Origins

The origins of Kool date to the early 1930s. Brown & Williamson initially launched a menthol cigarette named Penguin in 1931, which was an unfiltered, 70-millimetre product featuring a penguin on its packaging. In 1933, the company renamed the product Kool while retaining the penguin imagery.[2]

When Kool entered the market, menthol cigarettes were still a relatively specialised category. Historical records from Brown & Williamson describe the brand as a premium-priced “mild menthol” cigarette at the time of its launch in February 1933.[3] Early advertising emphasised the cooling sensation of menthol and, in a manner considered controversial by modern standards, occasionally suggested that menthol provided relief from throat irritation. Research into tobacco industry documents indicates that these health- and comfort-oriented themes were central to the brand’s early marketing strategy.[4]

Expansion during the mid-20th century

Kool remained a significant menthol cigarette brand throughout the 1940s and 1950s. Its distinctive penguin mascot, later known as Willie the Kool Penguin, became a core element of the brand’s identity.[3]

Product formats evolved alongside changing consumer preferences. King-size Kool cigarettes were introduced in the 1950s, followed by filtered versions. By the 1960s and 1970s, the brand was available in a wide variety of sizes and filtered formats.[3]

The competitive landscape shifted significantly in 1956 when R. J. Reynolds introduced Salem, the first menthol filter-tip cigarette. Newport, launched by Lorillard in 1957, subsequently emerged as another major competitor. These brands collectively transformed menthol cigarettes from a niche product into a substantial segment of the American cigarette market.[4]

Kool has a notable history regarding the marketing of menthol cigarettes to Black Americans. Industry research conducted in the 1950s indicated a higher preference for Kool among Black respondents compared to white respondents, leading Brown & Williamson to develop targeted marketing strategies. Publications such as Ebony and Jet served as key advertising channels for these efforts.[5]

Academic research has documented how tobacco companies increasingly associated menthol cigarettes with concepts of coolness, sophistication, social identity, and lifestyle. Kool was central to this development within the industry.[4] The brand’s advertising also became closely linked with music and popular culture. Analysis of Brown & Williamson’s marketing records reveals the company’s use of music-oriented campaigns, including later initiatives specifically aimed at African-American consumers and younger adults.[4]

This marketing history remains a subject of controversy, as public health researchers have concluded that the tobacco industry’s targeted strategies contributed to disproportionately high rates of menthol cigarette use among Black Americans.[5]

Corporate ownership of Kool has changed several times amidst consolidation in the American tobacco industry:

• 1933–2004: The brand was managed by Brown & Williamson.[5]
• 2004–2015: Following the merger of Brown & Williamson’s US operations with R.J. Reynolds, Kool became part of the Reynolds portfolio.[2]
• 2015–present: As a result of the Reynolds American–Lorillard transaction, Kool was divested to ITG Brands, a subsidiary of Imperial Brands.[1]

ITG Brands currently lists Kool among its cigarette brands, noting its 1933 launch and status as the first menthol brand to achieve nationwide distribution in the US.[1]

The visual identity of Kool has historically relied on several distinct elements:

• Green and white colour scheme: Traditional packaging prominently featured green to reinforce associations with coolness and menthol.
• Penguin mascot: Introduced with the original product, the penguin became one of the most recognisable symbols in the brand’s advertising history.[3]
• Wordmark: The distinctive lettering and interlocking “O” forms remain key identity elements. ITG Brands states that the interlocking O’s symbolise the combination of tobacco and menthol.[1]
• Sensory positioning: Unlike standard cigarettes, Kool was built around a pronounced cooling and menthol sensory profile.

Kool was originally launched as an unfiltered, regular-size menthol cigarette. Over subsequent decades, the brand expanded into various formats as the broader market shifted towards filters, king-size, and longer cigarettes.[6]

The original unfiltered Kool was eventually discontinued following changes in ownership and product strategy. The brand subsequently focused its portfolio on filtered menthol products.[2]

The history of Kool is intrinsically linked to broader controversies surrounding menthol cigarettes. Menthol creates a cooling sensation that can reduce the perceived harshness of cigarette smoke. Internal tobacco industry documents demonstrate that companies understood and deliberately leveraged these characteristics in their marketing. Researchers have also documented industry efforts to develop specific menthol strengths and products designed to attract or retain particular demographic groups.[4]

Modern public health authorities and researchers emphasise that menthol cigarettes are not safer than non-menthol varieties. Consequently, the historical marketing of menthol as smoother, cooler, or more comfortable has become a significant focus of tobacco control research.[4]

In the United States, Kool is currently an ITG Brands cigarette brand. The company describes it as a long-established menthol brand and continues to list it within its portfolio of tobacco products.[1] The brand represents both a significant chapter in the commercial history of menthol cigarettes and a prominent case study in the history of tobacco advertising and targeted marketing.

1. Kool – ITG Brands, LLC
2. Kool (cigarette)
3. 9 Kool “mild menthol” cigarettes were introduced by Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation in February, 1933, at a premium price. In August 1940, as a result of a price change, Kools entered the popular priced field. Kool regular has remained competitive in price with other 70 mm. cigarettes since that time.
4. Finding the Kool Mixx: how Brown & Williamson used music marketing to sell cigarettes – PMC
5. Kool
6. BrandKool – Cigarettes Pedia