Best-Selling Cigarette Trends Forecast for 2018: Slim, Short, and Capsule Styles Flourish

 　　The first month of 2018 has passed, and the trends and general patterns for cigarettes in 2018 have been established, with mid-length cigarettes gaining momentum and slim cigarettes maintaining their position.

  　　A Flourishing Tobacco Market 　　Mid-length Cigarettes   　　The tobacco industry has entered a state of "a hundred flowers blooming and a hundred schools of thought contending." For example, the sales of slim cigarettes exceeded 2.3 million boxes in 2017. In just ten years, domestic slim cigarettes have transformed from women's cigarettes to trendy cigarettes and now to staple cigarettes, becoming a symbol of rapid growth in this segmented category.   　　Following slim cigarettes, products like flavor beads, short cigarettes, and mid-length cigarettes have taken the stage, with various segmented categories of cigarettes emerging and gradually growing stronger. The evolution of segmented cigarettes from non-existence to strength has undergone numerous explorations and practices, and they have now become a beautiful landscape in the tobacco industry.   　　N Ways to Construct Categories in 2018   　　Slim Cigarettes   　　It is not difficult to predict that the trend of category diversification will intensify in the near future. What kind of situation will the construction of categories take in 2018?   　　Cigarettes, as a special commodity, satisfy consumers' basic needs through smoking. In this context, constructing categories based on flavor will not only not weaken but will instead strengthen.   　　With advancements in cigarette production technology, various flavored beads, aroma lines, and flavor additive technologies are maturing, providing consumers with diverse smoking experiences. Flavors such as wine, tea, mint, orange, loquat, coffee, and milk are emerging, forming the physical basis for distinguishing cigarette categories by flavor.   　　It is foreseeable that constructing categories based on flavor will become increasingly popular in the future. The key factor determining whether a product can gain market recognition is the creation of product perception. Perception is key when constructing categories based on flavor.   　　Taking Cordyceps (He Run) as an example, as a high-end slim product, it incorporates extracts of Cordyceps and American ginseng into the tobacco leaves, allowing consumers to experience a distinct milk flavor during smoking, clearly differentiating it from products in the same price range. In 2017, the sales of Cordyceps (He Run) exceeded 30,000 boxes, and its distinctive milk flavor was highly recognized by consumers.   　　Constructing Categories Based on Product Form   　　Flavor Bead Cigarettes   　　Recent observations reveal that segmented categories of cigarettes represented by slim, mid-length, short, and flavor bead cigarettes are thriving. For instance, mid-length cigarettes gained popularity after the success of Zhonghua (Gold Mid-length) and Zhonghua (Double Mid-length), prompting various companies to launch mid-length products.   　　Insiders have revealed that in 2018, major brands will engage in a competition in the mid-length category. The development of mid-length cigarettes will continue the trend of "gradually upgrading from low price to high price" previously experienced by slim and short cigarettes, but will instead directly engage in fierce competition at mid to high price points, aiming to lead brand transformation and upgrading through high-end product output.   　　Additionally, categories such as slim, mid-length, short, and flavor bead will continue to be classified. For example, dual flavor beads, multi-flavor beads, visible flavor beads, and products combining "slim/short/mid-length + flavor beads" will emerge; mid-length cigarettes will also vary in length, resulting in short mid-length, long mid-length, and regular mid-length options; or combinations like "regular + flavor beads" and "regular + slim" will appear. In summary, product forms will continue to diversify, and technological innovation will persist.

　　Constructing Categories Based on Cultural Concepts   　　In 2017, a series of major brands proposed new cultural concepts to adapt to the changing market landscape. For example, Yunnan Tobacco constructed "Original Flavor Culture," Hunan Tobacco constructed "Fun Culture," Guizhou Tobacco constructed "Flavor Culture," Su Tobacco proposed "Water Rhythm Culture," and Kuan Zhai proposed "Quality Life," while Hehua proposed "Comfortable Life Advocate," among others.

  　　As the saying goes, there are no successful companies, only companies that adapt to the times. Changes in the consumption environment and consumer preferences require brand culture to keep pace with the times, shifting from "aloof" to "enjoying with the people."   　　Constructing categories based on cultural concepts essentially requires the integration of brand personality with contemporary characteristics, establishing the brand's "uniqueness" in consumers' minds, and enhancing resonance between the brand and consumers through spiritual cultural perception.

　　Research and Promotion of New Tobacco Products   　　Since the rise of heated non-combustible products represented by IQOS in 2016, discussions about new tobacco products have been incessant. This reflects the infinite possibilities that technological innovation brings to tobacco, which I refer to as "Tobacco +."   　　Whether it is heated non-combustible tobacco products, snuff, chewing tobacco, or e-cigarettes, they all reflect consumers' desire and potential to break free from the traditional framework of tobacco. I believe that in 2018, new tobacco products may create a new category. With their distinct smoking experiences, outstanding product features, and unconventional innovations, they will provide consumers with a brand new smoking experience.

　　The continuous enrichment of flavor categories, the transformation and upgrading of cultural categories, the interweaving and splitting of specialty categories, and the exploration of new tobacco products, etc., provide diversified channels for constructing new categories in the tobacco industry. One flower alone does not make spring; a hundred flowers blooming fills the garden.