Kool cigarettes (stylized as KOOL) are an American brand of menthol cigarettes that is currently owned and manufactured by ITG Brands LLC, a subsidiary of the Imperial Tobacco Company. Kool cigarettes sold outside the U.S. are manufactured by British American Tobacco. Released in 1933 by Brown and Williamson as an unfiltered 70mm “regular” cigarette. Kool cigarettes enjoyed continued success throughout the 1950s. A 1953 Roper poll found that two percent of white Americans and five percent of African Americans prefer the Kool brand.
Growing public concern about the health risks associated with smoking prompted Brown and Williamson to release 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 bulbs appeared and market share loss to other menthol brands such as Newport.
In 2003, Brown and Williamson acquired R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, transforming Kool into the Reynolds brand. The famous white and green pack, which practically did not change for about seventy years, underwent an overhaul, and the production of the original Kool cigarettes without a filter was discontinued. These changes had little impact on sales growth.
In 2015, as a result of the merger of Reynolds American and Lorillard Tobacco Company, the Kool cigarettes became part of the Imperial Tobacco Company’s portfolio of properties.
The Advertisement for Kool cigarettes began with the penguin character Willie, who was portrayed as several different professions, among which were a doctor, a soldier and a cook. In the early 1950s, the company placed several decal plates on the front doors with the inscription “Come in … it’s cool inside,” which indicates air conditioning.
In the early 1960s, the cartoon penguin image was no longer used, and instead Kool began selling its cigarettes, combining the fresh, relaxing-cool taste of menthol with cool outdoor scenes depicting water or snow. In 1971, Kool initiated an advertising campaign in which consumers could order a Snark sailboat in the mail 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. As one of Kool’s most successful advertisements, the company received over 18,000 orders for “Sea Snarks” in 1971.