Philip Morris Int'l CEO Camilleri

Source from:  Tobacco World 02/12/2011

The world's biggest nongovernment cigarette maker, Philip Morris International Inc., has said new products in its key brands like Marlboro will help its sales rise as smokers around the world face tax hikes, bans, health concerns and social stigma. The new products from Philip Morris International, which sells Marlboro and other brands overseas, include Marlboro Red, with a focus on rich flavor; Marlboro Gold, about "exploring new dimensions in smoking"; and Marlboro Fresh, a line of menthols. The company, which has offices in New York and in Lausanne, Switzerland, said shipments of premium Marlboro fell 1.5 percent to 297.4 billion cigarettes, though the brand saw growth in North Africa, Asia, Latin America and Canada. CEO Louis Camilleri discussed the brand during a call with analysts Thursday after the company reported its fourth-quarter earnings. QUESTION: Are we starting to see the results of the push of the new Marlboro (brand) architecture? CAMILLERI: There's still a lot to be done, and there's still quite some exciting innovations to come. … We have seen significant turnarounds in the demographic profile of the brand in places as varied as Italy, Japan, France, Spain, Switzerland, Netherlands, and the list goes on. Enditem