Crush your menthol: Kool Boost Powerball cigarettes

Written by: Michael Keferl on August 2, 2007 at 10:01 pm | In 02 Marketing & Ad Trends |

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: Tobacco marketing in Japan is amazing.

We’ve covered offerings from Camel, Lucky Strike and Kent, but the attraction there was purely about marketing. Kool has upped the ante with great marketing on top of the strangest product modification we’ve ever seen. The Kool Boost cigarettes were just released in July and are being sold with a free match case in a plastic ball to promote the “powerball” within.

kool-boost-powerball-cigarettes-1

While Kent’s earlier promotion with their Mintek menthol seam looks pretty cool visually, when you squeeze the Kool Boost filter you literally burst the powerball, releasing its (rather strong) menthol goodness as outlined in the above diagram. We opened one up to see what it looked like (see below), and they weren’t kidding.

kool-boost-powerball-cigarettes-2

Stuff like this goes over well in Japan, particularly when tobacco is sold in creative packaging, however wasteful it may be. The plastic balls themselves were all piled into a big bin like in a children’s ball pit at Chuck E. Cheese, so at first I thought they were toys. However, what raises the ire of nanny-staters abroad is simply creative marketing in Japan.

15 Comments »

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  1. Double takes…

    Double Nosed Dog, via BBC News, by way of Spluch Gauntlet 1, via we-make-mone-not-art……

    Trackback by Popgadget: Personal Tech for Women — August 12, 2007 #

  2. Uuggghh!! EVerything on this website makes me 1)scared for the future 2) so glad I’m american and not Japanese. They live in a complete consumer fantasy world devoid of nature. I guess New York city is it’s counterpoint, but uuugghhh! to live in Tokyo would be a nightmare. I hope I die before i ever have to live in a place/culture like that.

    Comment by sheryl — August 18, 2007 #

  3. i live in japan, and i love these. they are so effing good.

    Comment by Tyvette — August 27, 2007 #

  4. tobacco….cigarettes KILL!!!!!!!!!

    Comment by ms. frankie — September 5, 2007 #

  5. Dear sheryl,

    You are truly the epitome of American ignorance. You give other Americans (like myself) a bad rap.

    Devoid of nature?!?! Please sweety, your comments are such that you are devoid of cultural understanding and comprehension.

    Don’t worry, you won’t have to ever come to Japan since you are your kind are not really welcome.

    Enjoy your comatose life and road to obesity.

    Comment by Get over it — September 5, 2007 #

  6. I brought back 10 packs of these on my last trip to Japan (I go every couple months - lived there for 9 years). This is by far the most interesting marketing gimmick that I’ve seen with cigarettes. But after smoking a pack a day after the release, I have to say the ‘boost’ is amazing.

    Definitely a must-try for menthol smokers in Japan, and I hope to god that they bring these over to North America so I don’t have to cry when I run out of tasty Japanese cigarettes and have to revert to gross domestic menthol blends.

    Comment by Kooty — September 21, 2007 #

  7. Sheryl,
    New York city is it’s counterpoint? Your ignorance is extra-ordinary.
    Wake up to reality.
    See below:
    im·be·cile (ĭm’bə-sĭl, -səl) n.
    A stupid or silly person; a dolt.
    A person whose mental acumen is well below par.
    A person of moderate to severe mental retardation having a mental age of from three to seven years and generally being capable of some degree of communication and performance of simple tasks under supervision. The term belongs to a classification system no longer in use and is now considered offensive.

    Comment by Bill — October 3, 2007 #

  8. I tried them at a rave in philadelphia. they were awesome.

    Comment by J-dub — October 22, 2007 #

  9. The packaging looks really cool! I’m writing a report on current trends in tobacco in clubs/bars/restaurants. Does anyone know if it they are sold in these environments anywhere in the world? Or maybe if they are promoted really interestingly in these places? Any venue names would be really useful - thanks!

    Comment by Alma — October 22, 2007 #

  10. My name is John i live on okinawa island in japan and all i have to say is these kool boosts hgit super hard normally i have to smoke 2 marlboro menthols one after another just to get the rush i need but with these boosts i get that grat minty taste and a great buzz from them…thanx

    Comment by John Troutman — November 11, 2007 #

  11. where can i buy these in the u.s.

    Comment by Sean — December 29, 2007 #

  12. These look fuckin’awesome, can u get them in the U.S.?

    Comment by silentsmoker — February 24, 2008 #

  13. […] we first blogged about the new Kool Boost cigarettes featuring an internal “powerball” infused with menthol. Smokers can add more […]

    Pingback by Trends in Japan » Camel Crush cigarettes tested in Japan? — April 27, 2008 #

  14. Yuuumm, I would kill to try that, it looks so good. And Sheryl, I actually get your point on how they’re doing bad for the environment and blah blah blah but Japan is still an amazing culture and you shouldn’t be so ignorant with your beliefs.

    Comment by ava — May 3, 2008 #

  15. Hey i go to Japan for snowboarding from New Zealand. I smoke Boost and its sooo good. But now i am back home and i dont think my Girlfriend (still in Japan now) can send them to me down under.

    Can you buy these online anywhere?

    they are so the best cigarette on the market!!!

    Comment by Dave — May 4, 2008 #

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