Kool cigarettes were launched in 1933 by Brown and Williamson as an unfiltered 70mm “regular” cigarette. Kool cigarettes enjoyed continued success throughout the 1950s. And a 1953 Roper poll found that two percent of white Americans and five percent of African-Americans preferred the Kool cigarettes brand.
Growing public concern about the smoking prompted Brown and Williamson to respond to the release of filtered varieties of Kool cigarettes: an 85mm “royal” version in the 1960s, followed by a 100mm or “long” version in the 1970s In the 1980s, Kool lamps appeared and market share was lost to other menthol brands such as Newport.
In 2003, Brown and Williamson bought R.J. Williams. Reynolds Tobacco Company is the company that makes Kool cigarettes to the Reynolds brand. The famous white and green pack, which had remained virtually unchanged for about seventy years, underwent a major overhaul, and production of the original Kool cigarette without a filter was discontinued. These changes had little impact on sales growth.
In 2015, there was a merger of Reynolds American and Tobacco Company Lorillard brought the Kool cigarettes brand to the Imperial Tobacco Company’s real estate portfolio. An advertisement for Kool cigarettes began with the penguin character Willie, which was portrayed as several different professions, among which were a doctor, a soldier and a cook. In the early 1950s, the company placed a series of sign stickers on front doors that read “Come in… it’s a Cool Inside”, indicating that the space is air-conditioned.
In the early 1960s, the cartoon penguin image was no longer used, and instead Kool began selling its cigarettes, combining the fresh, relaxingly cool taste of menthol with cool outdoor scenes depicting water or snow. Previous Kool models include Steve Tyler. In 1971, Kool initiated an advertising campaign in which consumers could order by mail and Sailboat Snark with the Kool logo on the sail — for $88 (later $99) along with a single Kool box valve — including shipping. Sailboats were sold at retail at that time for $ 120. In 1971, Kool received more than 18,000 orders for Sea Snarks.
In the 1970s and 1980s, Kool sponsored jazz festivals and many advertisements from that era a musician or actor playing the saxophone. In addition, Kool was known to target African Americans, as were many menthol cigarettes. In 1975, Kool held a draw with the Rolls-Royce Corniche as a prize.