Brand Line Extensions
In the 1950’s cigarette brand line extensions began to appear as a marketing gimmick to offer consumers new variants of an established brand – often implying a safer and/or improved version. When advertising of cigarette brands were banned from TV and radio in 1971, brand line extensions became an important way for manufactures to keep older brands relevant.
Pall Mall
Pall Mall was marketed in 1899 as a 70mm cigarette. In 1921 it introduced new brand extensions such as Originals and Rounds. In 1939 it moved to the 85mm size. “Pall Mall’s modern design filters the smoke – lessens throat Irritation.”In 1965 Pall Mall Gold added a filter and was the first brand to grow in length to 100mm.
Chesterfield Regular and King-Size
First launched in 1896, Chesterfield released a Kingsize non-filter pack in 1952, one of the very first brand extensions. With other extensions, Chesterfield 101 (millimeters) was released in 1968.
Chesterfield first to add a “kingsize” cigarette at 85mm.
Chesterfield 101mm
Camel
Since it’s introduced in 1913 as a 70mm non-filtered cigarette, R.J. Reynolds has added over 35 line extensions using the Camel brand name starting with the release of Camel Filters in 1965. Among them, Camel Lights were released in 1977, Camel Wides in1992, Camel No. 9 in 2007, and Camel Crush was launched in 2008.
Camel, released in 1913 by RJ Reynolds
Camel – 1965
Camel Wides – 1992
2009 Camel Crush – Smokers can switch between regular and menthol flavored smoke. Pinching the filter breaks a flavor bead and releases a menthol additive.
Winston
Winston cigarettes became the best-selling filtered cigarette brand in the 1950s and 60’s. It was launched in 1954 in a soft pack (85mm) and in a hard pack (80mm) in 1957. In 1968, a 100mm length regular and menthol version of Winston was introduced.
R.J. Reynolds introduced Winston Lights in 1974 after a legal battle with Philip Morris over the use of the brand descriptor “light.”
1968 – Winston 100mm length in regular and menthol
1954 Winston
1975 Winston Lights
Marlboro
introduced Marlboro Red filtered cigarette in hard (80mm) and soft pack (85mm) versions in 1954. In 1966, Philip Morris introduced Marlboro Menthol, in 1967 Marlboro 100s, and in 1971 Marlboro Lights. Marlboro Lights was the first brand to use the “lights” brand descriptor. Today, there are dozens of Marlboro brand variants.
Marlboro Lights 1972
1954 Marlboro cigarettes with cork tipped “Selectrite” filter and flip-top box was marketed by Philip Morris.
Some of the many Marlboro line extensions
In 1966-67, Philip Morris introduced Marlboro Menthol and 100s.
Marlboro Menthol – 1966