The Most Famous Cigarette Slogans of the Last Century

Decades: 1940s-1960s | Country: USA & Canada

The jingle “LSMFT” was one of the most famous in advertising history. It was often sung: “Lucky Strike means fine tobacco / So round, so firm, so fully packed.” The campaign also featured the slogan “It’s Toasted” — a reference to the brand’s proprietary toasting process, which they claimed made the tobacco “less irritating.” The slogan was immortalized in the TV show Mad Men, where Don Draper pitches a new campaign to Lucky Strike executives: “It’s Toasted.”

Other famous Lucky Strike slogans: “Be Happy — Go Lucky,” “The Luckiest You’ll Ever Taste,” and the controversial “Reach for a Lucky instead of a sweet” (which explicitly marketed cigarettes as a weight-loss aid).

Decades: 1946-1954 | Country: USA & Canada

Arguably the most famous — and most deceptive — cigarette slogan in history. The campaign claimed that a survey of 113,597 doctors found that Camels were the preferred cigarette. What the ads didn’t say: the “survey” was conducted by mailing free samples to doctors and asking what they smoked after receiving the free cigarettes. The slogan ran for eight years and was only withdrawn under public pressure. Other Camel slogans: “I’d walk a mile for a Camel” and “Don’t look for moods or cosmetics — Camel is made for the man’s taste.”

Decades: 1960s-1990s | Country: Global

Before the cowboy, Marlboro was a woman’s cigarette with the slogan “Mild as May”. In 1954, Leo Burnett’s agency rebranded Marlboro with the rugged “Marlboro Man” cowboy — one of the most successful advertising campaigns in history. The slogan “Come to where the flavor is — Marlboro Country” reinforced the association between cigarettes and the masculine, independent cowboy lifestyle. Within one year, Marlboro’s market share rose from less than 1% to fourth-best-selling brand. Today, Marlboro is the best-selling cigarette brand worldwide.

Decades: 1950s-1970s | Country: USA & Canada

The Winston slogan was famous for its deliberate grammatical error (“good like” instead of “good as”). Grammarians criticized it, but the jingle was catchy and memorable. Winston was the first brand to introduce a charcoal filter (the “Winston Filter”) and the slogan emphasized taste over health claims. Other Winston slogans: “What do you want, good grammar or good taste?” (in response to the criticism) and “America’s best-selling cigarette.”

Decades: 1960s | Country: USA & Canada

One of the most unusual campaigns of the era featured people with black eyes, proudly declaring that they’d rather fight than switch to another brand. The ads suggested that Tareyton smokers were so loyal to their charcoal filter cigarettes that they would get into physical altercations to defend their choice. The campaign was wildly successful — and incredibly memorable, even if the logic was absurd.

Decades: 1960s-1990s | Country: USA & Canada

Newport marketed menthol cigarettes as a “pleasure” brand, with imagery of fresh air, cool water, and outdoor recreation. The slogan “Alive with pleasure — Newport” positioned menthol as a refreshing alternative to harsh non-menthol brands. Other slogans: “Newport refreshes while you smoke” and “The only cigarette with a refreshing taste.”

Decades: 1960s-1990s | Country: USA & Canada

Kool was another menthol brand, using imagery of cool mountain streams and fresh air. The slogan “Come up to the Kool taste” invited smokers to “escape” to a cooler, fresher world. Kool was also known for its controversial “Kool Jazz” campaign in the 1980s, which used jazz music sponsorship to target urban audiences.

Decades: 1968-1990s | Country: USA & Canada

This slogan co-opted the women’s liberation movement to sell cigarettes. The ads featured fashionably dressed women, often in period costumes contrasting the “old days” (when women were discouraged from smoking) with the “modern” era (when they could smoke freely). The campaign was wildly successful — and deeply cynical, using feminism as a marketing tool while selling a deadly product. Other slogans: “Virginia Slims — the slim cigarette made for the woman’s hand” and “The cigarette for the woman who has everything.”

Decades: 1950s-1970s | Country: Canada

One of Canada’s most famous cigarette slogans. Player’s claimed that its filter (a “natural filter of pure cotton”) protected smokers’ throats from irritation — a health claim that was never proven. The slogan played on growing health concerns while offering a false solution. Other Player’s slogans: “Challenge everything” (1980s) and “Player’s — smooth.”

Decades: 1950s-1980s | Country: International

Dunhill positioned itself as a luxury brand, with sophisticated advertising targeting wealthy, educated smokers. The slogan “The most distinguished name in smoking” reinforced the brand’s association with prestige and success. Dunhill’s ads often featured elegant men in tuxedos or smoking jackets.