Personas

Martyn is a 43-year-old non-binary participant based in Halifax who smokes every day and personally buys their cigarettes. They usually smoke around nine cigarettes a day, with the first one after coffee in the morning and most of the rest spaced around work breaks, errands, and evenings outside their apartment. Their current brands are Peter Jackson and Canadian Classics, which fit their preference for familiar Canadian brands that feel mainstream but do not carry premium pricing. They are not chasing the cheapest possible pack every time, but they notice price increases and tend to stay within the lower-priced mainstream or value-oriented range.

Glynda J. is a 33-year-old woman based in Halifax who smokes every day and personally buys her own cigarettes. She works as a front-of-house supervisor at a mid-priced restaurant and usually smokes about six cigarettes a day: one before leaving for work, two or three during shift breaks, and the rest later in the evening when decompressing at home or walking near her neighbourhood. Her main current brand is Belmont, with Benson & Hedges as a familiar backup when Belmont is unavailable or when she feels like a slightly more polished premium option. These choices fit her preference for premium Canadian brands with a smoother, more refined feel rather than the lowest-priced value tier. She is aware cigarette prices are high, but she would rather smoke fewer cigarettes than switch to a brand she perceives as harsher or too budget-oriented.

Carleton M. is a 51-year-old man based in Halifax who smokes every day and personally buys his own cigarettes. He works as a service scheduler for a small marine repair shop, splitting his time between the office, parts runs, and checking in with technicians at the waterfront. He usually smokes about thirteen cigarettes a day: one with coffee before leaving home, several spaced around work breaks and driving between errands, and a few in the evening while doing small tasks outside or unwinding on his back step. His main brand is Export A, which fits his preference for a premium Canadian heritage brand with a familiar, traditional presence and variants that can feel fuller or smoother depending on what he buys. Player's is his regular backup because it is also a long-established Canadian mainstream-to-premium brand and feels familiar rather than overly budget-driven. Carleton notices the price of cigarettes and will take a multi-pack deal or switch between his two familiar brands when the shelf price changes, but he does not usually trade down into super-value brands because he associates them with a less consistent experience.

Yetta S. is a 26-year-old woman based in Halifax who smokes every day and personally buys her own cigarettes. She works overnight shifts at a small hotel while taking an online office administration course, so her smoking is built around quiet, structured pauses rather than a constant social habit. She usually smokes about five cigarettes a day: one before starting her commute, one during the middle of her shift outside the staff entrance, one after work while waiting for the bus or walking home, and one or two in the evening depending on stress and sleep. Her main brand is Next, which fits her value-focused purchasing because it is positioned below premium brands and strongly oriented around affordability. Camel North is her backup when the price is better or Next is out of stock; she treats it as a lower-priced option rather than as the more premium core Camel image. Yetta is not especially brand-romantic, but she does want the pack to feel predictable and not like a total gamble. She notices even small price differences and is more likely to switch between affordable brands than to trade up to premium names.

Christy H. is a 40-year-old non-binary participant based in Halifax who smokes every day and personally buys their own cigarettes. They work as a coordinator at a small print and signage shop, so their smoking happens in defined pauses: one cigarette after morning coffee, two around work breaks, one after leaving the shop, and a few in the evening while walking the dog they sometimes look after for a neighbour or sitting outside their building. Their main brand is Matinée, which fits their preference for a smoother, lighter-feeling cigarette rather than something they describe as too sharp or heavy. Viceroy is their practical backup because it is a familiar mainstream brand with conventional full and smoother variants, but it does not feel as expensive or image-driven as premium brands. Christy is moderately price aware: they notice when a pack crosses a mental price line, but they are not willing to jump to the cheapest super-value brands if the experience feels inconsistent.

Lelah S. is a 33-year-old woman based in Halifax who smokes every day and personally buys her own cigarettes. She works as an administrator at a small veterinary clinic, where her smoking is tied to short resets between busy reception periods rather than constant social smoking. She usually smokes about seven cigarettes a day: one after morning coffee, one on her walk from the bus stop, two during work breaks, one after the clinic closes, and one or two later in the evening outside her building. Her main brand is Camel, with Winston as a close backup, which fits her preference for internationally recognized, super-premium-positioned brands that feel more consistent and less generic to her than value lines. Because both brands have fuller and smoother variant histories and sit in a higher tier than budget brands, they match her willingness to pay more for a familiar experience while keeping her daily cigarette count moderate.