Begin Selling Camel SNUS in Scandinavia?

The following is a redacted report from SnusCIA Sweden:

I spoke via XXXXXXXXX  today with my XXXXXXXX contact in Stockholm.  XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX is quite happy with their results.  I was also told to “expect something soon” in Sweden from JTI. I would think there will be a Swedish Camel snus on the horizon.  And that would make life complicated for your readers, and give you lots to write about ;-).  They redesigned Gustavus and LD, but as they are back down around 2% share, they have to do something to justify the Vargarda factory.

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CATEGORY: Speculative analysis by SnusCIA Field Officer

UPDATE:  JTI To Begin Selling Camel SNUS in Scandinavia?

The following is a redacted report from SnusCIA Sweden:

I have confirmation of sorts that JTI is looking into launching Camel snus in Scandinavia.

A source of mine at JTI XXXXXXXXXXXXXX who is XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX, requested my US I.D. and password for the US Camel site “as a favor” as it’s only available to US citizens. XXXXXXXXXXX and XXXXXXXXXXX wanted to poke around and see how it’s being promoted Stateside.

I freely gave it to XXXXXXXXXXX as per your instructions, so it will be interesting to see what they do with it.  Guaranteed, it will be geared toward Scandinavians taste-wise, and will annoy RJR to no end when cans begin showing up here in the USA.

JTI moves slowly, but I’ll see if I can’t glean something of interest from XXXXXXXXX or XXXXXXXXXX in terms of strategy.