Capturing the spirit of the age Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company Marblehead PO Box 167885 London W11 0ZJ Tel: 0800 731 1500 KEY PERSONNEL Brand principal Adele Lewis KEY BRANDS Natural American Spirit cigarettes · 20 kingsize soft pack; carton 10 packs x 20; caste 30 x cartons · regular filter (1.6mg nicotine, 12mg tar) · light filter (0.6mg nicotine/ 5mg tar) Natural American Spirit hand rolling tobacco · pouch (12.5mg & 25mg); box 10 x pouches, As niche products go, additive free tobacco has to be one of the most obscure. But the UK's first and so far only, 100% additive free cigarette and rolling tobacco is sending up smoke signals in the £12bn tobacco market, and busily insulating itself against a price war in the wake of any advertising ban. "Our company has taken a very grass roots approach to loyalty," says head of public affairs Ron Tully. "We concentrate our efforts on informing adult smokers about who we are as a company and what it is that distinguishes Natural American Spirit from other mass manufactured tobacco products." That said, the Santa Fe Tobacco Company has launched a major UK consumer and trade advertising campaign and taken part in three major trade shows to promote the product this year. Produced from whole leaf tobacco grown under tightly audited conditions, using minimum herbicide and insecticide, American Spirit tobacco is free of flavourings and the 599 additives ­ artificial and natural ­ commonly used by other manufacturers. To help spread the message, the company offers in store advice for sales staff. "Helping consumers choose the right brand will become increasingly important as familiar advertising messages disappear with the looming advertising ban," says Tully. POS materials, including product flyers, shelf danglers and posters, are all part of the offer to retailers. "But more importantly, we advise all customers who call our 0800 number printed on our packaging and selected media advertising exactly where they can purchase Natural American Spirit tobacco in their area," says Tully. "We believe that Natural American Spirit sets a new trend in the use of quality tobacco and one that ultimately consumers ­ and potentially regulators ­ will expect others to follow." {{Z SUPPLEMENTS }}