Lucky strike

According to its own data, in 2007, 23 billion cigarettes were sold under the brand name for sale in more than 80 countries around the world. ^[one]

The brand was introduced by R. A. Patterson in 1871 in the form of chewing tobacco and only then cigarettes. In 1905, the company was acquired by the American Tobacco Company.

Legend has it that R. A. Patterson bought a tobacco factory that was badly damaged by the fire, which in turn was the result of a strike / strike (Strike). Fisted new owner did not throw out burnt tobacco, but mixed it to the usual, unexpectedly got a new taste. The name for the mixture was coined ambiguous, lucky strike, usually translated as “unexpected luck”, may also mean “successful strike”.

In 1917, the slogan “It's Toasted” began to be used, which informed customers about the new method of drying tobacco - “roasting”, and not drying in the sun. In the same year, the inscription “LSMFT” ​​(“Lucky Strike means fine tobacco”) appears on the packaging. ^[2]

In 1935, ATC began sponsoring "Your Hit Parade", the brand’s popularity rose sharply and did not decline for about 25 years. A series of commercials was launched involving famous Hollywood actors, for example, Douglas Fairbanks starred in it.

The signature dark green tutu changed color to white in 1942 under the slogan “Lucky Strike Green has gone to war”. The company attributed the change in packaging to the fact that they used copper and chromium, which were needed during World War II. In fact, the color of the package was changed to make it more modern and more attractive to women (market research showed that green packaging was not attractive enough for women who then became active consumers of tobacco products ). The war was an excellent cover to make the packaging more attractive and at the same time more patriotic. There is a legend that pilots who dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki said after the hit: “Lucky strike. It's toasted! ”And if you look closely at the packet, it will become obvious that this is the flag of Japan. ^[3]

In 1978 and 1994, export rights were acquired by Brown & Williamson. In the sixties, filter cigarettes were launched in addition to the menthol Lucky Strike Green (the word "green" meant the presence of menthol in the cigarettes, and not the color of the pack). Luckies was phased out in North America at the end of 2006, but British American Tobacco continues to promote and support the brand.

RJ Reynolds continues to produce non-filter cigarettes. In 2007, a new “double” package appeared, where 7 cigarettes were separated from the rest. That same year, He Pingping, the smallest person on the planet, appeared in commercials. ^[four]

In 1997, British American Tobacco bought out the Tyrell Formula 1 team, later the team was bought by Honda and until the end of the 2006 season the Lucky Strike logos were present on the cars.

In 2009, the British packaging changed the classic red Lucky Strike “light” circle to blue to make it easier for customers to distinguish between a strong variety and a light one. In 2010, the same design appears on Russian packs. ^[five]

In the summer of 2012, the familiar red Lucky Strike disappears from the shelves. British American Tobacco Russia conducts market research. In September 2013, the production of cigarettes in Russia in an updated design resumed.

Products in Europe

In the US, there are only two types of Lucky Strike on sale - Lucky Strike Original Non-filter (red soft packs without a filter) and Lucky Strike Blue (blue packs with a filter).