History and Legacy of Kent Luxury Cigarettes Brand

The History of Kent Cigarettes

Kent cigarettes have a long and storied history in the tobacco industry. First introduced in 1952 by the Lorillard Tobacco Company, Kent marketed itself as a premium cigarette brand, catering to high-end customers looking for a luxury smoking experience.

The Origins of the Kent Brand

Lorillard tobacco came up with the Kent brand after years of researching what customers enjoyed most in a cigarette. They settled on a combination of high-quality tobaccos and a patented filter tip called the "Micronite" filter.

The name "Kent" evoked images of quality craftsmanship, stylistic designs, and attention to detail. Lorillard wanted customers to view Kent cigarettes as a high-end product for those with distinguished tastes.

The Introduction of Kent Golden Lights

Building upon the success of their original Kent cigarettes, Lorillard introduced Kent Golden Lights in the late 1960s. As the name suggests, these cigarettes featured a gold-foil wrapping that further elevated them as a premium brand.

Kent Golden Lights contained a smooth, mellow tobacco blend perfect for casual smoking. The gold foil wrapping also protected the tobacco, keeping the cigarettes fresh. For customers seeking a high-quality, low-tar cigarette that didn't sacrifice taste, Kent Golden Lights fit the bill.

Kent Cigarette Advertising and Marketing

Lorillard used clever advertising and marketing to position Kent as an aspirational cigarette brand. Print ads depicted Kent smokers as intelligent, successful individuals discussing politics, business, science, and other high-brow topics.

Sophisticated & Luxurious Brand Imaging

Advertising framed Kent cigarettes as sophisticated, intellectual, and chic. Slogans like “For the thoughtful men of distinction” appealed to professionals and cultured individuals who saw smoking Kent as a mark of good taste and refinement.

To further elevate Kent’s status, Lorillard priced the cigarettes higher than competitors to create an air of luxury and exclusivity. The brand's advertising spent less time highlighting features like smooth smoking or filters and instead simply evoked imagery showcasing the idealized Kent lifestyle.

Celebrity & Sports Tie-ins

In sponsorship campaigns, Kent aligned itself with upscale celebrity and sporting events. Kent sponsored the Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts, seeking to link the cigarettes with other cultured pastimes. Kent also sponsored Formula 1 teams, golf tournaments, polo tournaments, and more - always positioning itself as a brand of choice for gentlemen participating in exclusive activities.

The Iconic Kent Packaging & Logo Design

Beyond savvy advertising, Kent stood out based on its sleek, iconic packaging and logo design. The flipped-open hard packs revealed the Kent cigarettes nestled in their signature gold foil wrapping. The minimalist packaging resembled a fine box of luxury chocolates or perfume.

Modern & Sophisticated Packaging

Where other cigarette brands relied on busy, over-designed packaging, Kent packs had an almost industrial modern look and feel. Clean lines, bold colors, and thoughtful details like the embossed logo elevated Kent as a contemporary luxury product.

Over the years as pack designs evolved, Kent maintained this modern aesthetic with updates like the slanted red stripes that appeared in the 1980s. The packaging design choices all aligned with Kent’s desired high class image.

The Iconic Kent Logo

Kent's famous 4-color logo is widely recognized as one of the most successful visual identities in cigarette history. The word Kent displayed on the pack in a bold sans serif typeface with red stripes running through the letters.

This stylized lettering became synonymous with luxury and refinement. Even when flipped upside down in a coat pocket, smokers could easily recognize Kent packs thanks to this iconic branding.

The Legacy of Kent Cigarettes

While no longer as ubiquitous as they once were in the era of Mad Men and smoking lounges, Kent cigarettes still have a loyal following among longtime smokers.

A Collector’s Item

Vintage Kent packs and memorabilia remain prized items for collectors. Kent's legacy as a sharp, sophisticated brand means collectors still appreciate the iconic packaging, branding, and history behind the cigarettes.

Hard-to-find vintage Kent packs and advertising materials command high prices from enthusiasts. The brands bold colors, memorable imaging, and connection to mid 20th century style cement its place in cigarette history.

An Aspirational Brand

Even today, Kent remains an aspirational cigarette brand associated with luxury and the high life. For individuals of a certain generation, memories of the golden foil Kent packs still conjure images of stylish lounges and cosmopolitan living.

While public attitudes towards cigarettes have rightly shifted for health reasons, Kent's powerful branding effect still lingers. For a moment, smoking a Kent harkens back to an era of refinement and taste now passed into memory and nostalgia.

FAQs

When were Kent cigarettes first introduced?

Kent cigarettes were first introduced in 1952 by the Lorillard Tobacco Company as a new premium brand cigarette.

What made Kent cigarettes different from other brands?

Kent cigarettes marketed themselves as a high-end, luxury brand meant for sophisticated smokers. They used premium tobacco blends, an innovative filter, iconic packaging, and aspirational advertising targeting upper class consumers.

Why were Kent Golden Lights cigarettes created?

Building on the original Kent brand's success, Kent Golden Lights offered a mellower, smoother tobacco blend in a gold foil wrapping. It served as an even more premium extension for casual, high-end smoking.

How did Kent cigarette advertising position the brand?

Kent cigarette marketing framed the brand as intellectual, cultured, sophisticated, and exclusive. Advertising depicted cultured people smoking Kents while discussing intelligent topics or participating in high class leisure activities.