Benson & Hedges
Encyclopedia
Benson & Hedges is a British brand of cigarettes owned by the Gallaher Group
Gallaher Group
Gallaher Group is a major United Kingdom-based multinational tobacco company. It was traded on the London Stock Exchange and was a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index, prior to its April 2007 acquisition by Japan Tobacco.-History:...

, which became a subsidiary of Japan Tobacco
Japan Tobacco
, abbreviated JT, is a cigarette manufacturing company. It is part of the Nikkei 225 index. In 2009 the company was listed at number 312 on the Fortune 500 list. The company is headquartered in Toranomon, Minato, Tokyo. The international headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland.-History:The company...

 in 2007. They are registered in Old Bond Street
Bond Street
Bond Street is a major shopping street in the West End of London that runs north-south through Mayfair between Oxford Street and Piccadilly. It has been a fashionable shopping street since the 18th century and is currently the home of many high price fashion shops...

 in London, and are manufactured in Lisnafillen, Ballymena
Ballymena
Ballymena is a large town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland and the seat of Ballymena Borough Council. Ballymena had a population of 28,717 people in the 2001 Census....

, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...

 for the UK and Irish
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...

 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
Altria Group
Altria Group, Inc. is based in Henrico County, Virginia, and is the parent company of Philip Morris USA, John Middleton, Inc., U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company, Inc., Philip Morris Capital Corporation, and Chateau Ste. Michelle Wine Estates. It is one of the world's largest tobacco corporations...

 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
Royal Warrant
Royal warrants of appointment have been issued for centuries to those who supply goods or services to a royal court or certain royal personages. The warrant enables the supplier to advertise the fact that they supply to the royal family, so lending prestige to the supplier...

 was issued to the British company in 1878, after the required five years of supply to the Royal Family
British Royal Family
The British Royal Family is the group of close relatives of the monarch of the United Kingdom. The term is also commonly applied to the same group of people as the relations of the monarch in her or his role as sovereign of any of the other Commonwealth realms, thus sometimes at variance with...

. This was revoked in 1999 due to a "lack of demand in the royal households". 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 executives from six other major international tobacco companies, at a clandestine meeting styled 'Operation Berkshire
Operation Berkshire
Operation Berkshire is the name of a program initiated in 1976 by seven of the world's major tobacco companies aimed at promoting "controversy" over smoking and disease....

' at Shockerwick House outside Bath, England, where they agreed on a deliberate strategy to mislead the public over the harmful effects of smoking and retard tobacco control efforts of governments and health groups.

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
Collett Dickenson Pearce
Collett Dickenson Pearce & Partners emerged from the "Swinging London" cultural shifts of the 1960s as Britain's most glamorous and influential advertising agency, generally regarded as one of the finest advertising agencies in the world during the 1970s...

, featured the gold pack in various surreal juxtapositions and transformations, devoid of words and people. John Emperor was the creator of the packet logo who was employed by CDP.

Markets

The cigarettes are available in Gold or Silver forms, in some countries also as Green (Menthol
Menthol cigarette
A menthol cigarette is a cigarette flavored with the compound menthol, a substance which triggers the cold-sensitive nerves in the skin without actually providing a drop in temperature....

), blue, white and black. JTI also manufactures Hamlet cigars
Hamlet (cigar)
Hamlet is a well known brand of cigar produced by Japan Tobacco. They are available in several varieties, miniatures and also a regular length. They are regularly referred to as the 'mild cigar' in their advertising....

.

UK market

In 2007, Benson and Hedges changed the packaging from Benson and Hedges special filter to Benson and Hedges Gold, with a slightly different formula & also launched a Silver Version, containing less tar and 0.1 less mg of Nicotine at a slightly cheaper price. In 2008, Benson and Hedges launched a 14 cigarette pack to be sold along side its 10 & 20 packs. It also launched a Black version of its cigarettes, but disappeared off shelves in early 2009. In July 2009, B&H launched a Gold and Silver version of rolling tobacco. It also launched a slide pack for its Silver branded cigarettes.

In June 2010, Benson and Hedges launched the Edge pack, a new style of packaging with edged/curved corners, for its Gold 20 cigarette packs.

Currently, the UK Brands are Benson and Hedges Gold, Silver and Benson & Hedges Gold Superkings, as well as its rolling tobacco. Benson & Hedges brands in the UK over the last 40 years have included: Sovereign (two versions), Gold Bond, Virginia Red, and Virginia Blue.

As of June 2011 a new brand has been released into the UK market, Benson and Hedges White.

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
British American Tobacco
British American Tobacco p.l.c. is a global tobacco company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world’s second largest quoted tobacco company by global market share , with a leading position in more than 50 countries and a presence in more than 180 countries...

 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
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...

 and the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...

. The Canadian branch of Benson and Hedges is owned by Philip Morris International.

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.

In Canada, a popular brand is "Belmonts", manufactured by B&H in Toronto.

The United States version of the cigarette, acquired by Philip Morris
Philip Morris USA
Philip Morris USA is the United States tobacco division of Altria Group, Inc. Philip Morris USA brands include Marlboro, Virginia Slims, Benson and Hedges, Merit, Parliament, Alpine, Basic, Cambridge, Bucks, Dave's, Chesterfield, Collector's Choice, Commander, English Ovals, Lark, L&M, Players and...

 in 1954, 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.
In the United States, several varieties of Benson & Hedges are available, including:
  • Benson & Hedges Kings - Box
  • Benson & Hedges Menthol - Kings & 100s
  • Benson & Hedges Multifilter Kings - Soft
  • Benson & Hedges 100s - Soft, Box
  • Benson & Hedges 100s Menthol - Soft, Box
  • Benson & Hedges 100s DeLuxe - Box
  • Benson & Hedges 100s DeLuxe Menthol - Box
  • Benson & Hedges 100s Luxury - Soft, Box
  • Benson & Hedges 100s Luxury Menthol - Soft, Box

Australia

Throughout the 1980s Benson & Hedges was the major sponsor of international cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...

 in Australia, holding the naming rights
Naming rights
In the private sector, naming rights are a financial transaction whereby a corporation or other entity purchases the right to name a facility, typically for a defined period of time. For properties like a multi-purpose arena, performing arts venue or an athletic field, the term ranges from three...

 for most of the One Day International tournaments such as the World Series Cup
World Series Cup
The World Series Cup was the name of the One Day International cricket tournament that took place in Australia every season between Australia and two touring teams from 1979-80 to 1995-96. The tournament was renamed the World Series from 1990-1. This was the very first of the One Day International ...

 and the World Championship of Cricket
World Championship of Cricket
The Benson & Hedges World Championship of Cricket was a One Day International tournament held from 17 February to 10 March 1985 in Australia and won by India....

. Benson & Hedges also sponsored Tony Longhurst
Tony Longhurst
Tony Longhurst is an Australian former racing driver and Australian Champion water skier. He is most noted for his career in the Australian Touring Car Championship and V8 Supercar series....

's team in the 1980s and early 1990s in Australian Touring Car racing
Australian Touring Car Championship
The Australian Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing award held in Australia since 1960. The series itself is no longer contested, but the title lives on, with the winner of the V8 Supercar Championship Series awarded the trophy and title of Australian Touring Car Champion.-History:The...

. All sponsorship rights were relinquished when the Australian Federal government legislation banned tobacco advertising
Tobacco advertising
Tobacco advertising is the advertising of tobacco products or use by the tobacco industry through a variety of media including sponsorship, particularly of sporting events. It is now one of the most highly regulated forms of marketing...

 at sporting events.

Canada

Benson & Hedges sponsored fireworks competitions in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...

, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....

, Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...

, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....

 and Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...

, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...

, until tobacco advertising laws passed by the Government of Canada
Government of Canada
The Government of Canada, formally Her Majesty's Government, is the system whereby the federation of Canada is administered by a common authority; in Canadian English, the term can mean either the collective set of institutions or specifically the Queen-in-Council...

 came into force in 2000.

Global

From to , Benson & Hedges was the primary sponsor of Jordan Grand Prix
Jordan Grand Prix
Jordan Grand Prix was a Formula One constructor that competed from 1991 to 2005. The team is named after Irish businessman and founder Eddie Jordan...

 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; when read aloud (and on air (?)) the phrase sounds similar to "B and H", a common abbreviation for the brand in the UK and elsewhere).

In popular culture

Oasis
Oasis (band)
Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Originally known as The Rain, the group was formed by Liam Gallagher , Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs , Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan and Tony McCarroll , who were soon joined by Liam's older brother Noel Gallagher...

 members Noel
Noel Gallagher
Noel Thomas David Gallagher is an English musician and singer-songwriter, formerly the lead guitarist, backing vocalist and principal songwriter of the English rock band Oasis. He is currently fronting his solo project, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds.Raised in Burnage, Manchester with his...

 and Liam Gallagher
Liam Gallagher
William John Paul "Liam" Gallagher is an English musician and singer-songwriter, the former frontman of the English rock band Oasis and currently of the band Beady Eye. Gallagher's erratic behaviour, distinctive singing style, and abrasive attitude have been the subject of commentary in the press...

 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?
(What's the Story) Morning Glory?
Morning Glory? is the second studio album by the English rock band Oasis. It was released on 2 October 1995 through Creation Records. The album was Oasis' most enduring commercial success, charting at number one in the UK and number four in the U.S...

. The singles were sold in a special box shaped and coloured like Benson & Hedges cigarette packets.

British indie
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...

 band Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine referenced the brand in the song "England", from their 1992 album 1992 – The Love Album, with the lyrics: "I've been GBH
Grievous bodily harm
Grievous bodily harm is a term of art used in English criminal law which has become synonymous with the offences that are created by sections 18 and 20 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861....

'd and ABH'd for a packet of B&H."


In the film Mike Bassett: England Manager
Mike Bassett: England Manager
Mike Bassett: England Manager is a 2001 satirical comedy film directed by Steve Barron, following the fortunes of the manager of Division One football club Norwich City, Mike Bassett, who having led his side to the 'Mr Clutch Cup', is appointed England manager.The film takes the form of a...

, Bassett (played by Ricky Tomlinson
Ricky Tomlinson
Eric Tomlinson , known by his stage name Ricky Tomlinson, is an English actor and comedian, best known for his roles as Bobby Grant in Brookside, DCI Charlie Wise in Cracker and James "Jim" Royle in The Royle Family....

) 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".

"Benson Hedges" is the name of the second track on the album Aim and Ignite
Aim and Ignite
Aim and Ignite is the debut album from indie pop band fun. It was released on August 25, 2009 through Nettwerk. The two bonus tracks are re-imagined versions of two other songs on the CD...

 from the New York power pop band Fun.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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