Benson & Hedges: Difference between revisions
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In June 1977 Benson & Hedges' Gallagher was represented, along with six other major international tobacco companies, at a clandestine meeting styled '[[Operation Berkshire]]' at Shockerwick House outside Bath, England, where a conspiracy was formed to engage in a deliberate strategy to mislead the public over the harmful effects of smoking and retard tobacco control efforts of governments and health groups.<ref>See British Medical Journal article "Operation Berkshire: The international tobacco companies' conspiracy" BMJ 2000;321:371-374 (5 August) at http://ukpmc.ac.uk/articlerender.cgi?artid=426925</ref> |
In June 1977 Benson & Hedges' Gallagher was represented, along with six other major international tobacco companies, at a clandestine meeting styled '[[Operation Berkshire]]' at Shockerwick House outside Bath, England, where a conspiracy was formed to engage in a deliberate strategy to mislead the public over the harmful effects of smoking and retard tobacco control efforts of governments and health groups.<ref>See British Medical Journal article "Operation Berkshire: The international tobacco companies' conspiracy" BMJ 2000;321:371-374 (5 August) at http://ukpmc.ac.uk/articlerender.cgi?artid=426925</ref> |
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| ⚫ | In the UK market in the late 1970s Benson & Hedges ran an advertising campaign which played on the limits of what could be said and shown in cigarette advertisements. A striking series of photomontages and cinema films, devised by [[Collett Dickenson Pearce]], featured the gold pack in various surreal juxtapositions and transformations, devoid of words and people. |
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In the 1930s, Benson & Hedges (Overseas) Ltd was established by Abraham Wix to handle overseas trade. This branch was acquired by [[British American Tobacco]] in 1956. Today, British American Tobacco markets Benson & Hedges throughout Asia and the Pacific, including Australia and New Zealand, but with the exception of [[Taiwan]] and the [[Philippines]]. They also own branches in the Canada, the Middle East and Africa. |
In the 1930s, Benson & Hedges (Overseas) Ltd was established by Abraham Wix to handle overseas trade. This branch was acquired by [[British American Tobacco]] in 1956. Today, British American Tobacco markets Benson & Hedges throughout Asia and the Pacific, including Australia and New Zealand, but with the exception of [[Taiwan]] and the [[Philippines]]. They also own branches in the Canada, the Middle East and Africa. |
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In Canada, a popular brand is "Belmonts", manufactured by B&H in Toronto. |
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==Marketing== |
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In Australia the company's cigarettes are available in the following variations: Classic, Rich, Smooth, Subtle, Fine and Ultimate, with a small square of colour around the brand name being Red, Purple, Blue, Sky Blue, Grey and White respectively, the rest of the packaging predominantly gold. |
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| ⚫ | The United States version of the cigarette is credited with starting the 1960s 100 mm craze. In 1967, the fledgling—and soon to be famous—ad agency of Wells, Rich, Greene introduced the longer cigarette with a Clio award-winning advertising campaign (Benson & Hedges 100, Television/Cinema, Best, 1967) based on the "disadvantages" of the Benson & Hedges 100s.<ref>[http://tvparty.com/vaultcomcig.html Cigarette Commercials: TVparty!<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://adage.com/century/people019.html|title=Ad Age Advertising Century: People: Mary Wells Lawrence (Ad Exec who spearheaded Benson & Hedges 100s mid-60s campaign) |publisher= Advertising Age Crain Communications, Inc. |accessdate=2007-12-01 }}</ref><ref>{{{cite news |
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| url=http://www.clioawards.com/archive/ |
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| accessdate = 2008-11-23 }}</ref> |
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| ⚫ | In the UK market in the late 1970s Benson & Hedges ran an advertising campaign which played on the limits of what could be said and shown in cigarette advertisements. A striking series of photomontages and cinema films, devised by [[Collett Dickenson Pearce]], featured the gold pack in various surreal juxtapositions and transformations, devoid of words and people. |
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==Sponsorships== |
==Sponsorships== |
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{{Reflist}} |
{{Reflist}} |
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==External links== |
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*[http://www.bat.com/ British American Tobacco] |
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*[http://www.bensonandhedges.de/ B&H official site] |
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Revision as of 10:56, 25 August 2010
Benson & Hedges is a British brand of cigarettes owned by the Gallaher Group, which became a subsidiary of Japan Tobacco in 2007. They are registered in Old Bond Street in London, and are manufactured in Lisnafillen, Ballymena, Northern Ireland for the UK and Irish markets.
History
Benson & Hedges was founded in 1873 by Richard Benson and William Hedges as Benson and Hedges Ltd. Alfred Paget Hedges succeeded his father in the business in 1885, the same year which Richard Benson left the business. The 1900s saw branches of Benson & Hedges Ltd. opening in the United States and Canada. In 1928, the American branch became independent, and was bought by Philip Morris in 1958 who also purchased the Canadian branch in 1960. Benson & Hedges Ltd in the UK was acquired by Gallagher Limited in 1955.
A Royal Warrant was issued to the British company in 1878, after the required five years of supply to the Royal Family. This was revoked in 1999 due to a "lack of demand in the royal households".[1] The Warrant seal, which had previously been on the flip lid of the box, was removed.
In June 1977 Benson & Hedges' Gallagher was represented, along with six other major international tobacco companies, at a clandestine meeting styled 'Operation Berkshire' at Shockerwick House outside Bath, England, where a conspiracy was formed to engage in a deliberate strategy to mislead the public over the harmful effects of smoking and retard tobacco control efforts of governments and health groups.[2]
In the UK market in the late 1970s Benson & Hedges ran an advertising campaign which played on the limits of what could be said and shown in cigarette advertisements. A striking series of photomontages and cinema films, devised by Collett Dickenson Pearce, featured the gold pack in various surreal juxtapositions and transformations, devoid of words and people.
Overseas markets
In the 1930s, Benson & Hedges (Overseas) Ltd was established by Abraham Wix to handle overseas trade. This branch was acquired by British American Tobacco in 1956. Today, British American Tobacco markets Benson & Hedges throughout Asia and the Pacific, including Australia and New Zealand, but with the exception of Taiwan and the Philippines. They also own branches in the Canada, the Middle East and Africa.
In Canada, a popular brand is "Belmonts", manufactured by B&H in Toronto.
In Australia the company's cigarettes are available in the following variations: Classic, Rich, Smooth, Subtle, Fine and Ultimate, with a small square of colour around the brand name being Red, Purple, Blue, Sky Blue, Grey and White respectively, the rest of the packaging predominantly gold.
The United States version of the cigarette is credited with starting the 1960s 100 mm craze. In 1967, the fledgling—and soon to be famous—ad agency of Wells, Rich, Greene introduced the longer cigarette with a Clio award-winning advertising campaign (Benson & Hedges 100, Television/Cinema, Best, 1967) based on the "disadvantages" of the Benson & Hedges 100s.[3][4][5] [6]
Sponsorships
Australia
Throughout the 1980s Benson & Hedges was the major sponsor of international cricket in Australia, holding the naming rights for most of the One Day International tournaments such as the World Series Cup and the World Championship of Cricket. Benson & Hedges also sponsored Tony Longhurst's team in the 1980s and early 1990s in Australian Touring Car racing. All sponsorship rights were relinquished when the Australian Federal government legislation banned tobacco advertising at sporting events.
Canada
Benson & Hedges sponsored fireworks competitions in Montreal, Quebec, Toronto, Ontario and Vancouver, British Columbia, until tobacco advertising laws passed by the Government of Canada came into force in 2000. The Montreal fireworks competition is currently sponsored by Loto-Québec.
Global
From 1996 to 2005, Benson & Hedges was the primary sponsor of Jordan Grand Prix team. When racing in countries with bans on tobacco advertising, the livery and apparel were substituted with "Bitten Hisses" (during the period when Jordan's mascot was Hissing Sid), "Buzzing Hornets" (while the mascot was an unnamed hornet), "Bitten Heroes" (while the mascot was an unnamed shark), or 'Be On Edge' (BENSON & HEDGES).
In popular culture
Oasis members Noel and Liam Gallagher smoked Benson and Hedges during the 1990s, with Noel naming his two cats "Benson" and "Hedges". Oasis released a collection of their singles up until their second album (What's the Story) Morning Glory?. The singles were sold in a special box shaped and coloured like Benson & Hedges cigarette packets.
In the film Mike Bassett: England Manager, Bassett (played by Ricky Tomlinson) writes down his squad for a match against Belgium on a packet of Benson and Hedges; his PA unwittingly includes two players with the surnames Benson and Hedges to the squad.
A pair of twins in New Zealand were named "Benson" and "Hedges" after the brand and were cited by a New Zealand judge amongst a list of inappropriate children's names, alongside names like "Fish and Chips", and "Black child" or "nigger".[7]
References
- ^ "Royal warrant stubbed out". BBC News. 1999-02-07. Retrieved 2010-04-26.
- ^ See British Medical Journal article "Operation Berkshire: The international tobacco companies' conspiracy" BMJ 2000;321:371-374 (5 August) at http://ukpmc.ac.uk/articlerender.cgi?artid=426925
- ^ Cigarette Commercials: TVparty!
- ^ "Ad Age Advertising Century: People: Mary Wells Lawrence (Ad Exec who spearheaded Benson & Hedges 100s mid-60s campaign)". Advertising Age Crain Communications, Inc. Retrieved 2007-12-01.
- ^ {"Please Hold This Magazine A Little Further Away". Time Magazine. 1967-04-28. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
- ^ "Clio Awards Archive". Retrieved 2008-11-23.
- ^ <Name Change for Talula Does The Hula from Hawaii>