History of Menthol Cigarettes

When it comes to talking about cigarettes, the presence of menthol cigarettes cannot be denied. This type of cigarettes is one of the many popular types of cigarettes.

The unique sensation in contrast to traditional cigarettes may be the key factor. Long before many menthol cigarette brands became known, there are at least two brands who are prominent to the menthol cigarette’s existence.

They are Spud and Kool.

Some of Popular Menthol Cigarettes

Spud Cigarette

In 1925, Lloyd “Spud” Hughes is the man behind the Spud Menthol Cigarette. He is known for bringing the refreshing taste of menthol to American smokers in 1925.

Possibly, he put his menthol crystals and cigarettes in a tin container, which added a pleasant flavor to the tobacco.

Besides smoking for himself, at first, he offered his modified cigarettes to the railroad and mill workers who are regular customers of his father’s restaurant.

Since then, his modified cigarette gained popularity and begin to be sold from his car in the Ohio Valley.

The Axton-Fisher Tobacco company noticed this new and remarkable invention in the cigarette’s world. Axton saw potential in Spud and arranged to buy Hughes’ Spud name and his patent for US$ 90,000 in 1926.

For its pleasant flavor and sensation, Axton arrange to advertise for Spud cigarette by this line:

“less irritating and suitable for sore throats due to colds!”

Since then, menthol cigarette is associated with a cold remedy for smokers. In 1932, Axton-Fisher managed to climb up into the fifth best selling cigarette brand under the name: Spud Cigarette.

Kool Cigarette

The success story often triggers others to follow the success path. This phenomenon applies also to Spud cigarette.

The success of Spud menthol cigarette caught other cigarette manufacture’s attention. In 1933, the Brown & Williamson tobacco company launched its brand of menthol cigarette: Kool. It was an unfiltered 70-mm regular cigarette.

Kool’s success in providing menthol cigarettes continue through the 1950s. A Roper survey conducted in 1953 showed that two percent of white Americans and five percent of African Americans choose the Kool brand.

Responding to health risks of smoking, Brown, and Williamson released filtered versions of Kool in the 1960s. Gradually, Menthol cigarettes gained much popularity. T

his popularity affected sales of two pioneering brands of menthol cigarettes: Spud and Kool. As competitors, Lorillard Tobacco Company created the Newport cigarette brand, and R.J. Reynolds introduced Salem.

What is unique about Kool cigarette brand was its marketing strategy. The company employed a penguin character or mascot on their advertising materials. The penguin’s name is Willie, who was portrayed as several professions.

Willie was decorating the marketing tools of Kool until the early 1960s. since then, Kool uses fresh imagery of fresh and cool outdoor scenes by portraying water and snow.

It can be denied that the soothing sensation of menthol cigarettes has made that type of cigarette to be the choice of most smokers in the world.

The cooling sensation of menthol cigarettes helps smokers to enjoy smoking more in hot temperature places.

Nowadays, not only menthol exists as an alternative to conventional cigarettes but also there are many other flavor-added cigarettes. What is your choice for menthol cigarettes?