 | This article contains content that is written like an advertisement .(April 2022) |
 | |
| Product type | Cigarette |
|---|---|
| Owner | Altadis, a subsidiary of Imperial Tobacco |
| Country | Spain |
| Introduced | 1974 |
| Markets | See Markets |
| Previous owners | Tabacalera |
| Carcinogenicity: IARC group 1 | |
Fortuna is a spanish brand of cigarettes, currently owned and manufactured by the Spanish company Altadis, a subsidiary of Imperial Tobacco. Fortuna is Spanish for fortune or luck.[ citation needed ]
Fortuna was first introduced in 1974 in Spain by Tabacalera, a Spanish tobacco conglomerate that is now half of the Altadis corporation. When Fortuna was launched in 1974, the market was dominated by black tobacco and the few international brands of blonde (light) cigarettes that were very expensive for the Spanish smoker. As a response to this, Tabacalera launched Fortuna cigarettes which were a type of blonde tobacco with a filter. With Fortuna came the first American blonde-flavored cigarette and in its first six months almost 700 million cigarettes were sold. Ten years later, it spread internationally, first in France, and then in countries like Italy, Morocco, and the United States. For more than thirty years, Fortuna has been sold in Spain on the blonde cigarette market. [1] The tobacco mixture used in Fortuna cigarettes is of a Virginia type.
In April 2008, Altadis changed the pack design to a "new and modernized look" and reduced the number of its big pack cigarettes from 25 to 24, with the aim of setting a round price (which was €3,00 at the time). Altadis's primary rival is Philip Morris International. [2]
In 2013, Fortuna was the fourth best-selling brand in Spain with more than 184,000,000 packs sold. [3]
In 2015, the taxes of Fortuna, Ducados, and Nobel were once again increased from €4.40 to €4.45; an increase of 5 cents. [4]
In December 2016, Altadis raised the price of their Fortuna, Ducados, and Nobel brands by 10 cents, while opting to keep their Fortuna soft pack brand at €4,45. [5] [6]
Tabacalera and Altadis made various poster and magazine advertisements in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s to promote the Fortuna brand. [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18]
Besides poster and magazine adverts, a few TV adverts were also made. Some were made for Spain, but also for other countries such as Venezuela. [19] [20] [21] [22]
A few telephone cards have also been made, featuring Fortuna adverting on them. [23] [24]
Other memorabilia that Tabacalera made during the time, includes lighters, calendars, and game cars, featuring Fortuna advertising. [25] [26] [27] [18]
Fortuna was a sponsor of various teams within the Grand Prix motorcycle racing classes. In races where anti-tobacco laws were in place (such as France and Germany) the Fortuna name was replaced with the "Spain's N°1" logo.
Fortuna sponsored the Pons Racing team in the 500cc class in 1995 and 1996. [28] [29]
Fortuna sponsored the Gresini Racing team in the MotoGP class in 2002 and 2006. [30] [31] [32]
Fortuna sponsored the official Yamaha MotoGP team in the MotoGP class, along with Gauloises, from 2003 until 2005. [33] [34]
Fortuna sponsored the satellite Yamaha MotoGP Tech 3 team in the MotoGP class from 2003 until 2005. [35]
Fortuna sponsored the Gresini Racing team in the 250cc class in 2002 and 2003. [36]
Fortuna sponsored the Honda team in the 250cc class in 2004 and 2005. [37]
Fortuna sponsored the Aprilia Racing team in the 250cc class in 2006 and 2007. [38] [39]
Fortuna sponsored the Brun Motorsport team in the 1980s. [40] [41] [42]
Fortuna is mainly sold in Spain, but was or still is sold in Morocco, Italy, France, Austria, Poland, Romania, Russia, Venezuela , and Brazil. [43] [44] [45] In the United States, Fortuna cigarettes are manufactured by Commonwealth Brands in Reidsville, North Carolina.[ citation needed ]
Tabacalera, formerly the Compañía Arrendataria de Tabacos, was a Spanish tobacco monopoly whose origins date back to 1636, making it the oldest tobacco company in the world.
Marco Melandri is an Italian retired motorcycle road racer who is a five-time premier class race winner. He is the 2002 250 cc World Champion and runner-up in 125 cc, MotoGP and Superbike World Championship. He competed in the MotoGP class from 2003 to 2010 and then a brief return with Aprilia in 2015.
Altadis is a Spanish-French multinational purveyor and manufacturer of cigarettes, tobacco and cigars. It was formed via a 1999 merger between Tabacalera, the former Spanish tobacco monopoly and SEITA, the former French tobacco monopoly. Through its international holdings, including ownership of the former Consolidated Cigar Holdings and half ownership of the Cuban state tobacco monopoly, Habanos S.A., Altadis was the largest producer of mass market and premium cigars in the world, as well as the fourth largest producer of tobacco products.
Gresini Racing is a motorcycle racing team competing in the MotoGP World Championship under the name Gresini Racing MotoGP as a Ducati satellite team, in the Moto2 World Championship as QJmotor Gresini Moto2, and the MotoE World Cup as Felo Gresini MotoE. The team also competes in CIV Moto3.
Álvaro Bautista Arce is a Spanish motorcycle road racer. He won the 2022 and 2023 Superbike World Championship with the Ducati factory team. He was the 2006 125cc World Champion and runner-up in 250cc, and finished in the top six in MotoGP in 2012 and 2013. He competed in the MotoGP class from 2010 to 2018.
Jorge Lorenzo Guerrero is a Spanish former professional motorcycle racer. He is a five-time World Champion, with three MotoGP World Championships and two 250cc World Championships.
Antonio Elías Justícia is a Spanish former professional motorcycle racer and inaugural champion of the Moto2 World Championship. He is the third member of the Elías family to compete in motorcycle racing. He last rode in the MotoAmerica AMA Superbike Championship, where, in June, he abruptly announced his retirement mid-way through the 2023 race-season.
Gauloises is a brand of cigarette of French origin. It is produced by the company Imperial Tobacco following its acquisition of Altadis in January 2008 in most countries, but produced and sold by Reemtsma in Germany. Until 2017 the cigarette was manufactured at a plant in Riom, Puy-de-Dôme, in France, but they are now manufactured in Poland.
The 2003 Japanese Motorcycle Grand Prix was the first round of the 2003 MotoGP Championship. It took place on the weekend of 4–6 April 2003 at Suzuka. The meeting was overshadowed by the death of Daijiro Kato in the MotoGP race, after he crashed at 130R and hit the barrier at high speed in the ensuing Casio Triangle. Since the accident, Suzuka has been removed from the MotoGP calendar, with the Japanese Grand Prix having been moved to Twin Ring Motegi, the previous home of the Pacific Grand Prix.
The 2010 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 62nd F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season. The season consisted out of 18 races for the MotoGP class and 17 for the 125cc and Moto2 classes, beginning with the Qatar motorcycle Grand Prix on 11 April 2010 and ending with the Valencian Community motorcycle Grand Prix on 7 November. It was the first season for the new Moto2 class.
The 2012 FIM MotoGP World Championship was the premier class of the 64th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season. Casey Stoner started the season as the defending World Champion, while Honda was the defending Manufacturers' Champion.
The 2011 Valencian Community motorcycle Grand Prix was the last round of the 2011 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season. It took place on the weekend of 4–6 November 2011 at the Circuito Ricardo Tormo. It was the first race after the death of Marco Simoncelli in Sepang. It was the final race for the current formula in the premier (MotoGP) and lightweight classes. In the premier class, the 800cc engines would be replaced by 1000cc engines. Honda also would change motorcycles at the end of the season, as the Honda RC212V that débuted at the 2007 Qatar Grand Prix would be replaced by the RC213V for the following season. In the lightweight class, the 125cc two-stroke motorcycle formula would be replaced by 250cc four-strokes for 2012. This was also the final race for Suzuki as a factory team until their return in 2015.
The 2014 FIM MotoGP World Championship was the premier class of the 66th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season. Marc Márquez started the season as the defending riders' champion in the MotoGP category, with Honda the defending manufacturers' champions.
The 2015 FIM MotoGP World Championship was the premier class of the 67th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season. The championship was won by Spanish rider Jorge Lorenzo, racing for Movistar Yamaha MotoGP. It was his third and final world title in the MotoGP category, his fifth overall in Grand Prix motorcycle racing. The season had 18 races, beginning in Qatar and finishing in Valencia, which determined who would be world champion between Movistar Yamaha teammates Lorenzo and runner-up Valentino Rossi. It was first time since 2013 that the world title was decided on the final race of the season. Lorenzo also had the most pole positions, fastest laps and race wins throughout the season; while Rossi had the most finishes, completing every race throughout the season, while Lorenzo had one race retirement in San Marino.
The 2018 FIM MotoGP World Championship was the premier class of the 70th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season. Marc Márquez entered the season as the reigning champion, with Repsol Honda being the reigning team champions and Honda the reigning constructors' champions.
Ducados is a brand of cigarettes that is currently owned and manufactured by Altadis, a division of Imperial Tobacco. Ducados is Spanish for Ducats, a gold coin was part of the original design of the package.
Grand Prix motorcycle racing sponsorship liveries have been used since the late 1960s, replacing the previously used national colours. With sponsors becoming more important with the rising costs in the motorcycle CC classes, many teams wanted to be able to display the logos of their sponsors as clearly as possible.
The 2019 FIM Moto3 World Championship was a part of the 71st F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.
The 2022 FIM Moto2 World Championship was a part of the 74th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season. Augusto Fernández won the championship for Red Bull KTM Ajo after the Valencian Grand Prix.
The 2024 FIM Moto2 World Championship is a part of the 76th FIM Road Racing World Championship season.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
| Brands |
| ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subsidiaries | |||||||
| Predecessors | |||||||
| People | |||||||
1Australia only; 2Brands of Habanos, a 50:50 joint venture between Imperial Tobacco and Cubatabaco ; 350% share; 4formerly, "Commonwealth Brands" | |||||||
