Log in  •  Sign up  •  Fri, Sep 5, 2008 1:39 am Pacific Time

Kool Boost Cigarettes Have a Ball with Menthol

Posted June 22nd, 2008 by Steve Levenstein

I'm not a smoker, but I have to admire the creativity of Japan's cigarette companies when it comes to promoting their products.

With Kool Boost, BAT Japan offers menthol smokers more of what they already love: cool, refreshing mint flavor that soothes the throat and adds a unique "buzz" ordinary smokes can't match.



Kool Boost has blue balls... do you?Kool Boost has blue balls... do you?

The key to Kool Boost is the powerball - a cobalt blue plastic globe of concentrated menthol flavor that responds to pressure by releasing more menthol into the smoke stream. In effect, smokers can adjust each cigarette to their preferred level of coolness. That's, well, kinda cool!

Here's a video of a Japanese smoker - just a guy at home, not a paid pro - giving Kool Boost a taste test. His commentary is in Japanese but the visuals get the message across:




Kool Boost is sold by the pack in convenience stores, vending machines and other venues throughout Japan but nothing can match the original promotion that launched them last summer. Each pack of cigarettes was sealed within a clear plastic ball and included a round, weather-proof match case.

One ball to control menthol...One ball to control menthol...

Smokers are under pressure these days, even in Japan, so marketers are making extra efforts to both retain existing customers and lure new ones. If the powerball is a hit with puffers, we can expect to see more "kool" marketing campaigns in the future. (via CScout Japan)  



Steve Levenstein
J A P A N O R A M A
InventorSpot.com



If you like this article and want to see more like it, please subscribe to our feed.

RSS Feed RSS feed

Want more ?

READ: Creepy Stuffed Animal Dolls Use Your Child's Face
READ: 10 Stunning Fan Designs
READ: EcoJohn - The Incinerating Toilet
READ: Audi Introduces Fully Customizable Dashboard
READ: Cool Fire Hydrant Art
READ: Comb That Cures Baldness

Feeling generous? Please add us to your blogroll? Link or vote for this or send this to a friend.


Bookmark/Search this post with:

in
Comments

kewl

Submitted on June 22nd, 2008 by Anonymous

If I was still a smoker I'd try that. Menthol was never my bag, but Kool's gimmick would make me want to at least give one a try. Don't know that I'd actually have converted to menthols, as those were more often what I went for when nothing else was available.

As far as there being pressure coming down in Japan against smokers, still a long way to go here, and I'd be surprised if the clampdown ever reaches the heights of say, the UK or the States in a nation with such strong ties to the smoking culture. There are still way more places you CAN smoke than can not. And half of the places you "can't" people are still lighting up anyway.


Kool Boost

Submitted on June 22nd, 2008 by Anonymous

I went to a focus group for Camel a few weeks ago and got to try their version of this called the Camel Crush. Same thing, non-menthol cig (which was a little strong for me) then you crush the ball in the filter and delicious mentholness... an excellent menthol taste that is different from any menthol I've tasted.


eh

Submitted on June 22nd, 2008 by Anonymous

That is kinda cool, but I'll be impressed when they make a cigarette that doesn't make you stink like a wet ashtray and rot your lungs out.


Old...

Submitted on June 23rd, 2008 by Anonymous

Those have been out here for over 11 months now. I guess America is more than just 12 hours behind.


hum

Submitted on June 23rd, 2008 by Anonymous

I was in tokyo four months ago and I did not see these. are you sure they have been out for 11 months?


This is so four months

Submitted on June 23rd, 2008 by Anonymous

This is so four months old........


Camel Crush is the same

Submitted on June 24th, 2008 by Anonymous

Camel Crush is the same product now available at Sheetz store in Pennsylvania. Camel Crush goes national August 24. at first, Camel Crush/ kool boost, taste like a stale cigarette, but when you crush the small blue capsule, it turns into a decent menthol cigarette.


Yooooooooo

Submitted on June 24th, 2008 by Anonymous

stop smoking!


camel cruch

Submitted on June 25th, 2008 by Anonymous

i have a friend in marketing and he gave me a pack of camel crush. there alright. heard they wont be out in california till august. pretty much the same thing as kools version.


Lame

Submitted on June 27th, 2008 by Anonymous

Show me one person who has ever started smoking for any other reason besides looking cool


Kool = Camel

Submitted on August 21st, 2008 by Anonymous

Same company (RJ Reynolds), not a surprise. Remember when Kool XL debuted? About a month later we saw Camel Wide.


I quit cigs

Submitted on August 21st, 2008 by Anonymous

but these look good


S M O King!!!!

Submitted on August 23rd, 2008 by Anonymous

I love smoking cigarettes. It's nice knowing what I'm going to die from.


Post new comment

  • Allowed HTML tags: <a> <em> <strong> <cite> <code> <ul> <ol> <li> <dl> <dt> <dd> <p> <img> <sup> <br> <sub> <u> <strike> <b> <i>
  • Lines and paragraphs break automatically.
  • Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically.

More information about formatting options

12 + 0 =
Solve this simple math problem and enter the result. E.g. for 1+3, enter 4.